PERSONAL   MEMOIRS 


RESIDENCE  OF  THIRTY  YEARS 


WITH  THE 


INDIAN    TRIBES 


ON  THE 


,      ,      AMERICAN  FRONTIERS:  ,j 

WITH  BRIEF 

0 

NOTICES  OF  PASSING  EVENTS,  FACTS,  AND  OPINIONS, 
A.D.  1812  TO  A.D.  1842. 

BY   HENEY   R.    SCHOOLCRAFT. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
LIPPINCOTT,    GRAMBO    AND    CO., 

SUCCESSORS  TO  GEIGG,  ELLIOT  AND  CO. 

1851. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1851,  by 

HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT, 
in  the  Office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  in  and  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


PHILADELPHIA  t 
T.  K.  AND  P.   G.  COLLINS,  PRINTERS. 


TO 

ALEXANDER  B.  JOHNSON,  ESQ. 

OF    UTICA. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  : — I  feel  impelled  to  place  your  name  before  these  sheets, 
from  a  natural  impulse.  It  is  many  years  since  I  accompanied  you  to  the 
Genesee  country,  which  was,  at  that  time,  a  favorite  theatre  of  enterprise, 
and  called  the  "  Garden  of  the  West."  This  step,  eventually,  led  me  to  make 
deeper  and  more  adventurous  inroads  into  the  American  wilderness. 

If  I  am  not  mistaken,  you  will  peruse  these  brief  memoranda  of  my  ex 
ploratory  journeys  and  residence  in  the  wide  area  of  the  west,  and  among 
barbarous  tribes,  in  a  spirit  of  appreciation,  and  with  a  lively  sense  of  that 
providential  care,  in  human  affairs,  that  equally  shields  the  traveler  amidst 
the  vicissitudes  of  the  forest,  and  the  citizen  at  his  fireside. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT. 


PREFACE. 


TEN  years  ago  I  returned  from  the  area  of  the  Mississippi  Valley 
to  New  York,  my  native  State,  after  many  years'  residence  and 
exploratory  travels  of  that  quarter  of  the  Union.  Having  hecome 
extensively  known,  personally,  and  as  an  author,  and  my  name 
having  been  associated  with  several  distinguished  actors  in  our 
western  history,  the  wish  has  often  been  expressed  to  see  some 
record  of  the  events  as  they  occurred.  In  yielding  to  this  wish, 
it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  writer  is  about  to  submit  an  auto 
biography  of  himself;  nor  yet  a  methodical  record  of  his  times — 
tasks  which,  were  he  ever  so  well  qualified  for,  he  does  not  at  all 
aspire  to,  and  which,  indeed,  he  has  not  now  the  leisure,  if  he  had 
the  desire,  to  undertake. 

Still,  his  position  on  the  frontiers,  and  especially  in  connection 
with  the  management  of  the  Indian  tribes,  is  believed  to  have  been 
one  of  marked  interest,  and  to  have  involved  him  in  events  and 
passages  often  of  thrilling  and  general  moment.  And  the  recital 
of  these,  in  the  simple  and  unimposing  forms  of  a  diary,  even  in 
the  instances  where  they  may  be  thought  to  fail  in  awakening  deep 
sympathy,  or  creating  high  excitement,  will  be  found,  he  thinks, 
to  possess  a  living  moral  undertone.  In  the  perpetual  conflict 
between  civilized  and  barbaric  life,  during  the  settlement  of  the 
West,  the  recital  will  often  recall  incidents  of  toil  and  peril,  and 
frequently  show  the  open  or  concealed  murderer,  with  his  uplifted 
knife,  or  deadly  gun.  As  a  record  of  opinion,  it  will  not  be  too 
much  to  say,  that  the  author's  approvals  are  ever  on  the  side  of 
virtue,  honor,  and  right ;  that  misconception  is  sometimes  prevented 
by  it,  and  truth  always  vindicated.  If  he  has  sometimes  met  bad 
men  ;  if  he  has  experienced  detraction,  or  injustice ;  if  even  persons 
of  good  general  repute  have  sometimes  persecuted  him,  it  is  only 
surprising,  on  general  grounds,  that  the  evils  of  this  kind  have  not 


VI  PREFACE. 

been  greater  or  more  frequent;  but  it  is  conceived  that  the  record 
of  such  injustice  would  neither  render  mankind  wiser  nor  the  author 
happier.  The  " crooked"  cannot  be  made  "straight,"  and  he  who 
attempts  it  will  often  find  that  his  inordinate  toils  only  vex  his  own 
soul.  He  who  does  the  ill  in  society  is  alone  responsible  for  it,  and 
if  he  chances  not  to  be  rebuked  for  it  on  this  imperfect  theatre  of 
human  action,  yet  he  cannot  flatter  himself  at  all  that  he  shall  pass 
through  a  future  state  "  scot  free."  The  author  views  man  ever  as 
an  accountable  being,  who  lives,  in  a  providential  sense,  that  he 
may  have  an  opportunity  to  bear  record  to  the  principles  of  truth, 
wherever  he  is,  and  this,  it  is  perceived,  can  be  as  effectually  done, 
so  far  as  there  are  causes  of  action  or  reflection,  in  the  recesses  of 
the  forest,  as  in  the  area  of  the  drawing-room,  or  the  purlieus  of  a 
court.  It  is  believed  that,  in  the  present  case,  the  printing  of 
the  diary  could  be  more  appropriately  done,  while  most  of  those 
with  whom  the  author  has  acted  and  corresponded,  thought  and 
felt,  were  still  on  the  stage  of  life.  The  motives  that,  in  a  higher 
sphere,  restrained  a  Wraxall  and  a  Walpole  in  withholding  their 
remarks  on  passing  events,  do  not  operate  here  ;  for  if  there  be  no 
thing  intestimonial  or  faulty  uttered,  the  power  of  a  stern,  high- 
willed  government  cannot  be  brought  to  bear,,to  crush  independence 
of  thought,  or  enslave  the  labors  of  intellect:  for  if  there  be  a 
species  of  freedom  in  America  more  valuable  than  another,  it  is 
that  of  being  pen-free 

It  is  Sismondi,  I  think,  who  says  that  "time  prepares  for  a  long 
flight,  by  relieving  himself  of  every  superfluous  load,  and  by  cast 
ing  away  everything  that  he  possibly  can.''  The  author  certainly 
would  not  ask  him  to  carry  an  onerous  weight.  But,  in  the  history 
of  the  settlement  of  such  a  country  and  such  a  population  as  this, 
there  must  be  little,  as  well  as  great  labors,  before  the  result  to  be 
sent  forward  to  posterity  can  be  prepared  by  the  dignified  pen  of 
polished  history;  and  the  writer  seeks  nothing  more  than  to 
furnish  some  illustrative  memoranda  for  that  ultimate  task,  who 
ever  may  perform  it. 

He  originally  went  to  the  west  for  the  purpose  of  science.  His 
mineralogical  rambles  soon  carried  him  into  wide  and  untrodden 
fields ;  and  the  share  he  was  called  on  to  take  in  the  exploration 
of  the  country,  its  geography,  geology,  and  natural  features,  have 
thrown  him  in  positions  of  excitement  and  peril,  which  furnish,  it  is 


PREFACE.  Vll 

supposed,  an  appropriate  apology,  if  apology  be  necessary,  for  the 
publication  of  these  memoirs. 

But  whatever  degree  of  interest  and  originality  may  have  been 
connected  with  his  early  observations  and  discoveries  in  science, 
geography,  or  antiquities,  the  circumstances  which  directed  his 
attention  to  the  Indian  tribes — their  history,  manners  and  customs, 
languages,  and  general  ethnology,  have  been  deemed  to  lay  his 
strongest  claim  to  public  respect.  The  long  period  during  which 
these  observations  have  been  continued  to  be  made,  his  intimate 
relations  with  the  tribes,  the  favorable  circumstances  of  his  position 
and  studies,  and  the  ardor  and  assiduity  with  which  he  has  availed 
himself  of  them,  have  created  expectations  in  his  case  which  few 
persons,  it  is  believed,  in  our  history,  have  excited. 

It  is  under  these  circumstances  that  the  following  selections 
from  his  running  journal  are  submitted.  They  form,  as  it  were,  a 
thread  connecting  acts  through  a  long  period,  and  are  essential  to 
their  true  understanding  and  development.  A  word  may  be  said 
respecting  the  manner  of  the  record  which  is  thus  exhibited : — 

The  time  is  fixed  by  quoting  exactly  the  dates,  and  the  names 
of  persons  are  invariably  given  wherever  they  could,  with  propriety, 
be  employed ;  often,  indeed,  in  connection  with  \vhat  may  be  deemed 
trivial  occurrences ;  but  these  were  thought  essential  to  the  proper 
relief  and  understanding  of  more  important  matters.  Indeed,  a 
large  part  of  the  journal  consists  of  extracts  from  the  letters  of 
the  individuals  referred  to ;  and  in  this  way  it  is  conceived  that  a 
good  deal  of  the  necessarily  offensive  character  of  the  egotism  of 
journalism  is  got  rid  of.  No  one  will  object  to  see  his  name  in 
print  while  it  is  used  to  express  a  kind,  just,  or  noble  sentiment, 
or  to  advance  the  cause  of  truth ;  and,  if  private  names  are  ever 
employed  for  a  contrary  purpose,  I  have  failed  in  a  designed  cau 
tiousness  in  this  particular.  Much  that  required  disapprobation  has 
been  omitted,  which  a  ripening  judgment  and  more  enlarged  Chris 
tian  and  philosophic  view  has  passed  over ;  and  much  more  that 
invited  condemnation  was  never  committed  to  paper.  Should 
circumstances  favor  it,  the  passages  which  are  omitted,  but  ap 
proved,  to  keep  the  work  in  a  compact  shape,  will  be  hereafter 
added,  with  some  pictorial  illustrations  of  the  scenery. 

The  period  referred  to,  is  one  of  considerable  interest.  It  is  the 
thirty  years  that  succeeded  the  declaration  of  war  by  the  United 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

States,  in  1812,  against  Great  Britain,  and  embraces  a  large  and 
important  part  of  the  time  of  the  settlement  of  the  Mississippi 
Valley,  and  the  great  lake  basins.  During  this  period  ten  States 
have  been  added  to  the  Union.  Many  actors  who  now  slumber  in 
their  graves  are  called  up  to  bear  witness.  Some  of  the  number 
were  distinguished  men  ;  others  the  reverse.  Red  and  white  men 
alike  express  their  opinions.  Anecdotes  and  incidents  succeed 
each  other  without  any  attempt  at  method.  The  story  these  inci 
dentally  tell,  is  the  story  of  a  people's  settling  the  wilderness.  It 
is  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  occupying  the  sites  of  the  Indian  wig 
wams.  It  is  a  field  in  which  plumed  sachems,  farmers,  legisla 
tors,  statesmen,  speculators,  professional  and  scientific  men,  and 
missionaries  of  the  gospel,  figure  in  their  respective  capacities. 
Nobody  seems  to  have  set  down  to  compose  an  elaborate  letter, 
and  yet  the  result  of  the  whole,  viewed  by  the  philosophic  eye,  is 
a  broad  field  of  elaboration. 

HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT, 
PHILADELPHIA,  Sept.  12th,  1851. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Brief  reminiscences  of  scenes  from  1809  to  1817 — Events  preliminary  to  a 
knowledge  of  western  life — Embarkation  on  the  source  of  the  Alleghany 
J^iver — Descent  to  Pittsburgh — Valley  of  the  Monongahela ;  its  coal  and 
iron — Descent  of  the  Ohio  in  an  ark — Scenes  and  incidents  by  the  way — 
Cincinnati — Some  personal  incidents  which  happened  there  -  -  17 

CHAPTER    II. 

Descent  of  the  Ohio  River  from  Cincinnati  to  its  mouth — Ascent  of  the 
Mississippi,  from  the  junction  to  Herculaneum — Its  rapid  and  turbid 
character,  and  the  difficulties  of  stemming  its  current  by  barges — Some 
incidents  by  the  way 25 

CHAPTER  III. 

Reception  at  Herculaneum,  and  introduction  to  the  founder  of  the  first 
American  colony  in  Texas,  Mr.  Austin — His  character — Continuation  of 
the  journey  on  foot  to  St.  Louis — Incidents  by  the  way — Trip  to  the  mines 
— Survey  of  the  mine  country — Expedition  from  Potosi  into  the  Ozark 
Mountains,  and  return,  after  a  winter's  absence,  to  Potosi  32 

CHAPTER    IV. 

Sit  down  to  write  an  account  of  the  mines — Medical  properties  of  the  Mis 
sissippi  water — Expedition  to  the  Yellow  Stone — Resolve  to  visit  Wash 
ington  with  a  plan  of  managing  the  mines — Descend  the  river  from  St. 
Genevieve  to  New  Orleans — Incidents  of  the  trip — Take  passage  in  a  ship 
for  New  York — Reception  with  my  collection  there— 1Publish  my  memoir 
on  the  mines,  and  proceed  with  it  to  Washington — Result  of  my  plan — 
Appointed  geologist  and  mineralogist  on  an  expedition  to  the  sources  of 
the  Mississippi  -  .-  -  -  -  ._  .  -  39 

CHAPTER   V. 

Set  out  on  the  expedition  to  the  northwest — Remain  a  few  weeks  at  New 
York — Visit  Niagara  Falls,  and  reach  Detroit  in  the  first  steamer — Prepa- 


X  CONTENTS. 

rations  for  a  new  style  of  traveling — Correspondents — General  sketch  of 
the  route  pursued  by  the  expedition,  and  its  results — Return  to  Albany,  and 
publish  rny  narrative — Journal  of  it— Preparation  for  a  scientific  account 
of  the  observations 45 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Reception  by  the  country  on  my  return — Reasons  for  publishing  my  narra 
tive  without  my  reports  for  a  digested  scientific  account  of  the  expedition — 
Delays  interposed  to  this — Correspondents — Locality  of  strontian-^Letter 
from  Dr.  Mitchell — Report  on  the  copper  mines  of  Lake  Superior — Theo 
retical  geology — Indian  symbols — Scientific  subjects — Complete  the  publi 
cation  of  my  work — Its  reception  by  the  press  and  the  public — Effects  on 
my  mind — Receive  the  appointment  of  Secretary  to  the  Indian  Commission 
at  Chicago — Result  of  the  expedition,  as  shown  by  a  letter  of  Dr.  Mitchell 
to  General  Cass 55 

CHAPTER    VII. 

Trip  through  the  Miami  of  the  lakes,  and  the  W abash  Valley — Cross  the 
grand  prairie  of  Illinois — Revisit  the  mines — Ascend  the  Illinois — Fever — 
Return  through  the  great  lakes — Notice  of  the  "  Trio" — Letter  from  Profes 
sor  Silliman — Prospect  of  an  appointment  under  government — Loss  of  the 
"  Walk-in- the-Water" — Geology  of  Detroit — Murder  of  Dr.  Madison  by  a 
Winnebago  Indian 67 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

New-Yearing — A  prospect  opened — Poem  of  Ontwa — Indian  biography — 
Fossil  tree — Letters  from  various  persons — Notice  of  Ontwa — Professor 
Silliman — Gov.  Clinton — Hon.  J.  Meigs — Colonel  Benton — Mr.  Dickenson 
— Professor  Hall — Views  of  Ex-presidents  Madison,  Jefferson,  and  Adams 
on  geology — Geological  notices — Plan  of  a  gazetteer — Opinions  of  my 
Narrative  Journal  by  scientific  gentlemen — The  impostor  John  Dunn  Hunter 
— Trip  up  the  Potomac  —  Mosaical  chronology — Visit  to  Mount  Ver- 
non 76 

CHAPTER    IX. 

Appointed  an  agent  of  Indian  affairs  for  the  United  States  at  Saint  Mary's — 
Reasons  for  the  acceptance  of  the  office — Journey  to  Detroit — Illness  at 
that  point — Arrival  of  a  steamer  with  a  battalion  of  infantry  to  establish 
a  new  military  post  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior — Incidents  of  the  voyage 
to  that  point — Reach  our  destination,  and  reception  by  the  residents  and 
Indians — A  European  and  man  of  honor  fled  to  the  wilderness  -  87 


CONTENTS.  XI 


CHAPTER   X. 

Incidents  of  the  summer  during  the  establishment  of  the  new  post  at  St.  Mary's 
—Life  in  a  nut-shell— Scarcity  of  room— High  prices  of  everything— State 
of  the  Indians — Their  rich  and  picturesque  costume — Council  and  its  inci 
dents — Fort  site  selected  and  occupied — The  evil  of  ardent  spirits  amongst 
the  Indians — Note  from  Governor  De  Witt  Clinton — Mountain  ash — Curious 
superstitions  of  the  Odjibwas — Language — Manito  poles — Copper — Super 
stitious  regard  for  Venus — Fine  harbor  in  Lake  Superior — Star  family— 
A  locality  of  necromancers — Ancient  Chippewa  capital — Eating  of  animal* 

94 


CHAPTER   XI. 

Murder  of  Soan-ga-ge-zhick,  a  Chippewa,  at  the  head  of  the  falls — Indian  mode 
of  interment— Indian  prophetess— Topic  of  interpreters  and  interpreta 
tion—Mode  of  studying  the  Indian  language— The  Johnston  family—Visits 
— Katewabeda,  chief  of  Sandy  Lake — Indian  mythology,  and  oral  tales  and 
legends — Literary  opinion — Political  opinion — Visit  of  the  chief  Little 
Pine — Visit  of  Wabishkepenais — A  despairing  Indian — Geography  104 

CHAPTER   XII. 

A  pic-nic  party  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior — Canoe — Scenery — Descent  of 
St.  Mary's  Falls — Etymology  of  the  Indian  names  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and 
Lake  Superior — The  wild  rice  plant — Indian  trade — American  Fur  Com 
pany — Distribution  of  presents  —  Death  of  Sassaba  —  Epitaph  —  Indian 
capacity  to  count — Oral  literature — Research — Self-reliance  -  -  112 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

My  first  winter  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior — Copper  mines — White  fish — 
A  poetic  name  for  a  fish — Indian  tale — Polygamy — A  reminiscence — Tak 
ing  of  Fort  Niagara — Mythological  and  allegorical  tales  among  the  abo-t 
rigines — Chippewa  language — Indian  vowels — A  polite  and  a  vulgar  way  i 
of  speaking  the  language — Public  worship — Seclusion  from  the  world 

122 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Amusements  during  the  winter  months,  when  the  temperature  is  at  the  lowest 
point — Etymology  of  the  word  Chippewa — A  meteor — The  Indian  "  fire 
proof" — Temperature  and  weather — Chippewa  interchangeables — Indian 
names  for  the  seasons — An  incident  in  conjugating  verbs — Visiting — Gos 
sip—The  fur  trade— Todd,  McGillvray,  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie— Wide 
dissimilarity  of  the  English  and  Odjibwa  syntax— Close  of  the  year  129 


Xll  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

New-Year's  day  among  the  descendants  of  the  Norman  French — Anti-philo 
sophic  speculations  of  Brydone — Schlegel  on  language —  A  peculiar  na 
tive  expression  evincing  delicacy — Graywacke  in  the  basin  of  Lake  Su 
perior — Temperature — Snow  shoes — Translation  of  Gen.  i.  3 — Historical 
reminiscences — Morals  of  visiting — Odjibwa  numerals — Harmon's  travels — 
Mackenzie's  vocabularies — Criticism — Mungo  Park  ...  137 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

Novel  reading — Greenough's  "Geology" — The  cariboo — Spiteful  plunder  of 
private  property  on  a  large  scale — Marshall's  Washington — St.  Glair's 
"  Narrative  of  his  Campaign" — Etymology  of  the  word  totem — A  trait  of 
transpositive  languages — Polynesian  languages — A  meteoric  explosion  at 
the  maximum  height  of  the  winter's  temperature — Spafford's  "  Gazetteer" — 
Holmes  on  the  Prophecies — Foreign  politics — Mythology — Gnomes — The 
Odjibwa  based  on  monosyllables — No  auxiliary  verbs — Pronouns  declined 
for  tense — Esprella's  letters — Valerius — Gospel  of  St.  Luke — Chippewayan 
group  of  languages — Home  politics — Prospect  of  being  appointed  super 
intendent  of  the  lead  mines  of  Missouri  ------  148 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

Olose  of  the  winter  solstice,  and  introduction  of  a  northern  spring — News 
from  the  world — The  Indian  languages — Narrative  Journal — Semi-civiliza 
tion  of  the  ancient  Aztec  tribes — Their  arts  and  languages — Hill's  ironical 
review  of  the  "  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society" — A  test  of  modern  civili 
zation — Sugar  making — Trip  to  one  of  the  camps — Geology  of  Manhattan 
Island — Ontwa,  an  Indian  poem — Northern  ornithology — Dreams — The 
Indian  apowa — Printed  queries  of  General  Cass — Prospect  of  the  mineral 
agency — Exploration  of  the  St.  Peter's — Information  on  that  head  158 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

Rapid  advance  of  spring — Troops  commence  a  stockade — Principles  of  the 
Chippewa  tongue — Idea  of  a  new  language  containing  the  native  princi 
ples  of  syntax,  with  a  monosyllabic  method — Indian  standard  of  value — 
Archaeological  evidences  in  growing  trees — Mount  Vernon — Signs  of  spring 
in  the  appearance  of  birds — Expedition  to  St.  Peter's — Lake  Superior  open 
— A  peculiarity  in  the  orthography  of  Jefferson — True  sounds  of  the  conso 
nants — Philology — Advent  of  the  arrival  of  a  vessel — Editors  and  editorials 
—  Arrival  from  Fort  William — A  hope  fled — Sudden  completion  of  the 
spring,  and  ushering  in  of  summer — Odjibwa  language,  and  transmission  of 
Inquiries  ------ 170 


CONTENTS.  Xlll 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

Outlines  of  the  incidents  of  the  summer  of  1823 — Glance  at  the  geography 
of  the  lake  country — Concretion  of  aluminous  earth — General  Wayne's 
body  naturally  embalmed  by  this  property  of  the  soil  of  Erie — Free  and 
easy  manners — Boundary  Survey — An  old  friend — Western  commerce 
— The  Austins  of  Texas  memory — Collision  of  civil  and  military  power — 
Advantages  of  a  visit  to  Europe  -.-.---  179 

CHAPTER    XX. 

Incidents  of  the  year  1824 — Indian  researches — Diverse  idioms  of  the  Ottawa 
and  Chippewa — Conflict  of  opinion  between  the  civil  and  military  authori 
ties  of  the  place — A  winter  of  seclusion  well  spent — St.  Paul's  idea  of 
languages — Examples  in  the  Chippewa — The  Chippewa  a  pure  form  of  the 
Algonquin — Religion  in  the  wilderness — Incidents — Congressional  excite 
ments — Commercial  view  of  the  copper  mine  question — Trip  to  Tackwy- 
menou  Falls,  in  Lake  Superior 186 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

Oral  tales  and  legends  of  the  Chippcwas — First  assemblage  of  a  legislative  coun 
cil  in  Michigan — Mineralogy  and  geology — Disasters  of  the  War  of  1812 — 
Character  of  the  new  legislature — Laconic  note — Narrative  of  a  war  party, 
and  the  disastrous  murders  committed  at  Lake  Pepin  in  July  1824 — Speech 
of  a  friendly  Indian  chief  from  Lake  Superior  on  the  subject — Notices  of 
mineralogy  and  geology  in  the  west — Ohio  and  Erie  Canal — Morals — 
Lafayette's  progress — Hooking  minerals — A  philosophical  work  on  the  In 
dians — Indian  biography  by  Samuel  S.  Conant — Want  of  books  on  Ameri 
can  archaeology — Douglass's  proposed  work  on  the  expedition  of  1820 

190 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

Parallelism  of  customs — Home  scenes — Visit  to  Washington — Indian  work 
respecting  the  Western  Tribes — Indian  biography — Professor  Carter — 
Professor  Silliman — Spiteful  prosecution — Publication  of  Travels  in  the 
Mississippi  Valley — A  northern  Pocahontas — Return  to  the  Lakes — A  new 
enterprise  suggested — Impressions  of  turkeys'  feet  in  rock — Surrender  of 
the  Chippewa  war  party,  who  committed  the  murders  in  1824,  at  Lake 
Pepin — Their  examination,  and  the  commitment  of  the  actual  murderers 

204 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

Trip  to  Prairie  du  Chien  on  the  Mississippi — Large  assemblage  of  tribes — 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

Their  appearance  and  character — Sioux,  Winnebagoes,  Chippewas,  &c. — 
Striking  and  extraordinary  appearance  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and  of  the 
lowas — Keokuk —  Mongazid's  speech  —  Treaty  of  limits  —  Whisky  ques 
tion — A  literary  impostor — Journey  through  the  valleys  of  the  Fox  and 
Wisconsin  rivers — Incidents — Menomonies — A  big  nose — Wisconsin  Por 
tage  -  -  213 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Descent  of  Fox  River — Blackbirds — Menomonies — Rice  fields — Starving  In 
dians — Thunder  storm — Dream — An  Indian  struck  dead  with  lightning — 
Green  Bay — Death  of  Colonel  Ilaines — Incidents  of  the  journey  from  Green 
Bay  to  Michilimackinack — Reminiscences  of  my  early  life  and  travels — 
Choiswa — Further  reminiscences  of  my  early  life — Ruins  of  the  first  mis 
sion  of  Father  Marquette — Reach  Michilimackinack  -  -  -  222 

CHAPTER    XXV. 

< 

Journey  from  Mackinack  to  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie — Outard  Point — Head  winds 
— Lake  Huron  in  a  rage — Desperate  embarkation — St.  Vital — Double  the 
Detour — Return  to  St.  Mary's — Letters — "  Indian  girl" — New  volume  of 
travels — Guess'  Cherokee  alphabet — New  views  of  the  Indian  languages 
and  their  principles  of  construction — Georgia  question — Post-office  diffi 
culties — Glimpses  from  the  civilized  world  -  231 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 

General  aspects  of  the  Indian  cause — Public  criticism  on  the  state  of  Indian 
researches,  and  literary  storm  raised  by  the  new  views — Political  rumor — 
Death  of  R.  Pettibone,  Esq. — Delegate  election — Copper  mines  of  Lake 
Superior — Instructions  for  a  treaty  in  the  North — Death  of  Mr.  Pettit — 
Denial  of  post-office  facilities — Arrival  of  commissioners  to  hold  the  Fond 
du  Lac  treaty — Trip  to  Fond  du  Lac  through  Lake  Superior —Treaty — 
Return — Deaths  of  John  Adams  and  Thomas  Jefferson  -  -  -  240 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 

Epidemical  condition  of  the  atmosphere  at  Detroit — Death  of  Henry  J.  Hunt 
and  A.  G.  Whitney,  Esqrs. — Diary  of*  the  visits  of  Indians  at  St.  Mary's 
Agency — Indian  affairs  on  the  frontier  under  the  supervision  of  Col.  Mc- 
Kenney — Criticisms  on  the  state  of  Indian  questions — Topic  of  Indian 
eloquence — State  of  American  researches  in  natural  science — Dr.  Saml.  L. 
Mitchell 247 


CONTENTS.  XV 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

Mineralogy — Territorial  affairs — Vindication  of  the  American  policy  by  its 
treatment  of  the  Indians — New  York  spirit  of  improvement — Taste  for 
cabinets  of  natural  history — Fatalism  in  an  Indian — Death  of  a  first  born 
son — Flight  from  the  house — Territorial  matters — A  literary  topic — Pre 
parations  for  another  treaty — Consolations — Boundary  in  the  North-west 
under  the  treaty  of  Ghent — Natural  history — Trip  to  Green  Bay — Treaty 
of  Butte  des  Morts — Winnebago  outbreak — Intrepid  conduct  of  General 
Cass — Indian  stabbing — Investment  of  the  petticoat — Mohegan  language 

258 

CHAPTER    XXIX. 

Treaty  of  Butte  des  Morts — Rencontre  of  an  Indian  with  grizzly  bears — 
Agency  site  at  Elmwood — Its  picturesque  and  sylvan  character — Legis 
lative  council  of  the  Territory — Character  of  its  parties,  as  hang-backs 
and  toe-the-marks — Critical  Reviews — Christmas  -  ...  268 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

\ 

Retrospect — United  States  Exploring  Expedition  to  the  South  Sea — Humanity 
of  an  Indian — Trip  to  Detroit  from  the  Icy  Straits — Incidental  action  of  the 
Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island  Historical  Societies,  and  of  the  Montreal 
Natural  History  Society — United  States  Exploring  Expedition — Climato 
logy — Lake  vessels  ill  found — Poetic  view  of  the  Indian — United  States 
Exploring  Expedition — Theory  of  the  interior  world — Natural  History — 
United  States  Exploring  Expedition. — History  of  early  legislation  in  Michi 
gan—Return  to  St.  Mary's— Death  of  Governor  De  Witt  Clinton  -  278 

CHAPTER    XXXI.   3  / 

Official  journal  of  the  Indian  intercourse — Question  of  freedmen,  or  persons 
not  bonded  for — Indian  chiefs,  Chacopee,  Neenaby,  Mukwakwut,  Terns 
Convert,  Shingabowossin,  Guelle  Plat,  Grosse  Guelle — Further  notice  of 
"Wampum-hair — Red  Devil — Biographical  notice  of  Guelle  Plat,  or  Flat 
Mouth — Brechet — Meeshug,  a  widow — lauwind — Mongazid,  chief  of  Fond 
du  Lac — Chianokwut — White  Bird — Annamikens,  the  hero  of  a  bear 
fight,  &c.  &c. 287 

CHAPTER    XXXII.   i^L 

Natural  history  of  the  north-west — Northern  zoology — Fox — Owl — Reindeer 
— A  dastardly  attempt  at  murder  by  a  soldier — Lawless  spread  of  the 
population  of  northern  Illinois  over  the  Winnebago  land — New  York 
Lyceum  of  Natural  History — U.  S.  Ex.  Ex. — Fiscal  embarrassments  in  the 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

Department  —  Medical  cause  of  Indian  depopulation  —  Remarks  of  Dr. 
Pitcher — Erroneous  impressions  of  the  Indian  character — Reviews — Death 
of  John  Johnston,  Esq.  -  308 

CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

Treaty  of  St.  Joseph — Tanner — Visits  of  the  Indians  in  distress — Letters 
from  the  civilized  world — Indian  code  projected — Cause  of  Indian  suffering 
— The  Indian  cause — Estimation  of  the  character  of  the  late  Mr.  Johnston 
— Autobiography — Historical  Society  of  Michigan — Fiscal  embarrassments 
of  the  Indian  Department  --------  315 

CHAPTER     XXXIV. 

Political  horizon — Ahmo  Society — Incoming  of  Gen.  Jackson's  administration 
— Amusements  of  the  winter — Peace  policy  among  the  Indians — Revival 
at  Mackinack — Money  crisis — Idea  of  Lake  tides — New  Indian  code — 
Anti-masonry — Missions  among  the  Indians — Copper  mines — The  policy 
respecting  them  settled — "Whisky  among  the  Indians  —  Fur  trade  — 
Legislative  council — Mackinack  mission — Officers  of  Wayne's  war — His 
torical  Society  of  Michigan — Improved  diurnal  press  -  321 

CHAPTER    XXXV. 

The  new  administration — Intellectual  contest  in  the  Senate — Sharp  contest 
for  mayoralty  of  Detroit — Things  shaping  at  Washington — Perilous  trip  on 
the  ice — Medical  effects  of  this  exposure — Legislative  Council — Visit  to 
Niagara  Falls — A  visitor  of  note — History — Character  of  the  Chippewas — 
Ish-ko-da-wau-bo — Rotary  sails — Hostilities  between  the  Chippewas  and 
Sioux — Friendship  and  badinage — Social  intercourse — Sanillac — Gossip — 
Expedition  to  Lake  Superior — Winter  Session  of  the  Council — Historical 
disclosure — Historical  Society  of  Rhode  Island — Domestic — French  Revo 
lution  - 331 

CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

Lecture  before  the  Lyceum — Temperature  in  the  North — Rum  and  taxes — 
A  mild  winter  adverse  to  Indians — Death  of  a  friend — Christian  atonement 
— Threats  of  a  Caliban,  or  an  Indianized  white  man — Indian  emporium — 
Bringing  up  children — Youth  gone  astray — Mount  Hope  Institution — Ex 
pedition  into  the  Indian  country — Natural  History  of  the  United  States— 
A  reminiscence — Voyage  inland  -  -  341 


CONTENTS.  XV11 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

Lake  Superior — Its  shores  and  character — Geology — Brigade  of  boats — Dog 
and  porcupine — Burrowing  birds — Otter  —  Keweena  Point — Unfledged 
ducks — Minerals — Canadian  resource  in  a  tempest  of  rain — Tramp  in 
search  of  the  picturesque — Search  for  native  copper — Isle  Royal  descried 
— Indian  precaution— Their  ingenuity  —  Lake  action — Nebungunowin 
River — Eagles — Indian  tomb — Kaug  Wudju  -----  352 

CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

Lake  shores — Sub-Indian  agency — Indian  transactions — Old  fort,  site  of  a 
tragedy — Maskigo  River ;  its  rapids  and  character — Great  Wunnegum 
Portage — Botany — Length  of  the  Mauvais — Indian  carriers — Lake  Kage- 
nogumaug — 'Portage  lakes — Namakagun  River,  its  character,  rapids,  pine 
lands,  &c. — Pukwaewa  village — A  new  species  of  native  fruit — Incidents 
on  the  Namakagun  ;  its  birds,  plants,  &c. 361 

CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

Council  with  the  Indians  at  Yellow  Lake — Policy  of  the  Treaty  of  Prairie  du 
Chien  of  1825 — Speech  of  Shaiwunegunaibee — Mounds  of  Yellow  River — 
Indian  manners  and  customs — Pictography — Natural  history — Nude  In 
dians — Geology — Portage  to  Lac  Courtorielle — Lake  of  the  Isles — Ottawa 
Lake — Council — War  party — Mozojeed's  speech — Tecumseh — Mozojeed's 

•lodge — Indian  movements — Trip  to  the  Red  Cedar  Fork — Ca   Ta — Lake 
Chetac — Indian  manners  -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -371 

CHAPTER   XL. 

Betula  Lake — Larch  Lake — A  war  party  surprised — Indian  manners — Rice 
Lake — Indian  council — Red  Cedar  Lake — Speeches  of  Wabezhais  and 
Neenaba — Equal  division  of  goods — Orifice  for  treading  out  rice — A  live 
beaver — Notices  of  natural  history — Value  o£  the  Follavoine  Valley — A 
medal  of  the  third  President  —  War  dancr^— Ornithology  —  A  prairie 
country,  fertile  and  abounding  in  game — Saw  mills — Chippewa  River — 
Snake — La  Garde  Mountain — Descent  of  the  Mississippi — Sioux  village — 
General  impression  of  the  Mississippi — Arrival  at  Prairie  du  Chien 

381 

CHAPTER   XLI. 

Death  of  Mr.  Monroe — Affair  of  the  massacre  of  the  Menomonies  by  the 

Foxes — Descent  to  Galena — Trip  in  the  lead  mine  country  to  Fort  Win- 

nebago — Gratiot's  Grove — Sac  and  Fox  disturbances — Black  Hawk — Irish 

Diggings — Willow  Springs — Vanmater's  lead — An  escape  from  falling  into 

B 


XV111  CONTENTS. 

a  pit — Mineral  Point — Ansley's  copper  mine — Gen.  Dodge's — Mr.  Brig- 
ham's — Sugar  Creek — Four  Lakes — Seven  Mile  Prairie — A  night  in  the 
woods — Reach  Fort  Winnebago — Return  to  the  Sault — Political  changes 
in  the  cabinet — Gov.  Cass  called  to  Washington — Religious  changes — O. 
B.  Porter  appointed  Governor — Natural  history — Character  of  the  new 
governor — Arrival  of  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter — Organization  of  a  church 

392 

CHAPTER    XLII. 

Revival  of  St.  Mary's — Rejection  of  Mr.  Aran  Buren  as  Minister  to  England 
— Botany  and  Natural  History  of  the  North-west — Project  of  a  TLQW  ex 
pedition  to  find  the  Sources  of  the  Mississippi — Algic  Society — Consolida 
tion  of  the  Agencies  of  St.  Mary's  and  Michilimackinack — 'Good  effects  of 
the  American  Home  Missionary  Society — Organization  of  a  new  inland 
exploring  expedition  committed  to  me — Its  objects  and  composition  of  the 
corps  of  observers 400 

CHAPTER    XLIII. 

Expedition  to,  and  discovery  of,  Itasca  Lake,  the  source  of  the  Mississippi 
River — Brief  notice  of  the  journey  to  the  point  of  former  geographical  dis 
covery  in  the  basin  of  Upper  Red  Cedar,  or  Cass  Lake — Ascent  and  portage 
to  Queen  Anne's  Lake — Lake  Pemetascodiac — The  Ten,  or  Metoswa 
Rapids — Pemidgegomag,  or  Cross-water  Lake — Lake  Irving — Lake  Mar- 
quette— -Lake  La  Salle — Lake  Plantagenet — Ascent  of  the  Plantagenian 
Fork — Naiwa,  or  Copper-snake  River — Agate  Rapids  and  portage — Assawa 
Lake — Portage  over  the  Hauteur  des  Terres — Itasca  Lake — Its  picturesque 
character — Geographical  and  astronomical  position — Historical  data  409 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

Descent  of  the  Mississippi  River,  from  Itasca  Lake  to  Cass  Lake — Traits  of 
its  bank — Kabika  Falls — Upsetting  of  a  canoe — River  descends  by  steps, 
and  through  narrow  rocky  passes — Portage  to  the  source  of  the  Crow-Wing 
River — Moss  Lake — Shiba  Lake — Leech  Lake — Warpool  Lake — Long  Lake 
Mountain  portage — Kaginogomanug — Vermilion  Lake — Ossawa  Lake — 
Shell  River — Leaf  River — Long  Prairie  River — Kioskk,  or  Gull  River — Ar 
rival  at  its  mouth — Descent  to  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and  St.  Peter's — 
Return  to  St.  Mary's  416 

CHAPTER    XLV. 

Letter  from  a  mother — Cholera — Indian  war — Royal  Geographical  Society — 
Determine  to  leave  the  Sault — Death  of  Miss  Cass — Death  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Richard — -Notice  of  the  establishment  of  a  Methodist  Mission  at  the  Sault 


CONTENTS.  XIX 

— The  Sault  a  religious  place — Botany  and  Natural  History — New  York 
University  organized— Algic  Society — Canadian  boat  song— Chaplains  in 
the  army— Letter  from  a  missionary — Affairs  at  Mackinack — Hazards  of 
lake  commerce — Question  of  the  temperance  reform — Dr.  D.  Houghton — 
South  Carolina  resists — Gen.  Jackson  re-elected  President  -  -  422 

CHAPTER    XLVI. 

An  Indian  woman  builds  a  church— Conchology — South  Carolina  prepares  to 
resist  the  revenue  laws — Moral  affairs  —  Geography—Botany — Chippewas 
and  Sioux — A  native  evangelist  in  John  Sunday — His  letter  in  English  ; 
its  philological  value— The  plural  pronoun  we — An  Indian  battle — Politi 
cal  affairs— South  Carolina  affairs — Tariff  compromise  of  Mr.  Clay — Algie 
Society ;  it  employs  native  evangelists — Plan  of  visiting  Europe — Presi 
dent's  tour — History  of  Detroit— Fresh-water  shells — Lake  tides — Prairie 
— Country — Reminiscence  -  -  -  -  -  *  -  -431 

CHAPTER    XLVII. 

Earliest  point  of  French  occupancy  in  the  area  of  the  Upper  Lakes — Re 
moval  of  my  residence  from  the  Sault  St.  Marie  to  the  island  of  Michili- 
mackinack — Trip  to  New  York — Its  objects — American  Philosophical  So 
ciety —  Michilimackinack  ;  its  etymology  —  The  rage  for  investment  in 
western  lands  begins — Traditions  of  Saganosh— Of  Porlier — Of  Perrault 
—Of  Captain  Thorn— Of  the  chief,  Old  Wing— Of  Mudjekewis,  of  Thun 
der  Bay — Character  of  Indian  tradition  respecting  the  massacre  at  old  Fort 
Mackinack  in  1763  -  -  441 

CHAPTER    XLVIII. 

Anniversary  of  the  Algic  Society — Traditions  of  Chusco  and  Mukudapenais 
respecting  Gen.  Wayne's  treaty — Saliferous  column  in  American  geology 
— Fact  in  lake  commerce — Traditions  of  Mrs.  Dousman  and  Mr.  Abbott 
respecting  the  first  occupation  of  the  Island  of  Michilimackinack — Question 
of  the  substantive  verb  in  the  Chippewa  language — Meteoric  phenomena 
during  the  month  of  December — Historical  fact — Minor  incidents  -  448 

CHAPTER    XLIX. 

Population  of  Michilimackinack — Notices  of  the  weather — Indian  name  of 
the  Wolverine — Harbor  closed — Intensity  of  temperature  which  can  be 
borne — Domestic  incidents — State  of  the  weather — Fort  Mackinack  unsuc 
cessfully  attacked  in  1814 — Ossiganoc — Death  of  an  Indian  woman — Death 
of  my  sister — Harbor  open — Indian  name  of  the  Sabbath  day — Horticul 
tural  amusement — Tradition  of  the  old  church  door — Turpid  conduct  of 


XX11  CONTENTS. 

Amount  of  money  paid — Effects  of  the  treaty — Baron  de  Behr — Ornitho 
logy  537 

CHAPTER    LVIII. 

Value  of  the  equivalent  territory  granted  to  Michigan,  by  Congress,  for  the 
disputed  Ohio  boundary — Rapid  improvement  of  Michigan — Allegan — 
Indian  legend — Baptism  and  death  of  Kagcosh,  a  very  aged  chief  at  St. 
Mary's — New  system  of  writing  Indian,  proposed  by  Mr.  Nash — Indian 
names  for  new  towns — A  Bishop's  notion  of  the  reason  for  applying  to 
Government  for  education  funds  under  Indian  treaties — Mr.  Gallatin's 
paper  on  the  Indians — The  temperance  movement  -  547 

CHAPTER    LIX. 

Difficulties  resulting  from  a  false  impression  of  the  Indian  character — Treaty 
with  the  Saginaws — Ottawas  of  Grand  River  establish  themselves  in  a 
colony  in  Barry  County — Payments  to  the  Ottawas  of  Maumee,  Ohio — 
Temperance — Assassination  of  young  Aitkin  by  an  Indian  at  Leech  Lake 
— Mackinack  mission  abandoned — Wyandots  complain  of  a  trespass  from 
a  mill-dam — Mohegans  of  Green  Bay  apply  for  aid  on  their  way  to  visit 
Stockbridge,  Mass. — Mohegan  traditions — Historical  Society — Programme 

'  of  a  tour  in  the  East — Parental  disobedience — Indian  treaties — Dr.  War 
ren's  Collection  of  Crania — Hebrew  language — Geology — "  Goods  offer" — 
Mrs.  Jameson — Mastodon's  tooth  in  Michigan — Captain  Marryatt — The 
Icelandic  language — Munsees — Speech  of  Little  Bear  Skin  chief,  or  Mu- 
konsewyan  -----------  552 

CHAPTER  LX. 

Notions  of  foreigners  about  America — Mrs.  Jameson — Appraisements  of  In 
dian  property — Le  Jeune's  early  publication  on  the  Iroquois — Troops  for 
Florida — A  question  of  Indian  genealogy — Annuity  payments — Indians 
present  a  claim  of  salvage — Death  of  the  Prophet  Chusco — Indian  suffer 
ings — Gen.  Dodge's  treaty — Additional  debt  claims — Gazetteer  of  Michigan 
— Stone's  Life  of  Brant — University  of  Michigan — Christian  Keepsake — 
Indian  etymology — Small-pox  breaks  out  on  the  Missouri — Missionary 
operations  in  the  north-west — Treaty  of  Flint  River  with  the  Saginaws 

5G6 

CHAPTER    LXI. 

Tradition  of  Pontiac's  conspiracy  and  death — Patriot  war — Expedition  of  a 
body  of  250  men  to  Boisblanc — Question  of  schools  and  missions  among 
the  Indians — Indian  affairs — Storm  at  Michilimackinack — Life  of  Brant — 


CONTENTS.  XX111 

Interpreterships  and  Indian  language — A  Mohegan — Affair  of  the  "  Caro 
line" — Makons — Plan  of  names  for  new  towns — Indian  legends — Florida 
war — Patriot  war — Arrival  of  Gen.  Scott  on  the  frontiers — Resum6  of  the 
difficulties  of  the  Florida  war — Natural  history  and  climate  of  Florida — 
Death  of  Dr.  Lutner  580 

CHAPTER    LXII. 

Indians  tampered  with  at  Grand  River — Small-pox  in  the  Missouri  Valley — 
Living  history  at  home — Sunday  schools — Agriculture — Indian  names — 

/  Murder  of  the  Glass  family — Dr.  Morton's  inquiries  respecting  Indian 
crania — Necessity  of  one's  writing  his  name  plain — Michigan  Gazetteer  in 
preparation — Attempt  to  make  the  Indian  a  political  pack-horse — Return  to 
the  Agency  of  Michilimackinack — Indian  skulls  phrenologically  examined 
— J.  Toulmin  Smith — Cherokee  question — Trip  to  Grand  River — Treaty  and 
annuity  payments — The  department  accused  of  injustice  to  the  Indians 

589 

CHAPTER,    LXIII. 

Missions — Hard  times,  consequent  on  over-speculation — Question  of  the  rise 
of  the  lakes — Scientific  theory — Trip  to  Washington — Trip  to  Lake  Supe 
rior  and  the  Straits  of  St.  Mary — John  Tanner — Indian  , improvements 
north  of  Michilimackinack— Great  cave — Isle  Nabiquon — Superstitious 
ideas  of  the  Indians  connected  with  females — Scotch  royals — McKenzie — 
Climate  of  the  United  States  —  Foreign  coins  and  natural  history — 
Antique  fort  in  Adams  County,  Ohio — Royal  Society  of  Northern  Anti 
quaries — Statistics  of  lands  purchased  from  the  Indians — Sun's  eclipse — 
Government  payments 59£ 

CHAPTER    LXIV. 

Descendant  of  one  spared  at  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew's — Death  of 
Gen.  Clarke — Massacre  of  Peurifoy's  family  in  Florida — Gen.  Harrison's 
historical  discourse — Death  of  an  emigrant  on  board  a  steamboat — Murder 
of  an  Indian — History  of  Mackinack — Incidents  of  the  treaty  of  29th  July, 
1837 — Mr.  Fleming's  account  of  the  missionaries  leaving  Georgia,  and  of 
the  improvements  of  the  Indians  west — Death  of  Black  Hawk — Incidents 
of  his  life  and  character — Dreadful  cruelty  of  the  Pawnees  in  burning  a 
female  captive — Cherokee  emigration — Phrenology — Return  to  Detroit — 
University — Indian  affairs — Cherokej*  removal — Indians  shot  at  Fort  Snel- 
ling :- 608 

CHAPTER    LXV. 

Embark  for  New  York — A  glimpse  of  Texan  affairs — Toltecan  monuments — 
Indian  population  of  Texas — Horrible  effects  of  drinking  ardent  spirits 


XXIV  CONTENTS. 

among  the  Indians — Mr.  Gallatin — His  opinions  on  various  subjects  of 
philosophy  and  history — Visit  to  the  South — Philadelphia — Washington — 
Indian  affairs — Debt  claim — Leave  to  visit  Europe — Question  of  neutrality 
— Mr.  Van  Buren — American  imaginative  literature — Knickerbocker — Re 
sume  of  the  Indian  question  of  sovereignty 619 

CHAPTER  LXVI. 

Sentiments  of  loyalty — Northern  Antiquarian  Society — Indian  statistics — 
Rhode  Island  Historical  Society — Gen.  Macomb — Lines  in  the  Odjibwa  lan 
guage  by  a  mother  on  placing  her  children  at  school — Mehemet  Ali — Mrs. 
Jameson's  opinion  on  publishers  and  publishing — Her  opinion  of  my  Indian 
legends — False  report  of  a  new  Indian  language — Indian  compound  words 
— Delafield's  Antiquities — American  Fur  Company — State  of  Indian  dis 
turbances  in  Texas  and  Florida — Causes  of  the  failure  of  the  war  in  Florida, 
by  an  officer — Death  of  an  Indian  chief — Mr.  Bancroft's  opinion  on  the 
Dighton  Rock  inscription — Skroellings  not  in  New  England — Mr.  Gallatin's 
opinion  on  points  of  Esquimaux  language,  connected  with  our  knowledge  of 
our  archaeology 630 

CHAPTER   LXVII. 

Workings  of  unshackled  mind — Comity  of  the  American  Addison — Lake 
periodical  fluctuations — American  antiquities — Indian  doings  in  Florida 
and  Texas — Wood's  New  England's  Prospect — Philological  and  historical 
comments — Death  of  Ningwegon — Creeks — Brothertons  made  citizens — 
Charles  Fenno  Hoffman — Indian  names  for  places  on  the  Hudson — Christ 
ian  Indians — Etymology — Theodoric — Appraisements  of  Indian  property — 
1  Algic  researches — Plan  and  object 641 

CHAPTER    LXVIII. 

American  antiquities — Michilimackinack  a  summer  resort — Death  of  Ogimau 
Keegido — Brothertons — An  Indian  election — Cherokee  murders — Board 
of  Regents  of  the  Michigan  University — Archaeological  facts  and  rumors — 
Woman  of  the  Green  Valley — A  new  variety  of  fish — Visits  of  the  Austrian 
and  Sardinian  Ministers  to  the  U.  S. — Mr.  Gallup — Sioux  murders — A  re 
markable  display  of  aurora  borealis — Ottawas  of  Maumee — Extent  of 
auroral  phenomena — Potawattomie  cruelty — Mineralogy — Death  of  Ondi- 
aka — Chippewa  tradition — Fruit  trees — Stone's  preparation  of  the  Life 
and  Times  of  Sir  William  Johnson — Dialectic  difference  between  the  lan 
guage  of  the  Ottawas  and  the  Chippewas — Philological  remarks  on  the 
Indian  languages — Mr.  T.  Hulbert 657 


CONTENTS.  XXV 

CHAPTER    LXIX. 

Popular  error  respecting  the  Indian  character  and  history — Remarkable  su 
perstition — Theodoric — A  missionary  choosing  a  wild  flower — Piety  and 
money — A  fiscal  collapse  in  Michigan — Mission  of  Grand  Traverse — Sim 
plicity  of  the  school-girl's  hopes — Singular  theory  of  the  Indians  respecting 
story-telling — Oldest  allegory  on  record — Political  aspects — Seneca  treaty 
— Mineralogy — Farming  and  mission  station  on  Lake  Michigan  -  674 

CHAPTER    LXX. 

Death  of  Col.  Lawrence  Schoolcraft — Perils  of  the  revolutionary  era — Otwin 
— Mr.  Bancroft's  history  in  the  feature  of  its  Indian  relations — A  tradition 
of  a  noted  chief  on  Lake  Michigan — The  collection  of  information  for  a 
historical  volume — Opinions  of  Mr.  Paulding,  Div  Webster,  Mr.  Duer,  John 
Quincy  Adams — Holyon  and  Alholyon — Family  monument — Mr.  Steven 
son,  American  Minister  at  London — Joanna  Baillie — Wisconsin — Ireland 
— Detroit — Michilimackinack  - --  681 

CHAPTER    LXXI. 

Philology  of  the  Indian  tongues — Its  difficulties — Belles  lettres  and  money — 
Michigan  and  Georgia — Number  of  species  in  natural  history — Etymology 
— Nebahquam's  dream — Trait  in  Indian  legends — Pictography — Numera 
tion  of  the  races  of  Polynesia  and  the  Upper  Lakes — Love  of  one's  native 
tongue — Death  of  Gen.  Harrison — Rush  for  office  on  his  inauguration — Or 
namental  and  shade  trees — Historical  collections — Mission  of  "  Old  Wing" 

691 

CHAPTER    LXXII. 

Popular  common  school  education — Iroquois  name  for  Mackinack — Its  scenic 
beauties  poetically  considered — Phenomenon  of  two  currents  of  adverse 
wind  meeting — Audubon's  proposed  work  on  American  quadrupeds — Ada- 
rio — Geographical  range  of  the  mocking-bird — Ptemoval  from  the  West  to 
the  city  of  New  York — An  era  accomplished — Visit  to  Europe  -  699 


SKETCHES 


OF    THE 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT 


THE  early  period  at  which  Mr.  Schoolcraft  entered  the  field  of 
observation  in  the  United  States  as  a  naturalist ;  the  enterprise 
he  has  from  the  outset  manifested  in  exploring  the  geography  and 
geology  of  the  Great  West ;  and  his  subsequent  researches  as  an 
ethnologist,  in  investigating  the  Indian  languages  and  history,  are 
well  known  to  the  public,  and  may  be  appropriately  referred  to  as 
the  grounds  of  the  present  design,  in  furnishing  some  brief  and 
connected  sketches  of  his  life,  family,  studies,  and  literary  labors. 
He  is  an  example  of  what  early  and  continued  zeal,  talent,  and 
diligence,  united  with  energy  of  character  and  consistent  moral 
habits,  may  accomplish  in  the  cause  of  letters  and  science,  by  the 
force  of  solitary  application,  without  the  advantage  of  hereditary 
wealth,  the  impulse  of  patronage,  or  the  prestige  of  early  academic 
honors.  Ardent  in  the  pursuit  of  whatever  engaged  his  attention, 
quick  in  the  observation  of  natural  phenomena,  and  assiduous  in 
the  accumulation  of  facts  ;  with  an  ever  present  sense  of  their 
practical  and  useful  bearing — few  men,  in  our  modern  history, 
have  accomplished  so  much,  in  the  lines  of  research  he  has  chosen, 
to  render  science  popular  and  letters  honorable.  To  him  we  are 
indebted  for  our  first  accounts  of  the  geological  constitution,  and 
the  mineral  wealth  and  resources  of  the  great  valley  beyond  the 
Alleghanie's,  and  he  is  the  discoverer  of  the  actual  source  of  the 
Mississippi  River  in  Itasca  Lake.  For  many  years,  beginning 
with  18 IT,  he  stirred  up  a  zeal  for  natural  history  from  one  end 
of  the  land  to  the  other,  and,  after  his  settlement  in  the  West,  he 


XXV111  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

was  a  point  of  approach  for  correspondents,  as  his  personal  me 
moirs  denote,  not  only  on  these  topics,  but  for  all  that  relates  to 
the  Indian  tribes,  in  consequence  of  which  he  has  been  emphati 
cally  pronounced  "  The  Ked  Man's  FRIEND." 

Mr.  Schoolcraft  is  a  native  of  New  York,  and  is  the  descendant 
in  the  third  generation,  by  the  paternal  line,  of  an  Englishman. 
James  Calcraft  had  served  with  reputation  in  the  armies  of  the 
Duke  of  Marlborough  during  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne,  and  was 
present  in  that  general's  celebrated  triumphs  on  the  continent,  in 
one  of  which  he  lost  an  eye,  from  the  premature  explosion  of  the 
priming  of  a  cannon.  Owing  to  these  military  services  he  enjoyed 
and  cherished  a  high  reputation  for  bravery  and  loyalty. 

He  was  a  descendant  of  a  family  of  that  name,  who  came  to 
England  with  William  the  Conqueror — and  settled  under  grants 
from  the  crown  in  Nottinghamshire  and  Lincolnshire — three  sepa 
rate  branches  of  the  family  having  received  the  honor  of  knight 
hood  for  their  military  services. 

In  the  reign  of  George  the  Second,  consequently  after  1727, 
he  embarked  at  Liverpool  in  a  detachment  of  veteran  troops,  in 
tended  to  act  against  Canada.  He  was  present  in  the  operations 
connected  with  the  building  of  Forts  Anne  and  Edwards,  on  the 
North  River,  and  Fort  William  Henry  on  Lake  George. 

At  the  conclusion  of  these  campaigns  he  settled  in 'Albany 
county,  N.  Y.,  which  has  continued  to  be  the  residence  of  the 
family  for  more  than  a  century.  Being  a  man  of  education,  he  at 
first  devoted  himself  to  the  business  of  a  land  surveyor,  in  which 
capacity  he  was  employed  by  Col.  Yroman,  to  survey  the  bound 
aries  of  his  tract  of  land  in  the  then  frontier  settlement  of  Scho- 
harie.  At  the  latter  place  he  married  the  only  daughter  and 
child  of  Christian  Camerer,  one  of  the  Palatines — a  body  of  de 
termined  Saxons  who  had  emigrated  from  the  Upper  Rhine  in  1712, 
under  the  assurance  or  expectation  of  a  patent  from  Queen  Anne.* 
By  this  marriage  he  had  eight  children — namely,  James,  Chris 
tian,  John,  Margaret,  Elizabeth,  Lawrence,  William,  and  Helen. 

For  many  years  during  his  old  age,  he  conducted  a  large  school 
in  this  settlement,  being  the  first  English  school  that  was  taught 
in  that  then  frontier  part  of  the  country.  This  appears  to  be  the 

*  Simms'  Schoharie. 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  XXIX 

only  tenable  reason  that  has  been  assigned  for  the  change  of  the 
family  name  from  Calcraft  to  Schoolcraft. 

When  far  advanced  in  life,  he  went  to  live  with  his  son  William, 
on  the  New  York  grants  on  Otter  Creek,  in  the  rich  agricultural 
region  south  of  Lake  Champlain — which  is  now  included  in  Ver 
mont.  Here  he  died  at  the  great  age  of  one  hundred  and  two, 
having  been  universally  esteemed  for  his  loyalty  to  his  king,  his 
personal  courage  and  energy,  and  the  uprightness  of  his  cha 
racter. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  when  the  revolutionary  troubles 
commenced,  William,  his  youngest  son,  removed  into  Lower 
Canada.  The  other  children  all  remained  in  Albany  County, 
except  Christian,  who,  when  the  jangling  land  disputes  and  con 
flicts  of  titles  arose  in  Schoharie,  followed  Conrad  Wiser,  Esq. 
(a  near  relative),  to  the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna.  He  appears 
eventually  to  have  pushed  his  way  to  Buchanan  River,  one  of  the 
sources  of  the  Monongahela,  in  Lewis  County,  Virginia,  where 
some  of  his  descendants  must  still  reside.  It  appears  that  they 
became  deeply  involved  in  the  Indian  wars  which  the  Shawnees 
kept  up  on  the  frontiers  of  Virginia.  In  this  struggle  they  took 
an  active  part,  and  were  visited  with  the  severest  retribution  by 
the  marauding  Indians.  It  is  stated  by  Withers  that,  between 
1770  and  1779,  not  less  than  fifteen  of  this  family,  men,  women, 
and  children,  were  killed  or  taken  prisoners,  and  carried  into 
captivity.* 

Of  the  other  children  of  the  original  progenitor,  James,  the 
eldest  son,  died  a  bachelor.  Lawrence  was  the  ancestor  of  the 
persons  of  this  name  in  Schoharie  County.  Elizabeth  and  Helen 
married,  in  that  county,  in  the  families  of  Rose  and  Haines,  and 
Margaret,  the  eldest  daughter,  married  Col.  Green  Brush,  of  the 
British  army,  at  the  house  of  Gen.  Bradstreet,  Albany.  Her 
daughter,  Miss  Francis  Brush,  married  the  celebrated  Col.  Ethan 
Allen,  after  his  return  from  the  Tower  of  London. 

JOHN,  the  third  son,  settled  in  Watervleit,  in  the  valley  of  the 
Norman's  Kill — or,  as  the  Indians  called  it,  Towasentha — Albany 
County.  He  served  in  a  winter's  campaign  against  Oswego,  in 

*  Chronicles  of  the  Border  Warfare  in  North-western  Virginia.  By  Alex , 
Withers,  Clarksbury,  Virginia,  1831.  1  vol.  12mo.  page  319. 


XXX  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

1757,  and  took  part  also  in  the  successful  siege  and  storming  of 
Fort  Niagara,  under  Gen.  Prideaux*  and  Sir  William  Johnson, 
in  the  summer  of  1759.  He  married  a  Miss  Anna  Barbara  Boss, 
by  whom  he  had  three  children,  namely,  Anne,  Lawrence,  and 
John.  He  had  the  local  reputation  of  great  intrepidity,  strong 
muscular  power,  and  unyielding  decision  of  character.  He  died 
at  the  age  of  64.  LAWRENCE,  his  eldest  son,  had  entered  his 
seventeenth  year  when  the  American  Revolution  broke  out.  He 
embraced  the  patriotic  sentiments  of  that  era  with  great  ardor, 
and  was  in  the  first  revolutionary  procession  that  marched  through 
and  canvassed  the  settlement  with  martial  music,  and  the  Com 
mittee  of  Safety  at  its  head,  to  determine  who  was  Whig  or  Tory. 

The  military  element  had  always  commanded  great  respect  in 
the  family,  and  he  did  not  wrait  to  be  older,  but  enrolled  himself 
among  the  defenders  of  his  country. 

He  was  present,  in  1776,  when  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
was  read  to  the  troops  drawn  up  in  hollow  square  at  Ticonderoga. 
He  inarched  under  Gen.  Schuyler  to  the  relief  of  Montgomery, 
at  Quebec,  and  continued  to  be  an  indomitable  actor  in  various 
positions,  civil  and  military,  in  the  great  drama  of  the  Revolution 
during  its  entire  continuance. 

In  1777,  the  darkest  and  most  hopeless  period  of  our  revolu 
tionary  contest,  he  led  a  reinforcement  from  Albany  to  Fort 
Stanwix,  up  the  Mohawk  Valley,  then  alive  with  hostile  Indians 
and  Tories,  and  escaped  them  all,  and  he  was  in  this  fort,  under 
Col.  Ganzevoort,  during  its  long  and  close  siege  by  Col.  St.  Leger 
and  his  infuriated  Indian  allies.  The  whole  embodied  militia  of 
the  Mohawk  Valley  marched  to  its  relief,  under  the  bold  and 
patriotic  Gen.  Herkimer.  They  were  met  by  the  Mohawks, 
Onondagas,  and  Senecas,  and  British  loyalists,  lying  in  ambush 
on  the  banks  of  the  Oriskany,  eight  miles  from  the  fort.  A 
dreadful  battle  ensued.  Gen.  Herkimer  was  soon  wounded  in  the 
thigh,  his  leg  broken,  and  his  horse  shot  under  him.  With  the 
coolness  of  a  Blucher,  he  then  directed  his  saddle  to  be  placed  on 
a  small  knoll,  and,  drawing  out  his  tobacco-box,  lit  his  pipe  and 
calmly  smoked  while  his  brave  and  unconquerable  men  fought 
around  him. 

*  This  officer  was  shot  in  the  trenches,  which  devolved  the  command  on 
Sir  William. 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  XXXI 

This  was  one  of  the  most  stoutly  contested  battles  of  the  Revo 
lution.  Campbell  says :  "  This  battle  made  orphans  of  half  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Mohawk  Valley."*  It  was  a  desperate  struggle 
between  neighbors,  who  were  ranged  on  opposite  sides  as  Whig 
and  Tory,  and  it  was  a  triumph,  Herkimer  remaining  master  of 
the  field.  During  the  hottest  of  the  battle,  Col.  Willett  stepped 
on  to  the  esplanade  of  the  fort,  where  the  troops  were  paraded, 
and  requested  all  who  were  willing  to  fight  for  liberty  and  join  a 
party  for  the  relief  of  Herkimer,  to  step  forward  one  pace. 
Schoolcraft  was  the  first  to  advance.  Two  hundred  and  fifty 
men  followed  him.  An  immediate  sally  was  made.  They  carried 
the  camp  of  Sir  John  Johnson  ;  took  all  his  baggage,  military- 
chest,  and  papers ;  drove  him  through  the  Mohawk  River ;  and 
then  turned  upon  the  howling  Mohawks  and  swept  and  fired  their 
camp.  The  results  of  this  battle  were  brilliant.  The  plunder 
was  immense.  The  lines  of  the  besiegers,  which  had  been  thinned 
by  the  forces  sent  to  Oriskany,  were  carried,  and  the  noise  of 
firing  and  rumors  of  a  reinforcement,  animated  the  hearts  of  the 
indomitable  men  of  that  day. 

After  the  victory,  Herkimer  was  carried  by  his  men,  in  a  litter, 
thirty  or  forty  miles  to  his  own  house,  below  the  present  town  of 
Herkimer,  where  he  died,  from  an  unskillful  amputation,  having 
just  concluded  reading  to  his  family  the  38th  Psalm. 

But  the  most  dangerous  enemy  to  the  cause  of  freedom  was  not 
to  be  found  in  the  field,  but  among  neighbors  who  were  lurking  at 
midnight  around  the  scenes  of  home.  The  districts  of  Albany 
and  Schoharie  was  infested  by  Tories,  and  young  Schoolcraft  was 
ever  on  the  qui  vive  to  ferret  out  this  most  insidious  and  cruel  of 
the  enemy's  power.  On  one  occasion  he  detected  a  Tory,  who 
had  returned  from  Canada  with  a  lieutenant's  commission  in  his 
pocket.  He  immediately  clapped  spurs  to  his  horse,  and  reported 
him  to  Gov.  George  Clinton,  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety  at  Albany.  Within  three  days  the  lieutenant  was  seized, 
tried,  condemned  and  hanged.  Indeed,  a  volume  of  anecdotes 
might  be  written  of  Lawrence  Schoolcraft's  revolutionary  life; 
suffice  it  to  say,  that  he  was  a  devoted,  enthusiastic,  enterprizing 
soldier  and  patriot,  and  came  out  of  the  contest  with  an  adjutant's 
commission  and  a  high  reputation  for  bravery. 

*  Annals  of  Teyon  County. 


XXXll  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

About  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  he  married  Miss  Mar 
garet  Anne  Barbara  Howe,  a  native  of  Fishkill,  Duchess  County, 
New  York,  by  whom  he  had  thirteen  children. 

His  disciplinary  knowledge  and  tact  in  the  government  of  men, 
united  to  amenity  of  manners,  led  to  his  selection  in  1802,  by  the 
Hon.  Jeremiah  Van  Rensselaer,  as  director  of  his  extensive  glass 
works  at  Hamilton,  near  Albany,  which  he  conducted  with  high 
reputation  so  many  years,  during  which  time  he  bore  several  im 
portant  civil  and  military  trusts  in  the  county.  The  importance 
of  this  manufacture  to  the  new  settlements  at  that  early  day,  was 
deeply  felt,  and  his  ability  and  skill  in  the  management  of  these 
extensive  works  were  widely  known  and  appreciated. 

When  the  war  of  1812  appeared  inevitable,  Gen.  Ganzevoort, 
his  old  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Stanwix,  who  was  now  at  the 
head  of  the  U.  S.  army,  placed  him  in  command  of  the  first  regi 
ment  of  uniformed  volunteers,  who  were  mustered  into  service  for 
that  conflict.  His  celebrity  in  the  manufacture  of  glass,  led  ca 
pitalists  in  Western  New  York  to  offer  him  large  inducements  to 
remove  there,  where  he  first  introduced  this  manufacture  during 
the  settlement  of  that  new  and  attractive  part  of  the  State,  in 
which  a  mania  for  manufactories  was  then  rife.  In  this  new  field 
the  sphere  of  his  activity  and  skill  were  greatly  enlarged,  and  he 
enjoyed  the  consideration  and  respect  of  his  townsmen  for  many 
years.  He  died  at  Vernon,  Oneida  County,  in  1840,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-four,  having  lived  long  to  enjoy  the  success  of  that  inde 
pendence  for  which  he  had  ardently  thirsted  and  fought.  A  hand 
some  monument  on  the  banks  of  the  Skenando  bears  the  inscription 

"  A  patriot,  a  Christian,  and  an  honest  man." 

A  man  who  was  never  governed  by  expediency  but  by  right,  and 
in  all  his  expressions  of  opinion,  original  and  fearless  of  conse 
quences.  These  details  of  the  life  and  character  of  Col.  Lawrence 
Schoolcraft,  appeared  proper  in  proceeding  to  speak  of  one  of  his 
sons,  who  has  for  so  considerable  a  period  occupied  the  public  at 
tention  as  an  actor  in  other  fields,  requiring  not  less  energy,  de 
cision,  enterprise  and  perseverance  of  character. 

Henry  Rowe  Schoolcraft  was  born  in  Albany  County,  on  the 
28th  of  March,  1793,  during  the  second  presidential  term  of 
Washington.  His  childhood  and  youth  were  spent  in  the  village 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  XXX111 

of  Hamilton,  a  place  once  renowned  for  its  prosperous  manufac 
tories,  but  which  has  long  since  verified  the  predictions  of  the 
bard — 

"That  trade's  proud  empire  hastes  to  swift  decay, 
As  ocean  sweeps  the  labored  mole  away." 

Its  location  is  on  one  of  the  beautiful  and  sparkling  affluents  of 
the  Towasentha  or  Norman's  Kill,  popularly  called  the  Hongerkill, 
which  he  has  in  one  of  his  occasional  publications  called  the  Idsco, 
from  an  aboriginal  term.  That  picturesque  and  lofty  arm  of  the 
Catskills,  which  is  called  the  Helderberg,  bounds  the  landscape 
on  the  west  and  south,  while  the  Pine  Plains  occupy  the  form  of  a 
crescent,  between  the  Mohawk  and  the  Hudson,  bearing  the  cities 
of  Albany  and  Schenectady  respectively  on  its  opposite  edges. 
Across  this  crescent-like  Plain  of  Pines,  by  a  line  of  sixteen  miles, 
was  the  ancient  Iroquois  war  and  trading  path.  The  Towasentha 
lies  on  the  south  borders  of  this  plain,  and  was,  on  the  first  settle 
ment  of  the  country,  the  seat  of  an  Indian  population.  Here, 
during  the  official  term  of  Gen.  Hamilton,  whose  name  the  village 
bears,  the  capitalists  of  Albany  planted  a  manufacturing  village. 
The  position  is  one  where  the  arable  forest  and  farming  lands  are 
bounded  by  the  half  arabic  waste  of  the  pine  plains  of  the  Honi- 
croisa,  whose  deep  gorges  are  still  infested  by  the  wolf  and  smaller 
animals.  The  whole  valley  of  the  Norman's  Kill  abounds  in  lovely 
and  rural  scenes,  and  quiet  retreats  and  waterfalls,  which  are  suited 
to  nourish  poetic  tastes.  In  these  he  indulged  from  his  thirteenth 
year,  periodically  writing,  and  as  judgment  ripened,  destroying 
volumes  of  manuscripts,  while  at  the  same  time  he  evinced  uncom 
mon  diligence  at  his  books  and  studies.  The  poetic  talent  was, 
indeed,  strongly  developed.  His  power  of  versification  was  early 
and  well  formed,  and  the  pieces  which  were  published  anonymously 
at  a  maturer  .period,  as  "Geehale,"  and  "The  Iroquois,"  &c., 
have  long  been  embodied  without  a  name  in  our  poetic  literature. 
But  this  faculty,  of  which  we  have  been  permitted  to  see  the  ma 
nuscript  of  some  elaborate  and  vigorous  trains  of  thought,  did  not 
impede  a  decided  intellectual  progress  in  sterner  studies  in  the 
sciences  and  arts.  His  mind  was  early  imbued  with  a  thirst  of 
knowledge,  and  he  made  such  proficiency  as  to  attract  the  notice 
of  persons  of  education  and  taste.  There  was  developed,  too,  in 
c 


XXXIV  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

him,  an  early  bias  for  the  philosophy  of  language.  Mr.  Van 
Kleeck,  a  townsman,  in  a  recent  letter  to  Dr.  K.  W.  Griswold, 
says : — 

"  I  revert  with  great  pleasure  to  the  scenes  of  my  residence,  in 
the  part  of  Albany  County  which  was  also  the  residence  of  Henry 
R.  Schoolcraft.  I  went  to  reside  at  the  village  of  Hamilton,  in 
the  town  of  Guilderland,  in  1803.  Col.  Lawrence  Schoolcraft,  the 
father  of  Henry,  had  then  the  direction  of  the  large  manufactories 
of  glass,  for  which  that  place  was  long  noted.  The  standing  of 
young  Henry,  I  remember,  at  his  school,  for  scholarship,  was  then 
very  noted,  and  his  reputation  in  the  village  most  prominent.  He 
was  spoken  of  as  a  lad  of  great  promise,  and  a  very  learned  boy 
at  twelve.  Mr.  Robert  Buchanan,  a  Scotchman,  and  a  man  of 
learning,  took  much  pride  in  his  advances,  and  finally  came  to  his 
father  and  told  him  that  he  had  taught  him  all  he  knew.  In  Latin, 
I  think  he  was  taught  by  Cleanthus  Felt.  He  was  at  this  age  very 
arduous  and  assiduous  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge.  He  discovered 
great  mechanical  ingenuity.  He  drew  and  painted  in  water  colors, 
and  attracted  the  notice  of  the  Hon.  Jeremiah  Van  Rensselaer,  Lt. 
Governor  of  the  State,  who  became  so  much  interested  in  his  ad 
vancement,  that  he  took  the  initial  steps  to  have  him  placed  with 
a  master.  At  an  early  age  he  manifested  a  taste  for  mineralogy 
and  natural  science,  which  was  then  (I  speak  of  about  1808)  almost 
unknown  in  the  country.  He  was  generally  to  be  found  at  home, 
at  his  studies,  when  other  boys  of  his  age  were  attending  horse 
races,  cock-fights,  and  other  vicious  amusements  for  which  the 
village  was  famous. 

"At  this  time  he  organized  with  persevering  effort,  a  literary  so 
ciety,  in  which  discussions  took  place  by  the  intelligent  inhabitants 
on  subjects  of  popular  and  learned  interests.  At  an  early  age,  I 
think  sixteen,  he  went  to  the  west,  and  the  first  that  was  after 
wards  heard  of  him  was  his  bringing  to  New  York  a  splendid 
collection  of  the  mineralogy  and  natural  history  of  the  west."^ 

In  a  part  of  the  country  where  books  were  scarce,  it  was  not 
easy  to  supply  this  want.  He  purchased  several  editions  of  Eng 
lish  classics  at  the  sale  of  the  valuable  library  of  Dirck  Ten  Broeck, 
Esq.,  of  Albany,  and  his  room  in  a  short  time  showed  the  elements 

*  Letter  of  L.L.  Van  Kleeck,  Esq.,  to  Dr.  R.  W.  Griswold,  June  4th,  1851. 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  XXXV 

of  a  library  and  a  cabinet  of  minerals,  and  drawings,  which  were 
arranged  with  the  greatest  care  and  neatness.  Having  finished 
his  primary  studies,  with  high  reputation,  he  prepared,  under  an 
improved  instructor,  to  enter  Union  College.  It  was  at  the  age  of 
fifteen  that  he  set  on  foot,  as  Mr.  Van  Kleeck  mentions,  an  associ 
ation  for  mental  improvement.  These  meetings  drew  together 
persons  of  literary  tastes  and  acquirements  in  the  vicinity.  The 
late  John  V.  Veeder,  Wm.  McKown,  and  L.  L.  Van  Kleeck,  Esqs., 
Mr.  Robert  Alsop,  the  late  John  Schoolcraft,  Esq.,  G.  Batterman, 
John  Sloan,  and  other  well-known  gentlemen  of  the  town,  all  of 
whom  were  his  seniors  in  age,  attended  these  meetings. 

Mineralogy  was  at  that  time  an  almost  unknown  science  in  the 
United  States.  At  first  the  heavy  drift  stratum  of  Albany 
County,  as  seen  in  the  bed  of  Norman's  Kill ;  and  its  deep  cuttings 
in  the  slate  and  other  rocks,  were  his  field  of  mineralogical  inqui 
ries.  Afterwards,  while  living  at  Lake  Dunmore,  in  Addison 
County,  Vermont,  he  revised  and  systematized  the  study  under  the 
teaching  of  Professor  Hall,  of  Middlebury  College,  to  which  he 
added  chemistry,  natural  philosophy  and  medicine.  Having  now 
the  means,  he  erected  a  chemical  furnace,  and  ordered  books,  appa 
ratus,  and  tests  from  the  city  of  New  York.  By  these  means  he  per 
fected  the  arts  which  were  under  his  direction  in  the  large  way  ;  and 
he  made  investigations  of  the  phenomena  of  the  fusion  of  various 
bodies,  which  he  prepared  for  the  press  under  the  name  of  Vitri- 
ology,  an  elaborate  work  of  research.  Amongst  the  facts  brought 
to  light,  it  is  apprehended,  were  revealed  the  essential  principles 
of  an  art  which  is  said  to  have  been  discovered  and  lost  in  the  days 
of  Tiberius  Caesar. 

He  taught  himself  the  Hebrew  and  German,  with  the  aid  only 
of  grammars  and  lexicons  ;  and,  with  the  assistance  of  instructors, 
the  reading  of  French.  His  assiduity,  his  love  of  method,  the 
great  value  he  attached  to  time,  and  his  perseverance  in  whatever 
study  or  research  he  undertook,  were  indeed  indomitable,  and 
serve  to  prove  how  far  they  will  carry  the  mind,  and  how  much 
surer  tests  they  are  of  ultimate  usefulness  and  attainment,  than 
the  most  dazzling  genius  without  these  moral  props.  Self-depend 
ent,  self-acting,  and  self-taught,  it  is  apprehended  that  few  men, 
with  so  little  means  and  few  advantages,  have  been  in  so  peculiar 
a  sense  the  architect  of  their  own  fortunes. 


XXXVI  SKETCHES  OP  THE 

He  commenced  writing  for  the  newspapers  and  periodicals  in 
1808,  in  which  year  he  also  published  a  poetic  tribute  to  a  friend, 
which  excited  local  notice,  and  was  attributed  to  a  person  of  lite 
rary  celebrity.  For,  notwithstanding  the  gravity  of  his  studies 
and  researches,  he  had  indulged  an  early  poetic  taste  for  a  series 
of  years,  by  compositions  of  an  imaginative  character,  and  might, 
it  should  seem,  have  attained  distinction  in  that  way.  His  re 
marks  in  the  "  Literary  and  Philosophical  Repertory, "  on  the 
evolvement  of  hydrogen  gas  from  the  strata  of  Western  New 
York,  under  the  name  of  Burning  Springs,  evinced  an  early  apti 
tude  for  philosophical  discussion.  In  a  notice  of  some  archaeo 
logical  discoveries  made  in  Hamburgh,  Erie  County,  which  were 
published  at  Utica  in  1817,  he  first  denoted  the  necessity  of  dis 
criminating  between  the  antique  French  and  European,  and 
the  aboriginal  period  in  our  antiquities  ;  for  the  want  of  which 
discrimination,  casual  observers  and  discoverers  of  articles  in  our 
tumuli  are  perpetually  over-estimating  the  state  of  ancient  art. 

About  1816  he  issued  proposals,  and  made  arrangements  to  pub 
lish  his  elaborated  work  on  vitreology,  which,  so  far  as  published, 
was  favorably  received. 

In  1817  he  was  attracted  to  go  to  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi. 
A  new  world  appeared  to  be  opening  for  American  enterprise 
there.  Its  extent  and  resources  seemed  to  point  it  out  as  the 
future  residence  of  millions  ;  and  he  determined  to  share  in  the 
exploration  of  its  geography,  geology,  mineralogy  and  general 
ethnology,  for  in  this  latter  respect  also  it  offered,  by  its  curious 
mounds  and  antiquities  and  existing  Indian  tribes,  a  field  of  pecu 
liar  and  undeveloped  interest. 

He  approached  this  field  of  observation  by  descending  the  Alle- 
ghany  River  from  Western  New  York  to  the  Ohio.  He  made 
Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati,  and  Louisville  centres  of  observation.  At 
the  latter  place  he  published  in  the  papers  an  account  of  the  dis 
covery  of  a  body  of  the  black  oxide  of  manganese,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Great  Sandy  River  of  Kentucky,  and  watched  the  return 
papers  from  the  old  Atlantic  States,  to  see  whether  notices  of  this 
kind  would  be  copied  and  approved.  Finding  this  test  favorable, 
he  felt  encouraged  in  his  mineralogical  researches.  Having  de 
scended  the  Ohio  to  its  mouth  one  thousand  miles,  by  its  involu 
tions  below  Pittsburgh,  and  entered  the  Mississippi,  he  urged  his 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  •  XXXV11 

way  up  the  strong  and  turbid  channel  of  the  latter,  in  barges,  by 
slow  stages  of  five  or  six  miles  a  day,  to  St.  Louis.  This  slow 
ness  of  travel  gave  him  an  opportunity  of  exploring  on  foot  the 
whole  of  the  Missouri  shore,  so  noted,  from  early  Spanish  and 
French  days,  for  its  mines.  After  visiting  the  mounds  of  Illinois, 
he  recrossed  the  Mississippi  into  the  mineral  district  of  Missouri. 
Making  Potosi  the  centre  of  his  survey  and  the  deposit  of  his  col 
lections,  he  executed  a  thorough  examination  of  that  district,  where 
he  found  some  seventy  mines  scattered  over  a  large  surface  of  the 
public  domain,  which  yielded,  at  the  utmost,  by  a  very  desultory 
process,  about  three  millions  of  pounds  of  lead  annually.  Having 
explored  this  region  very  minutely,  he  wished  to  ascertain  its  geo 
logical  connection  with  the  Ozark  and  other  highland  ranges, 
which  spread  at  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  he  planned 
an  exploratory  expedition  into  that  region.  This  bold  and  hazard 
ous  journey  he  organized  and  commenced  at  Potosi  early  in  the 
month  of  November,  1818,  and  prosecuted  it  under  many  disadvan 
tages  during  that  fall  and  the  succeeding  winter.  Several  expert 
and  practiced  woodsmen  were  to  have  been  of  this  party,  but  when 
the  time  for  setting  out  came  all  but  two  failed,  under  various  ex 
cuses.  One  of  these  was  finally  obliged  to  turn  back  from  Mine 
au  Breton  with  a  continued  attack  of  fever  and  ague.  Ardent  in 
the  plan,  and  with  a  strong  desire  to  extend  the  dominions  of 
science,  he  determined  to  push  on  with  a  single  companion,  and 
a  single  pack-horse,  which  bore  the  necessary  camp  conveniences, 
and  was  led  alternately  by  each  from  day  to  day.  A  pocket  com 
pass  guided  their  march  by  day,  and  they  often  slept  in  vast 
caverns  in  limestone  cliffs  at  night.  Gigantic  springs  of  the  purest 
crystaline  water  frequently  gushed  up  from  the  soil  or  rocks. 
This  track  laid  across  highlands,  which  divide  the  confluent  waters 
of  the  Missouri  from  those  of  the  Mississippi.  Indians,  wild 
beasts,  starvation,  thirst,  were  the  dangers  of  the  way.  This 
journey,  which  led  into  the  vast  and  desolate  parts  of  Arkansas, 
was  replete  with  incidents  and  adventures  of  the  highest  interest. 
While  in  Missouri,  and  after  his  return  from  this  adventurous 
journey,  he  'drew  up  a  description  of  the  mines,  geology,  and 
mineralogy  of  the  country.  Conceiving  a  plan  for  the  better 
management  of  the  lead  mines  as  a  part  of  the  public  domain,  he 
determined  to  visit  Washington,  to  submit  it  to  the  government. 


XXXV111  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

Packing  up  his  collections  of  mineralogy  and  geology,  he  ordered 
them  to  the  nearest  point  of  embarkation  on  the  Mississippi,  and, 
getting  on  board  a  steamer  at  St.  Genevieve,  proceeded  to  New 
Orleans.  Thence  he  took  shipping  for  New  York,  passing  through 
the  Straits  of  Florida,  and  reached  his  destination  during  the 
prevalence  of  the  yellow  fever  in  that  city.  He  improved  the  time 
of  his  quarantine  at  Staten  Island  by  exploring  its  mineralogy  and 
geology,  where  he  experienced  a  kind  and  appreciating  reception 
from  the  health  officer,  Dr.  De  Witt. 

His  reception  also  from  scientific  men  at  New  York  was  most 
favorable,  and  produced  a  strong  sensation.  Being  the  first  person 
who  had  brought  a  collection  of  its  scientific  resources  from  the 
Mississippi  Valley,  its  exhibition  and  diffusion  in  private  cabinets 
gave  an  impulse  to  these  studies  in  the  country. 

Men  of  science  and  gentlemen  of  enlarged  minds  welcomed  him. 
Drs.  Mitchell  and  Hosack,  who  were  then  at  the  summit  of  their 
influence,  and  many  other  leading  and  professional  characters  ex 
tended  a  hand  of  cordial  encouragement  and  appreciation.  Gov. 
De  Witt  Clinton  was  one  of  his  earliest  and  most  constant  friends. 
The  Lyceum  of  Natural  History  and  the  New  York  Historical 
Society  admitted  him  to  membership. 

Late  in  the  autumn  of  1819,  he  published  his  work  on  the  mines 
and  mineral  resources  of  Missouri,  and  with  this  publication  as  an 
exponent  of  his  views,  he  proceeded  to  Washington,  where  he  was 
favorably  received  by  President  Monroe,  and  by  Mr.  Calhoun  and 
Mr.  Crawford,  members  of  his  cabinet.  At  the  request  of  the 
latter  he  drew  up  a  memoir  on  the  reorganization  of  the  western 
mines,  which  was  well  received.  Some  legislation  appeared  neces 
sary.  Meantime  Mr.  Calhoun,  who  was  struck  by  the  earnestness 
of  his  views  and  scientific  enterprise,  offered  him  the  situation  of 
geologist  and  mineralogist  to  an  exploring  expedition,  which  the 
war  department  was  about  dispatching  from  Detroit  to  the  sources 
of  the  Mississippi  under  the  orders  of  Gen.  Cass. 

This  he  immediately  accepted,  and,  after  spending  a  few  weeks 
at  the  capital,  returned  in  Feb.,  1820,  to  New  York,  to  await  the 
opening  of  the  interior  navigation.  As  soon  as  the  lakes  opened 
he  proceeded  to  Detroit,  and  in  the  course  of  two  or  three  weeks 
embarked  on  this  celebrated  tour  of  exploration.  The  great  lake 
basins  were  visited  and  explored,  the  reported  copper  mines  on 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  XXXIX 

Lake  Superior  examined,  and  the  Upper  Mississippi  entered  at 
Sandy  Lake,  and,  after  tracing  it  in  its  remote  mazes  to  the  high 
est  practical  point,  he  descended  its  channel  by  St.  Anthony's  Falls 
to  Prairie  du  Chien  and  the  Du  Buque  lead  mines.  The  original 
outward  track  north-westward  was  then  regained,  through  the 
valleys  of  the  Wisconsin  and  Fox  Rivers,  and  the  extended  shores 
of  Lake  Michigan  and  Huron  elaborately  traced.  In  this  he  was 
accompanied  by  the  late  Professor  David  B.  Douglass,  who  collected 
the  materials  for  a  correct  map  of  the  great  lakes  and  the  sources 
of  the  Mississippi. 

It  was  late  in  the  autumn  when  Mr.  Schoolcraft  returned  to  his 
residence  at  New  York,  when  he  was  solicited  to  publish  his  "  nar 
rative  journal."  This  he  completed  early  in  the  spring  of  1821. 
This  work,  which  evinces  accurate  and  original  powers  of  observa 
tion,  established  his  reputation  as  a  scientific  and  judicious  traveler.  * 
Copies  of  it  found  their  way  to  England,  where  it  was  praised  by 
Sir  Humphrey  Davy  and  the  veteran  geographer,  Major  Rennel. 
His  report  to  the  Secretary  of  War  on  the  copper  mines  of  Lake 
Superior,  was  published  in  advance  by  the  American  Journal  of 
Science,  and  by  order  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  and 
gives  the  earliest  scientific  account  of  the  mineral  affluence  of  the 
basin  of  that  lake.  His  geological  report  to  the  same  department 
made  subsequently,  traces  the  formations  of  that  part  of  the  con 
tinent,  which  gives  origin  to  the  Mississippi  River,  and  denotes 
the  latitudes  where  it  is  crossed  by  the  primitive  and  volcanic  rocks. 
The  ardor  and  enthusiasm  which  he  evinced  in  the  cause  of  science, 
and  his  personal  enterprise  in  traversing  vast  regions,  awakened 
a  corresponding  spirit;  and  the  publication  of  his  narratives  had 
the  effect  to  popularize  the  subject  of  mineralogy  and  geology 
throughout  the  country. 

In  1821,  he  executed  a  very  extensive  journey  through  the 
Miami  of  the  Lakes  and  the  River  Wabash,  tracing  those  streams 
minutely  to  the  entrance  of  the  latter  into  the  Ohio  River.  He 
then  proceeded  to  explore  the  Oshawanoe  Mountains,  near  Cave- 
in-Rock,  with  their  deposits  of  the  fluate  of  lime,  galena,  and 
other  mineral  treasures.  From  this  range  he  crossed  over  the 
grand  prairies  of  the  Illinois  to  St.  Louis,  revisited  the  mineral 
district  of  Potosi,  and  ascended  the  Illinois  River  and  its  north 
west  fork,  the  Des  Plaines,  to  Chicago,  where  a  large  body  of 


xl  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

Indians  were  congregated  to  confer  on  the  cession  of  their  lands. 
At  these  important  conferences,  he  occupied  the  position  of  secre 
tary.  He  published  an  account  of  the  incidents  of  this  explora 
tory  journey,  under  the  title  of  Travels  in  the  Central  Portions 
of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  He  found,  in  passing  up  the  river 
Des  Plaines,  a  remarkably  well  characterized  specimen  of  a  fossil 
tree,  completely  converted  to  stone,  of  which  he  prepared  a  de 
scriptive  memoir,  which  had  the  effect  further  to  direct  the  public 
mind  to  geological  phenomena. 

We  are  not  prepared  to  pursue  minutely  these  first  steps  of  his 
energetic  course  in  the  early  investigation  of  our  natural  history 
and  geography.  In  1822,  while  the  lead-mine  problem  was  under 
advisement  at  Washington,  he  was  appointed  by  Mr.  Monroe  to 
the  semi-diplomatic  position  of  Agent  for  Indian  Affairs  on  the 
North-west  Frontiers.  This  opened  a  new  field  of  inquiry,  and, 
while  it  opposed  no  bar  to  the  pursuits  of  natural  science,  it  pre 
sented  a  broad  area  of  historical  and  ethnological  research.  On 
this  he  entered  with  great  ardor,  and  an  event  of  generally  con 
trolling  influence  on  human  pursuits  occurred  to  enlarge  these 
studies,  in  his  marriage  to  Miss  Jane  Johnston,  a  highly  cultivated 
young  lady,  who  was  equally  well  versed  in  the  English  and  Algon 
quin  languages,  being  a  descendant,  by  the  mother's  side,  of  Wa- 
bojeeg,  a  celebrated  war  sachem,  and  ruling  cacique  of  his  nation. 
Her  father,  Mr.  John  Johnston,  was  a  gentleman  of  the  highest 
connections,  fortune,  and  standing,  from  the  north  of  Ireland,  who 
had  emigrated  to  America  during  the  presidency  of  Washington. 
He  possessed  great  enthusiasm  and  romance  of  character,  united 
with  poetic  tastes,  and  became  deeply  enamored  of  the  beautiful 
daughter  of  Wabojeeg,  married  her,  and  had  eight  children.  His 
eldest  daughter,  Jane,  was  sent,  at  nine  years  of  age,  to  Europe 
to  be  thoroughly  educated  under  the  care  of  his  relatives  there, 
and,  when  she  returned  to  America,  was  placed  at  the  head  of 
her  father's  household,  where  her  refined  dignified  manners  and 
accomplishments  attracted  the  notice  and  admiration  of  numerous 
visitors  to  that  seat  of  noble  hospitality.  Mr.  Schoolcraft  was 
among  the  first  suitors  for  her  hand,  and  married  her  in  October, 
1823. 

Mr.  Johnston  was  a  fine  belles  lettres  scholar,  and  entered  readily 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  xli 

into  the  discussions  arising  from  the  principles  of  the  Indian  lan 
guages,  and  plans  for  their  improvement. 

Mr.  Schoolcraft's  marriage  into  an  aboriginal  family  gave  no 
small  stimulus  to  these  inquiries,  which  were  pursued  under  such 
singularly  excellent  advantages;  and  with  untiring  ardor  in  the 
seclusion  of  Elmwood  and  Michilimackinack,  for  a  period  of  nearly 
twenty  years,  and,  until  his  wife's  lamented  death,  which  happened 
during  a  visit  to  her  sister,  at  Dundas,  Canada  West,  in  the  year 
1842,  and  while  he  himself  was  absent  on  a  visit  to  England. 
Mr.  Schoolcraft  has  not,  at  any  period  of  his  life,  sought  advance 
ment  in  political  life,  but  executed  with  energy  and  interest  various 
civic  offices,  which  were  freely  offered  to  him.  From  1828  to 
1832,  he  was  an  efficient  member  of  the  Territorial  Legislature, 
where  he  introduced  a  system  of  township  and  county  names, 
formed  on  the  basis  of  the  aboriginal  vocabulary,  and  also  pro 
cured  the  incorporation  of  a  historical  society,  and,  besides 
managing  the  finances,  as  chairman  of  an  appropriate  committee, 
he  introduced  and  secured  the  passage  of  several  laws  respecting 
the  treatment  of  the  native  tribes. 

In  1828,  the  Navy  Department  offered  him  a  prominent  situa 
tion  in  the  scientific  corps  of  the  United  States  Exploring  Expedi 
tion  to  the  South  Seas.  This  was  urged  in  several  letters  written 
to  him  at  St.  Mary's,  by  Mr.  Reynolds,  with  the  approbation  of 
Mr.  Southard,  then  Secretary  of  the  Navy.  However  flattering 
such  an  offer  was  to  his  ambition,  his  domestic  relations  did  not 
permit  his  acceptance  of  the  place.  He  appeared  to  occupy  his 
advanced  position  on  the  frontier  solely  to  further  the  interests 
of  natural  history,  American  geography,  and  growing  questions 
of  philosophic  moment. 

These  particulars  will  enable  the  reader  to  appreciate  the  ad 
vantages  with  which  he  commenced  and  pursued  the  study  of  the 
Indian  languages,  and  American  ethnology.  He  made  a  complete 
lexicon  of  the  Algonquin  language,  and  reduced  its  grammar  to  a 
philosophical  system.  "It  is  really  surprising,"  says  Gen.  Cass, 
in  a  letter,  in  1824,  in  view  of  these  researches,  "  that  so  little  valu 
able  information  has  been  given  to  the  world  on  these  subjects." 

Mr.  Duponceau,  President  of  the  American  Philosophical  Soci 
ety,  translated  two  of  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  lectures  before  the  Algic 
Society,  on  the  grammatical  structure  of  the  Indian  language,  into 


xlii  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

French,  for  the  National  Institute  of  France,  where  the  prize  for 
the  best  essay  on  Algonquin  language  was  awarded  to  him.  He 
writes  to  Dr.  James, in  1834,  in  reference  to  these  lectures:  "His 
description  of  the  composition  of  words  in  the  Chippewa  language, 
is  the  most  elegant  I  have  yet  seen.  He  is  an  able  and  most  per 
spicuous  writer,  and  treats  his  subject  philosophically.'3 

Approbation  from  these  high  sources  had  only  the  effect  to  lead 
him  to  renewed  diligence  and  deeper  exertions  to  further  the  in 
terests  of  natural  science,  geography,  and  ethnology ;  and,  while 
engaged  in  the  active  duties  of  an  important  government  office,  he 
maintained  an  extensive  correspondence  with  men  of  science,  learn 
ing,  and  enterprise  throughout  the  Union. 

The  American  Philosophical,  Geological,  and  Antiquarian  Socie 
ties,  with  numerous  state  and  local  institutions,  admitted  him  to 
membership.  The  Royal  Geographical  Society  of  London,  the 
Royal  Society  of  Northern  Antiquaries  at  Copenhagen,  arid  the 
Ethnological  Society  of  Paris,  inscribed  his  name  among  their 
foreign  members.  In  1846,  the  College  of  Geneva  conferred  on 
him  the  degree  of  LL.  D. 

While  the  interests  of  learning  and  science  thus  occupied  his 
private  hours,  the  state  of  Indian  affairs  on  the  western  frontiers 
called  for  continued  exertions,  and  journeys,  and  expeditions 
through  remote  regions.  The  introduction  of  a  fast  accumulating 
population  into  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  the  great  lake  basins, 
continually  subjected  the  Indian  tribes  to  causes  of  uneasiness, 
and  to  a  species  of  reflection,  of  which  they  had  had  no  examples 
in  the  long  centuries  of  their  hunter  state. 

In  1825,  1826,  and  1827,  he  attended  convocations  of  the  tribes 
at  very  remote  points,  which  imposed  the  necessity  of  passing 
through  forests,  wildernesses,  and  wild  portages,  where  none  but 
the  healthy,  the  robust,  the  fearless,  and  the  enterprising  can  go. 

In  1831,  circumstances  inclined  the  tribes  on  the  Upper  Missis 
sippi  to  hostilities  and  extensive  combinations.  He  was  directed 
by  the  Government  to  conduct  an  expedition  through  the  country 
lying  south  and  west  of  Lake  Superior,  reaching  from  its  banks, 
which  have  from  the  earliest  dates  been  the  fastnesses  of  numerous 
warlike  tribes.  This  he  accomplished  satisfactorily,  visiting  the 
leading  chiefs,  and  counseling  them  to  the  policy  of  peace. 

In  1832,  the  Sauks  and  Foxes  resolved  to  re-occupy  lands  which 


LIFE  OF  HEXRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  xliii 

they  had  previously  relinquished  in  the  Rock  River  Valley.  This 
brought  them  into  collision  with  the  citizens  and  militia  of  Illinois. 
The  result  was  a  general  conflict,  which,  from  its  prominent  Indian 
leader,  has  been  called  the  Black  Hawk  war.  From  accounts  of  the 
previous  year,  its  combinations  embraced  nine  of  the  leading  tribes. 
It  was  uncertain  how  far  they  extended.  Mr.  Schoolcraft  was  select 
ed  by  the  Indian  and  War  Department,  to  conduct  a  second  expedi 
tion  into  the  region  embracing  the  entire  Upper  Mississippi,  north 
and  west  of  St.  Anthony's  Falls.  He  pursu'ed  this  stream  to  the 
points  to  which  it  had  been  explored  in  1806,  by  Lieut.  Pike,  and  in 
1820,  by  Gen.  Cass;  and  finding  the  state  of  the  water  favorable  for 
ascending,  traced  the  river  up  to  its  ultimate  forks,  and  to  its  actual 
source  in  Itasca  Lake.  This  point  he  reached  on  the  23d  July, 
1832 ;  but  a  fraction  under  300  years  after  the  discovery  of  its 
lower  portions  by  De  Soto.  This  was  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  crowning 
geographical  discovery,  of  which  he  published  an  account,  with 
maps,  in  1833.  He  is  believed  to  be  the  only  man  in  America 
who  has  seen  the  Mississippi  from  its  source  in  Itasca  Lake  to  its 
mouth  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

In  1839,  he  published  his  collection  of  oral  legends  from  the 
Indian  wigwams,  under  the  general  cognomen  of  Algic  Researches. 
In  these  volumes  is  revealed  an  amount  of  the  Indian  idiosyncra 
sies,  of  what  may  be  called  their  philosophy  and  mode  of  reason 
ing  on  life,  death,  and  immortality,  and  their  singular  modes  of 
reasoning  and  action,  which  makes  this  work  one  of  the  most  unique 
and  original  contributions  to  American  literature.  His  love  of 
investigation  has  always  been  a  characteristic  trait. 

The  writer  of  this  sketch,  who  is  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
Mr.  Schoolcraft's  character,  habits,  and  feelings,  has  long  re 
garded  him  the  complete  embodiment  of  industry  and  temperance 
in  all  things.  He  rises  early  and  retires  early,  eats  moderately  of 
simple  food,  never  uses  a  drop  of  stimulant,  and  does  not  even  smoke 
a  cigar.  In  temperament  he  is  among  the  happiest  of  human  beings, 
always  looks  at  the  bright  side  of  circumstances — loves  to  hear  of 
the  prosperity  of  his  neighbors,  and  hopes  for  favorable  turns  of 
character,  even  in  the  most  depraved.  The  exaltation  of  his  in 
tellectual  pursuits,  and  his  sincere  piety,  have  enabled  him  to  rise 
above  all  the  petty  disquietudes  of  everyday  life,  and  he  seems 
utterly  incapable  of  envy  or  detraction,  or  the  indulgence  of  any 


Xv  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

ignoble  or  unmanly  passions.  Indeed,  one  of  his  most  intimate 
friends  remarked  "  that  he  was  the  beau-ideal  of  dignified  man 
liness  and  truthfulness  of  character."  His  manners  possess  all 
that  unostentatious  frankness,  and  self-possessed  urbanity  and 
quietude,  that  is  indicative  of  refined  feelings.  That  such  a  shining 
mark  has  not  escaped  envy,  detraction,  and  persecution,  will  sur 
prise  no  one  who  is  well  acquainted  with  the  materials  of  which 
human  nature  is  composed.  "  Envy  is  the  toll  that  is  always  paid 
to  greatness." 

Mr.  Schoolcraft  has  had  enemies,  bitter  unrelenting  enemies, 
from  the  wiles  of  whom  he  has  lost  several  fortunes,  but  they  have 
not  succeeded,  in  spite  of  all  their  efforts,  in  depriving  him  of  an 
honored  name,  that  will  live  as  the  friend  of  the  red  man  and  an 
aboriginal  historian,  for  countless  ages. 

Some  twenty  years  ago  he  became  a  professor  of  religion,  and 
the  ennobling  influences  of  Bible  truth  have  mellowed,  and  de 
voted  to  the  most  unselfish  and  exalted  aims  his  natural  determi 
nation  and  enthusiasm  of  character.  God  has  promised  to  his 
people  "that  their  righteousness  shall  shine  as  the  light,  and  their 
just  dealing  as  the  noonday."  Protected  in  such  an  impregnable 
tower  of  defence  from  the  strife  of  tongues,  Mr.  Schoolcraft  has 
been  enabled  freely  to  forgive,  and  even  befriend,  those  narrow- 
minded  calumniators  who  have  aimed  so  many  poisoned  arrows  at 
his  fame,  his  character,  and  his  success  in  life.  These  are  they 
who  hate  all  excellence  that  they  themselves  can  never  hope  to 
reach. 

Mr.  Schoolcraft's  persevering  industry  is  so  indomitable,  that 
he  has  been  known  to  write  from  sun  to  sun  almost  every  day  for 
many  consecutive  years,  taking  no  recreation,  and  yet  these  se 
dentary  habits  of  untiring  application  being  regulated  by  system, 
have  not  impaired  the  digestive  functions  of  his  usually  robust 
health.  One  of  his  family  remarks,  "  that  she  believed  that  if 
his  meals  were  weighed  every  day  in  the  year  they  would  average 
the  same  amount  every  twenty-four  hours."  He  has,  however, 
been  partly  lame  for  the  last  two  years,  from  the  effects,  it  is 
thought,  of  early  exposure  in  his  explorations  in  the  west,  where 
he  used  frequently  to  lie  down  in  the  swamps  to  sleep,  with  no  pil 
low  save  clumps  of  bog,  and  no  covering  but  a  traveling  Indian 
blanket,  which  sometimes  when  he  awoke  was  cased  in  snow.  This 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  xlv 

local  impediment,  however,  being  entirely  without  neuralgic  or 
rheumatic  symptoms,  has  had  no  effect  whatever  upon  his  mental 
activity,  as  every  moment  of  his  time  is  still  consecrated  to  lite 
rary  pursuits. 

In  1841  he  removed  his  residence  from  Michilimackinack  to 
the  city  of  New  York,  where  he  was  instrumental,  with  Mr. 
John  R.  Bartlett,  Mr.  H.  C.  Murphy,  Mr.  Folsom  and  other 
ethnologists,  in  forming  the  American  Ethnological  Society — which, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  late  Mr.  Albert  Gallatin,  has  produced 
efficient  labors.  In  1842  he  visited  England  and  the  Continent. 
He  attended  the  twelfth  meeting  of  the  British  Association  for  the 
Advancement  of  Science  at  Manchester.  He  then  visited  France, 
Germany,  Prussia,  Belgium,  and  Holland.  On  returning  to' New 
York  he  took  an  active  interest  in  the  deliberations  of  the  New 
York  Historical  Society,  made  an  antiquarian  tour  to  Western 
Virginia,  Ohio,  and  the  Canadas,  and  published  in  numbers  the 
first  volume  of  an  Indian  miscellany  under  the  title  of  "  Oneota,  or 
the  Indian  in  his  Wigwam." 

In  1845  the  Legislature  of  New  York  authorized  him  to  take  a 
census,  and  collect  the  statistics  of  the  Iroquois,  or  Six  Nations, 
which  were  published,  together  with  materials  illustrating  their 
history  and  character,  in  a  volume  entitled,  NOTES  ON  THE  IRO 
QUOIS. 

This  work  was  highly  approved  by  the  Legislature,  and  copies 
eagerly  sought  by  persons  taking  an  interest  in  the  fortunes  of 
this  celebrated  tribe.  Contrary  to  expectation,  their  numbers 
were  found  to  be  considerable,  and  their  advance  in  agriculture 
and  civilization  of  a  highly  encouraging  character  ;  and  the  State 
has  since  made  liberal  appropriations  for  their  education. 

In  1846  he  brought  the  subject  of  the  American  aborigines  to 
the  notice  of  the  members  of  Congress,  expressing  the  opinion, 
and  enforcing  it  by  facts  drawn  from  many  years'  experience  and 
residence  on  the  frontiers,  that  it  was  misunderstood,  that  the  au 
thentic  published  materials  from  which  the  Indians  were  to  be 
judged  were  fragmentary  and  scanty,  and  that  the  public  policy 
respecting  them,  and  the  mode  of  applying  their  funds,  and  dealing 
with  them,  was  in  many  things  false  and  unjust.  These  new 
views  produced  conviction  in  enlightened  minds,  and,  during  the 


Xlvi  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

following  session,  in  the  winter  of  1847,  an  appropriation  was 
made,  authorizing  the  Secretary  of  War  to  collect  the  statistics  of 
all  the  tribes  within  the  Union  ;  together  with  materials  to  illus 
trate  their  history,  condition,  and  prospects.  Mr.  Schoolcraft  was 
selected  by  the  government  to  conduct  the  inquiry,  in  connection 
with  the  Indian  Bureau.  And  he  immediately  prepared  and  is 
sued  blank  forms,  calling  on  the  officers  of  the  department  for  the 
necessary  statistical  facts.  At  the  same  time  a  comprehensive 
system  of  interrogatories  was  distributed,  intended  to  bring  out 
the  true  state  and  condition  of  the  Indian  tribes  from  gentlemen 
of  experience,  in  all  parts  of  the  Union. 

These  interrogatories  are  founded  on  a  series  of  some  thirty 
years'  personal  observations  on  Indian  society  and  manners,  which 
were  made  while  living  in  their  midst  on  the  frontiers,  and  on  the 
data  preserved  in  his  well-filled  portfolios  and  journals ;  and  the 
comprehensive  character  of  the  queries,  consequently,  evince  a 
complete  mastery  of  his  subject,  such  as  no  one  could  have  been 
at  all  prepared  to  furnish,  who  had  had  less  full  and  favorable  ad 
vantages.  In  these  queries  he  views  the  Indian  race,  not  only  as 
tribes  having  every  claim  on  our  sympathy  and  humanity,  but  as 
one  of  the  races  of  the  human  family,  scattered  by  an  inscrutable 
Providence,  whose  origin  and  destiny  is  one  of  the  most  interest 
ing  problems  of  American  history,  philosophy,  and  Christianity. 

The  first  part  of  this  work,  in  an  elaborate  quarto  volume,  was 
published  in  the  autumn  of  1850,  with  illustrations  from  the  pencil 
of  Capt.  Eastman,  a  gentleman  of  the  army  of  the  United  States, 
and  has  been  received  by  Congress  and  the  diurnal  and  periodical 
press  with  decided  approbation.  It  is  a  work  which  is  national 
in  its  conception  and  manner  of  execution ;  and,  if  carried  out  ac 
cording  to  the  plan  exhibited,  will  do  ample  justice,  at  once  to  the 
Indian  tribes,  their  history,  condition,  and  destiny,  and  to  the 
character  of  the  government  as  connected  with  them.  We  have 
been  reproached  by  foreign  pens  for  our  treatment  of  these  tribes, 
and  our  policy,  motives,  and  justice  impugned.  If  we  are  not 
mistaken,  the  materials  here  collected  will  show  how  gratuitous 
such  imputations  have  been.  It  is  believed  that  no  stock  of  the 
aborigines  found  by  civilized  nations  on  the  globe,  have  received 
the  same  amount  of  considerate  and  benevolent  and  humane  treat- 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT.  xlvil 

ment,  as  denoted  by  its  laws,  its  treaties,  and  general  administra 
tion  of  Indian  affairs,  from  the  establishment  of  the  Constitution, 
and  this  too,  in  the  face  of  the  most  hostile,  wrongheaded,  and 
capricious  conduct  on  their  part,  that  ever  signalized  the  history 
of  a  barbarous  people. 

In  January,  1847,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Howard,  of  Beaufort 
District,  South  Carolina,  a  lady  of  majestic  stature,  high  toned 
moral  sentiment,  dignified  polished  manners,  gifted  conversational 
powers  and  literary  tastes.  This  marriage  has  proved  a  peculiarly 
fortunate  and  happy  one,  as  they  both  highly  appreciate  and  re 
spect  each  other,  and  she  warmly  sympathizes  in  his  literary  plans. 
She  also  relieves  him  of  all  domestic  care  by  her  judicious  manage 
ment  of  his  household  affairs.  Most  of  her  time,  however,  is 
spent  with  him  in  his  study,  where  she  revises  and  copies  his  writ 
ings  for  the  press.  She  is  the  descendant  of  a  family  who  emi 
grated  to  South  Carolina  from  England,  in  the  reign  of  George 
the  Second,  from  whom  they  received  a  large  grant  of  land,  situ 
ated  near  the  Broad  River.  Upon  this  original  grant  the  family 
have  from  generation  to  generation  continued  to  reside.  It  is  now 
a  flourishing  cotton  and  rice  growing  plantation,  and  is  at  present 
owned  by  her  brother,  Gen.  John  Howard.  Her  sister  married  a 
grandnephew  of  Gen.  William  Moultrie,  who  was  so  distinguished 
in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  her  brother  a  granddaughter  of 
Judge  Thomas  Heyward,  who  was  a  ripe  scholar  and  one  of  the 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  Although  one  of 
her  brothers  was  in  the  battle  of  San  Jacinto,  she  is  herself  the 
first  permanent  emigrant  of  her  family  from  South  Carolina  to 
the  North,  having  accompanied  her  husband  to  Washington,  D.  C., 
where  he  has  ever  since  been  engaged  in  conducting  the  national 
work  on  the  history  of  the  Indians.  To  this  work,  of  which  the 
second  part  is  now  in  the  press,  every  power  of  his  extensive  ob 
servation  and  ripe  experience  is  devoted,  and  with  results  which 
justify  the  highest  anticipations  which  have  been  formed  of  it. 
Meantime  it  is  understood  that  the  present  memoirs  is  the  first 
volume  of  a  revised  series  of  his  complete  works,  including  his 
travels,  reviews,  papers  on  natural  history,  Indian  tales,  and  mis 
cellanies. 

To  this  rapid  sketch  of  a  man  rising  to  distinction  without  the 


Xlviii         SKETCH  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT. 

adventitious  aids  of  hereditary  patrimony,  wealth,  or  early  friends, 
it  requires  little  to  be  added  to  show  the  value  of  self-dependence. 
Such  examples  must  encourage  all  whose  ambitions  are  sustained 
by  assiduity,  temperance,  self-reliance,  and  a  consistent  persever 
ance  in  well  weighed  ends. 


PERSONAL    MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Brief  reminiscences  of  scenes  from  1809  to  1817 — Events  preliminary  to  a 
knowledge  of  western  life — Embarkation  on  the  source  of  the  Alleghany 
River — Descent  to  Pittsburgh — Valley  of  the  Monongahela ;  its  coal  and 
iron — Descent  of  the  Ohio  in  an  ark — Scenes  and  incidents  by  the  way — 
Cincinnati — Some  personal  incidents  which  happened  there. 

LATE  in  the  autumn  of  1809,  being  then  in  my  seventeenth  year, 
I  quitted  the  village  of  Hamilton,  Albany  County  (a  county  in 
which  my  family  had  lived  from  an  early  part  of  the  reign  of 
George  II.),  and,  after  a  pleasant  drive  of  half  a  day  through  the 
PINE  PLAINS,  accompanied  by  some  friends,  reached  the  city  of 
Schenectady,  and  from  thence  took  the  western  stage  line,  up 
the  Valley  of  the  Mohawk,  to  the  village  of  Utica,  where  we  ar 
rived,  I  think,  on  the  third  day,  the  roads  being  heavy.  The 
next  day  I  proceeded  to  Vernon,  the  site  of  a  busy  and  thriv 
ing  village,  where  my  father  had  recently  engaged  in  the  super- 
intendency  of  extensive  manufacturing  operations.  I  was  here 
within  a  few  miles  of  Oneida  Castle,  then  the  residence  of  the 
ancient  Oneida  tribe  of  Iroquois.  There  was,  also,  in  this  town,  a 
remnant  of  the  old  Mohigans,  who,  under  the  name  of  Stockbridges, 
had,  soon  after  the  Revolutionary  War,  removed  from  the  Valley 
of  the  Housatonic,  in  Massachusetts,  to  Oneida.  Throngs  of  both 
tribes  were  daily  in  the  village,  and  I  was  thus  first  brought  to 
notice  their  manners  and  customs ;  not  dreaming,  however,  that  it 
was  to  be  my  lot  to  pass  so  many  of  the  subsequent  years  of  my 
life  as  an  observer  of  the  Indian  race. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1810,  I  accompanied  Mr.  Alexander 
2 


18  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Bryan  Johnson,  of  Utica,  a  gentleman  of  wealth,  intelligence,  and 
enterprise,  to  the  area  of  the  Genesee  country,  for  the  purpose 
of  superintending  a  manufactory  for  a  company  incorporated 
by  the  State  Legislature.  After  visiting  Sodus  Bay,  on  Lake 
Ontario,  it  was  finally  resolved  to  locate  this  company's  works 
near  Geneva,  on  the  banks  of  Seneca  Lake. 

During  my  residence  here,  the  War  of  1812  broke  out ;  .the 
events  of  which  fell  with  severity  on  this  frontier,  particularly  on 
the  lines  included  between  the  Niagara  and  Lake  Champlain, 
where  contending  armies  and  navies  operated.  While  these  scenes 
of  alarm  and  turmoil  were  enacting,  and  our  trade  with  Great 
Britain  was  cut  off,  an  intense  interest  arose  for  manufactures  of 
first  necessity,  needed  by  the  country,  particularly  for  that  indis 
pensable  article  of  new  settlements,  window  glass.  In  directing 
the  foreign  artisans  employed  in  the  making  of  this  product  of 
skill,  my  father,  Col.  Lawrence  Schoolcraft,  had,  from  an  early 
period  after  the  American  Revolution,  acquired  celebrity,  by  the 
general  superintendency  of  the  noted  works  of  this  kind  near 
Albany,  and  afterwards  in  Oneida  County. 

Under  his  auspices,  I  directed  the  erection  of  similar  works  in 
Western  New  York  and  in  the  States  of  Vermont  and  New  Hamp 
shire. 

While  in  Vermont,  I  received  a  salary  of  eighteen  hundred 
dollars  per  annum,  which  enabled  me  to  pursue  my  studies,  ex 
academia,  at  Middlebury  College.  In  conversation  with  President 
Davis,  I  learned  that  this  was  the  highest  salary  paid  in  the  State, 
he  himself  receiving  eleven  hundred,  and  the  Governor  of  the 
State  but  eight  hundred. 

The  extensive  and  interesting  journeys  connected  with  the  manu 
facturing  impulse  of  these  engagements,  reaching  over  a  varied  sur 
face  of  several  hundred  miles,  opened  up  scenes  of  life  and  adven- 
ure  which  gave  me  a  foretaste  of,  and  preparedness  for,  the  deeper 
experiences  of  the  western  wilderness  ;  and  the  war  with  England 
was  no  sooner  closed  than  I  made  ready  to  share  in  the  exploration 
of  the  FAR  WEST.  The  wonderful  accounts  brought  from  the  Mis 
sissippi  Valley — its  fertility,  extent,  and  resources — inspired  a 
wish  to  see  it  for  myself,  and  to  this  end  I  made  some  prelimi 
nary  explorations  in  Western  New  York,  in  1816  and  1817.  I 
reached  Olean,  on  the  source  of  the  Alleghany  River,  early  in  1818, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  19 

while  the  snow  was  yet  upon  the  ground,  and  had  to  wait  several 
weeks  for  the  opening  of  that  stream.  I  was  surprised  to  see  the 
crowd  of  persons,  from  various  quarters,  who  had  pressed  to  this 
point,  waiting  the  opening  of  the  navigation. 

It  was  a  period  of  general  migration  from  the  East  to  the  West. 
Commerce  had  been  checked  for  several  years  by  the  war  with 
Great  Britain.  Agriculture  had  been  hindered  by  the  raising  of 
armies,  and  a  harassing  warfare  both  on  the  seaboard  and  the 
frontiers ;  and  manufactures  had  been  stimulated  to  an  unnatural 
growth,  only  to  be  crushed  by  the  peace.  Speculation  had  also 
been  rife  in  some  places,  and  hurried  many  gentlemen  of  property 
into  ruin.  Banks  exploded,  and  paper  money  flooded  the  country. 

The  fiscal  crisis  was  indeed  very  striking.  The  very  elements 
seemed  leagued  against  the  interests  of  agriculture  in  the  Atlantic 
States,  where  a  series  of  early  and  late  frosts,  in  1816  and  1817, 
had  created  quite  a  panic,  which  helped  to  settle  the  West. 

I  mingled  in  this  crowd,  and,  while  listening  to  the  anticipations 
indulged  in,  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  war  had  not,  in  reality,  been 
fought  for  "free  trade  and  sailors'  rights''  where  it  commenced, 
but  to  gain  a  knowledge  of  the  world  beyond  the  Alleghanies. 

Many  came  with  their  household  stuff,  which  was  to  be  em 
barked  in  arks  and  flat  boats.  The  children  of  Israel  could 
scarcely  have  presented  a  more  motley  array  of  men  and  women, 
with  their  "kneading  troughs"  on  their  backs,  and  their  "little 
ones,"  than  were  there  assembled,  on  their  way  to  the  new  land  of 
promise. 

To  judge  by  the  tone  of  general  conversation,  they  meant,  in 
their  generation,  to  plough  the  Mississippi  Valley  from  its  head  to 
its  foot.  There  was  not  an  idea  short  of  it.  What  a  world  of 
golden  dreams  was  there  ! 

I  took  passage  in  the  first  ark  that  attempted  the  descent  for 
the  season.  This  ark  was  built  of  stout  planks,  with  the  lower 
seams  caulked,  forming  a  perfectly  flat  basis  on  the  water.  It 
was  about  thirty  feet  wide  and  sixty  long,  with  gunwales  of  some 
eighteen  inches.  Upon  this  was  raised  a  structure  of  posts  and 
boards  about  eight  feet  high,  divided  into  rooms  for  cooking  and 
sleeping,  leaving  a  few  feet  space  in  front  and  rear,  to  row  and 
steer.  The  whole  was  covered  by  a  flat  roof,  which  formed  a 
promenade,  and  near  the  front  part  of  this  deck  were  two  long 


20  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

"sweeps,"  a  species  of  gigantic  oars,  which  were  occasionally 
resorted  to  in  order  to  keep  the  unwieldy  vessel  from  running 
against  islands  or  dangerous  shores. 

We  went  on  swimmingly,  passing  through  the  Seneca  reserva 
tion,  where  the  picturesque  costume  of  the  Indians  seen  on  shore 
served  to  give  additional  interest  to  scenes  of  the  deepest  and 
wildest  character.  Every  night  we  tied  our  ark  to  a  tree,  and 
built  a  fire  on  shore.  Sometimes  we  narrowly  escaped  going  over 
falls,  and  once  encountered  a  world  of  labor  and  trouble  by  getting 
into  a  wrong  channel.  I  made  myself  as  useful  and  agreeable  as 
possible  to  all.  I  had  learned  to  row  a  skiff  with  dexterity  during 
my  residence  on  Lake  Dunmore,  and  turned  this  art  to  account 
by  taking  the  ladies  ashore,  as  we  floated  on  with  our  ark,  and 
picked  up  specimens  while  they  culled  shrubs  and  flowers.  In 
this  way,  and  by  lending  a  ready  hand  at  the  "sweeps"  and 
at  the  oars  whenever  there  was  a  pinch,  I  made  myself  agree 
able.  The  worst  thing  we  encountered  was  rain,  against  which 
our  rude  carpentry  was  but  a  poor  defence.  We  landed  at  every 
thing  like  a  town,  and  bought  milk,  and  eggs,  and  butter.  Some 
times  the  Seneca  Indians  were  passed,  coming  up  stream  in 
their  immensely  long  pine  canoes.  There  was  perpetual  novelty 
and  freshness  in  this  mode  of  wayfaring.  The  scenery  was  most 
enchanting.  The  river  ran  high,  with  a  strong  spring  current, 
and  the  hills  frequently  rose  in  most  picturesque  cliffs. 

1818.  I  do  not  recollect  the  time  consumed  in  this  descent. 
We  had  gone  about  three  hundred  miles,  when  we  reached  Pitts 
burgh.  It  was  the  28th  of  March  when  we  landed  at  this  place, 
which  I  remember  because  it  was  my  birthday.  And  I  here  bid 
adieu  to  the  kind  and  excellent  proprietor  of  the  ark,  L.  Petti- 
borne,  Esq.,  who  refused  to  receive  any  compensation  for  my  pas- 
sa.ge,  saying,  prettily,  that  he  did  not  know  how  they  could  have 
got  along  without  me. 

I  stopped  at  one  of  the  best  hotels,  kept  by  a  Mrs.  McCullough, 
and,  after  visiting  the  manufactories  and  coal  mines,  hired  a  horse, 
and  went  up  the  Monongahela  Valley,  to  explore  its  geology  as  high 
as  Williamsport.  The  rich  coal  and  iron  beds  of  this  part  of  the 
country  interested  me  greatly  ;  I  was  impressed  with  their  extent, 
and  value,  and  the  importance  which  they  must  eventually  give  to 
Pittsburgh.  After  returning  from  this  trip,  I  completed  my  visits 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  21 

to  the  various  workshops  and  foundries,  and  to  the  large  glass 
works  of  Bake  well  and  of  O'Hara. 

I  was  now  at  the  head  of  the  Ohio  River,  which  is  formed  by  the 
junction  of  the  Alleghany  and  Monongahela.  My  next  step  was 
to  descend  this  stream ;  and,  while  in  search  of  an  ark  on  the 
borders  of  the  Monongahela,  I  fell  in  with  a  Mr.  Brigham,  a  worthy 
person  from  Massachusetts,  who  had  sallied  out  with  the  same  view. 
We  took  passage  together  on  one  of  these  floating  houses,  with  the 
arrangements  of  which  I  had  now  become  familiar.  I  was  charmed 
with  the  Ohio  ;  with  its  scenery,  which  was  every  moment  shifting 
to  the  eye ;  and  with  the  incidents  of  such  a  novel  voyage.  Off 
Wheeling  we  made  fast  to  another  ark,  from  the  Monongahela,  in 
charge  of  Capt.  Hutchinson,  an  intelligent  man.  There  were  a 
number  of  passengers,  who,  together  with  this  commander,  added 
to  our  social  circle,  and  made  it  more  agreeable :  among  these,  the 
chief  person  was  Dr.  Selman,  of  Cincinnati,  who  had  been  a  sur 
geon  in  Wayne's  army,  and  who  had  a  fund  of  information  of  this 
era.  My  acquaintance  with  subjects  of  chemistry  and  mineralogy 
enabled  me  to  make  my  conversation  agreeable,  which  was  after 
wards  of  some  advantage  to  me. 

We  came  to  at  Grave  Creek  Fleets,  and  all  went  up  to  see  the 
Great  Mound,  the  apex  of  which  had  a  depression,  with  a  large 
tree  growing  in  it  having  the  names  and  dates  of  visit  of  several  per 
sons  carved  on  its  trunk.  One  of  the  dates  was,  I  think,  as  early 
as  1730.  We  also  stopped  at  Gallipolis — the  site  of  a  French  colony 
of  some  notoriety.  The  river  was  constantly  enlarging ;  the  spring 
was  rapidly  advancing,  and  making  its  borders  more  beautiful ;  and 
the  scenery  could  scarcely  have  been  more  interesting.  There 
was  often,  it  is  true,  a  state  of  newness  and  rudeness  in  the  towns, 
and  villages,  and  farms,  but  it  was  ever  accompanied  with  the  most 
pleasing  anticipations  of  improvement  and  progress.  We  had  sel 
dom  to  look  at  old  things,  save  the  Indian  antiquities.  The  most 
striking  works  of  this  kind  were  at  Marietta,  at  the  junction  of  the 
Muskingum.  This  was,  I  believe,  the  earliest  point  of  settlement 
of  the  State  of  Ohio.  But  to  us,  it  had  a  far  more  interesting  point 
of  attraction  in  the  very  striking  antique  works  named,  for  which  it 
is  known.  We  visited  the  elevated  square  and  the  mound.  We 
gazed  and  wondered  as  others  have  done,  and  without  fancying 
that  we  were  wiser  than  our  predecessors  had  been. 


22  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

At  Marietta,  a  third  ark  from  the  waters  of  the  Muskingum  was 
added  to  our  number,  and  making  quite  a  flotilla.  This  turned  out 
to  be  the  property  of  Hon.  J.  B.  Thomas,  of  Illinois,  a  Senator  in 
Congress,  a  gentleman  of  great  urbanity  of  manners  and  intelli 
gence.  By  this  addition  of  deck,  our  promenade  was  now  ample. 
And  it  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  a  journey  embracing  a  greater 
number  of  pleasing  incidents  and  prospects. 

When  a  little  below  Parkersburgh,  we  passed  Blennerhasset's 
Island,  which  recalled  for  a  moment  the  name  of  Aaron  Burr,  and 
the  eloquent  language  of  Mr.  Wirt  on  the  treasonable  schemes  of 
that  bold,  talented,  but  unchastened  politician.  All  was  now  ruin 
and  devastation  on  the  site  of  forsaken  gardens,  into  the  shaded 
recesses  of  which  a  basilisk  had  once  entered.  Some  stacks  of 
chimneys  were  all  that  was  left  to  tell  the  tale.  It  seemed  re 
markable  that  twelve  short  years  should  have  worked  so  com 
plete  a  desolation.  It  would  appear  as  if  half  a  century  had  inter 
vened,  so  thorough  had  been  the  physical  revolution  of  the  island. 

One  night  we  had  lain  with  our  flotilla  on  the  Virginia  coast. 
It  was  perceived,  at  early  daylight,  that  the  inner  ark,  which  was 
Mr.  Thomas's,  and  which  was  loaded  with  valuable  machinery,  was 
partly  sunk,  being  pressed  against  the  bank  by  the  other  arks,  and 
the  water  was  found  to  be  flowing  in  above  the  caulked  seams.  A 
short  time  must  have  carried  the  whole  down.  After  a  good  deal  of  ex 
ertion  to  save  the  boat,  it  was  cut  loose  and  abandoned.  It  occurred 
to  me  that  two  men,  rapidly  bailing,  would  be  able  to  throw  out  a 
larger  quantity  of  water  than  flowed  through  the  seams.  Willing 
to  make  myself  useful,  I  told  my  friend  Brigham  that  I  thought 
we  could  save  the  boat,  if  he  would  join  in  the  attempt.  My 
theory  proved  correct.  We  succeeded,  by  a  relief  of  hands,  in 
the  effort,  and  saved  the  whole  machinery  unwetted.  This  little 
affair  proved  gratifying  to  me  from  the  share  I  had  in  it.  Mr. 
Thomas  was  so  pleased  that  he  ordered  a  sumptuous  breakfast  at 
a  neighboring  house  for  all.  We  had  an  abundance  of  hot  coffee, 
chickens,  and  toast,  which  to  voyagers  in  an  ark  was  quite  a  treat ; 
but  it  was  still  less  gratifying  than  the  opportunity  we  had  felt  of 
doing  a  good  act.  This  little  incident  had  a  pleasing  effect  on  the  rest 
of  the  voyage,  and  made  Thomas  my  friend. 

But  the  voyage  itself  was  now  drawing  to  a  close.  When  we 
reached  Cincinnati,  the  flotilla  broke  up.  We  were  now  five  hundred 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  23 

miles  below  Pittsburgh,  and  the  Valley  of  the  Ohio  was,  if  possible, 
every  day  becoming  an  object  of  more  striking  physical  interest. 
By  the  advice  of  Dr.  Sellman,  who  invited  me  to  dine  with  a  large 
company  of  gentlemen,  I  got  a  good  boarding-house,  and  I  spent 
several  weeks  very  pleasantly  in  this  city  and  its  immediate  envi 
rons.  Among  the  boarders  were  Dr.  Moorhead  (Dr.  S.'s  partner), 
and  John  C.  S.  Harrison  (the  eldest  son  of  Gen.  Harrison),  with 
several  other  young  gentlemen,  whose  names  are  pleasingly  asso 
ciated  in  my  memory.  It  was  customary,  after  dinner,  to  sit  on  a 
wooden  settle,  or  long  bench,  in  front  of  the  house,  facing  the 
open  esplanade  on  the  high  banks  of  the  river,  at  the  foot  of  which 
boats  and  arks  were  momentarily  arriving.  One  afternoon,  while 
engaged  in  earnest  conversation  with  Harrison,  I  observed  a  tall, 
gawky  youth,  with  white  hair,  and  a  few  stray  patches  just  appear 
ing  on  his  chin,  as  precursors  of  a  beard,  approach  furtively, 
and  assume  a  listening  attitude.  He  had  evidently  just  landed, 
and  had  put  on  his  best  clothes,  to  go  up  and  see  the  town.  The 
moment  he  stopped  to  listen,  I  assumed  a  tone  of  earnest  badinage. 
Harrison,  instantly  seeing  our  intrusive  and  raw  guest,  and  humor 
ing  the  joke,  responded  in  a  like  style.  In  effect  we  had  a  high 
controversy,  which  could  only  be  settled  by  a  duel,  in  which  our  raw 
friend  must  act  as  second.  He  was  strongly  appealed  to,  and  told 
that  his  position  as  a  gentleman  required  it.  So  far  all  was  well. 
We  adjourned  to  an  upper  room ;  the  pistols  were  charged  with 
powder,  and  shots  were  exchanged  between  Harrison  and  myself, 
while  the  eyeballs  of  young  Jonathan  seemed  ready  to  start  from 
their  sockets.  But  no  sooner  were  the  shots  fired  than  an  undue 
advantage  was  instantly  alleged,  which  involved  the  responsibility 
of  my  antagonist's  friend  ;  and  thus  the  poor  fellow,  who  had  him 
self  been  inveigled  in  a  scrape,  was  peppered  with  powder,  in  a 
second  exchange  of  shots,  while  all  but  himself  were  ready  to  die 
with  smothered  laughter ;  and  he  was  at  last  glad  to  escape  from 
the  house  with  his  life,  and  made  the  best  of  his  way  back  to  his 
ark. 

This  settle,  in  front  of  the  door,  was  a  capital  point  to  perpe 
trate  tricks  on  the  constantly  arriving  throngs  from  the  East,  who, 
with  characteristic  enterprise,  often  stopped  to  inquire  for  employ 
ment.  A  few  days  after  the  sham  duel,  Harrison  determined  to 
play  a  trick  on  another  emigrant,  a  shrewd,  tolerably  well-informed 


24  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

young  man,  who  had  evinced  a  great  deal  of  self-complacency 
and  immodest  pertinacity.  He  told  the  pertinacious  emigrant, 
who  inquired  for  a  place,  that  he  had  not,  himself,  anything  that 
could  engage  his  attention,  but  that  he  had  a  friend  (alluding  to 
me)  who  was  now  in  town,  who  was  extensively  engaged  in  milling 
and  merchandizing  on  the  Little  Miami,  and  was  in  want  of  a  com 
petent,  responsible  clerk.  He  added  that,  if  he  would  call  in  the 
evening,  his  friend  would  be  in,  and  he  would  introduce  him. 
Meantime,  I  was  informed  of  the  character  I  was  to  play  in  re 
buking  assumption.  The  man  came,  punctual  to  his  appointment, 
in  the  evening,  and  was  formally  introduced.  I  stated  the  duties 
and  the  peculiar  requisites  and  responsibilities  of  the  trust.  These 
he  found  but  little  difficulty  in  meeting.  Other  difficulties  were 
stated.  These,  with  a  little  thought,  he  also  met.  He  had  evi 
dently  scarcely  any  other  quality  than  presumption.  I  told  him  at 
last  that,  from  the  inhabitants  in  the  vicinity,  it  was  necessary  that 
he  should  speak  Dutch.  This  seemed  a  poser,  but,  after  some  hesi 
tancy  and  hemming,  and  the  re-mustering  of  his  cardinal  presump 
tion,  he  thought  he  could  shortly  render  himself  qualified  to  speak. 
I  admired  the  very  presumption  of  the  theory,  and  finally  told 
him  to  call  the  next  day  on  my  agent,  Mr.  Schenck,  at  such  a 
number  (Martin  Baum's)  in  Maine  Street,  to  whom,  in  the  mean 
time,  I  transferred  the  hoax,  and  duly  informing  Schenck  of  the 
affair ;  and  I  do  not  recollect,  at  this  time,  how  he  shuffled  him  off. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  25 


CHAPTER    II. 

Descent  of  the  Ohio  River  from  Cincinnati  to  its  mouth— Ascent  of  the 
Mississippi,  from  the  junction  to  Herculaneum— Its  rapid  and  turbid 
character,  and  the  difficulties  of  stemming  its  current  by  barges— Some 
incidents  by  the  way. 

1818.  AT  Cincinnati,  I  visited  a  sort  of  gigantic  chimney  or 
trunk,  constructed  of  wood,  which  had  been  continued  from  the 
plain,  and  carried  up  against  the  side  of  one  of  the  Walnut  Hills, 
in  order  to  demonstrate  the  practicability  of  obtaining  a  mechani 
cal  power  from  rarefied  atmospheric  air.  I  was  certain  that  this 
would  prove  a  failure,  although  Captain  Bliss,  who  had  conducted 
the  work  under  the  auspices  of  General  Lytle,  felt  confident  of 
success. 

When  I  was  ready  to  proceed  down  the  Ohio,  I  went  to  the 
shore,  where  I  met  a  Mr.  Willers,  who  had  come  there  on  the 
same  errand  as  myself.  Our  object  was  to  go  to  Louisville,  at 
the  falls  of  the  Ohio.  We  were  pleased  with  a  well-constructed 
skiff,  which  would  conveniently  hold  our  baggage,  and,  after  exami 
nation,  purchased  it  ,for  the  purpose  of  making  this  part  of  the 
descent.  I  was  expert  with  a  light  oar,  and  we  agreed  in  thinking 
that  this  would  be  a  very  picturesque,  healthful,  and  economical 
mode  of  travel.  It  was  warm  weather,  the  beginning  of  May,  I 
think,  and  the  plan  was  to  sleep  ashore  every  night.  We  found 
this  plan  to  answer  expectation.  The  trip  was,  in  every  respect, 
delightful.  Mr.  Willers  lent  a  ready  hand  at  the  oars  and  tiller 
by  turns.  He  possessed  a  good  share  of  urbanity,  had  seen 
much  of  the  world,  and  was  of  an  age  and  temper  to  vent  no  violent 
opinions.  He  gave  me  information  on  some  topics.  We  got  along 
pleasantly.  One  day,  a  sleeping  sawyer,  as  it  is  called,  rose  up  in 
the  river  behind  us  in  a  part  of  the  course  we  had  just  passed,  which, 
if  it  had  risen  two  minutes  earlier,  would  have  pitched  us  in  the 
air,  and  knocked  our  skiff  in  shivers.  We  stopped  at  Ycvay,  to 


26  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

taste  the  wine  of  the  vintage  of  that  place,  which  was  then  much 
talked  of,  and  did  not  think  it  excellent.  We  were  several  days — 
I  do  not  recollect  how  many — in  reaching  Louisville,  in  Kentucky. 
I  found  my  fellow-voyager  was  a  teacher  of  'military  science,  late 
from  Baltimore,  Maryland ;  he  soon  had  a  class  of  militia  officers, 
to  whom  he  gave  instructions,  and  exhibited  diagrams  of  military 
evolutions. 

Louisville  had  all  the  elements  of  city  life.  I  was  much  inte 
rested  in  the  place  and  its  environs,  and  passed  several  weeks  at 
that  place.  I  found  organic  remains  of  several  species  in  the 
limestone  rocks  of  the  falls,  and  published,  anonymously,  in  the 
paper  some  notices  of  its  mineralogy. 

When  prepared  to  continue  my  descent  of  the  river,  I  went  to 
the  beautiful  natural  mall,  which  exists  between  the  mouth  of  the 
Beargrass  Creek  and  the  Ohio,  where  boats  usually  land,  and  took 
passage  in  a  fine  ark,  which  had  just  come  down  from  the  waters 
of  the  Monongahela.  It  was  owned  and  freighted  by  two  adven 
turers  from  Maryland,  of  the  names  of  Kemp  and  Keen.  A  fine 
road  existed  to  the  foot  of  the  falls  at  Shippensport,  a  distance  of 
two  miles,  which  my  new  acquaintances  pursued;  but,  when  I 
understood  that  there  was  a  pilot  present,  I  preferred  remaining  on 
board,  that  I  might  witness  the  descent  of  the  falls :  we  descended 
on  the  Indiana  side.  The  danger  was  imminent  at  one  part,  where 
the  entire  current  had  a  violent  side  action,  but  we  went  safely  and 
triumphantly  down;  and,  after  taking  our  owners  on  board,  who 
were  unwilling  to  risk  their  lives  with  their  property,  we  pursued 
our  voyage.  It  was  about  this  point,  or  a  little  above,  that  we 
first  noticed  the  gay  and  noisy  parroquet,  flocks  of  which  inhabited 
the  forests.  The  mode  of  attaching  vessels  of  this  kind  into  flo 
tillas  was  practiced  on  that  part  of  the  route,  which  brought  us 
into  acquaintance  with  many  persons. 

At  Shawneetown,  where  we  lay  a  short  time,  I  went  out  hunt 
ing  about  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash  with  one  Hanlon,  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  who  was  so  expert  in  the  use  of  the  rifle  that  he  brought 
down  single  pigeons  and  squirrels,  aiming  only  at  their  heads  or 
necks. 

After  passing  below  the  Wabash,  the  Ohio  assumed  a  truly  ma 
jestic  flow.  Its  ample  volume,  great  expanse,  and  noble  shores, 
could  not  fail  to  be  admired.  As  we  neared  the  picturesque  Cave- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  27 

in-Rock  shore,  I  took  the  small  boat,  and,  with  some  others,  landed 
to  view  this  traveler's  wonder.  It  recalled  to  me  the  dark  robber 
era  of  the  Ohio  River,  and  the  tales  of  blood  and  strife  which  I 
had  read  of. 

The  cave  itself  is  a  striking  object  for  its  large  and  yawning 
mouth,  but,  to  the  geologist,  presents  nothing  novel.  Its  ample 
area  appears  to  have  been  frequently  encamped  in  by  the  buca- 
neers  of  the  Mississippi.  We  were  told  of  narrow  and  secret 
passages  leading  above  into  the  rock,  but  did  not  find  anything  of 
much  interest.  The  mouth  of  the  cave  was  formerly  concealed  by 
trees,  which  favored  the  boat  robbers ;  but  these  had  been  mostly 
felled.  As  the  scene  of  a  tale  of  imaginative  robber-life,  it  ap 
peared  to  me  to  possess  great  attractions. 

Our  conductor  steered  for  Smithfield,  I  think  it  was  called,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Cumberland  River,  Tennessee,  which  was  thought 
a  favorable  place  for  transferring  the  cargo  from  an  ark  to  a  keel- 
boat,  to  prepare  it  for  the  ascent  of  the  Mississippi  River;  for  we 
were  now  drawing  closely  towards  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio.  Here 
ensued  a  delay  of  many  days.  During  this  time,  I  made  several 
excursions  in  this  part  of  Tennessee,  and  always  with  the  rifle  in 
hand,  in  the  use  of  which  I  had  now  become  expert  enough  to  kill 
small  game  without  destroying  it.  While  here,  some  of  General 
Jackson's  volunteers  from  his  wars  against  the  Creeks  and  Semi- 
noles  returned^  and  related  some  of  the  incidents  of  their  perilous 
campaign.  At  length  a  keel-boat,  or  barge,  arrived,  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Ensminger,  of  Saline,  which  discharged  its 
cargo  at  this  point,  and  took  on  board  the  freight  of  Kemp  and 
Keen,  bound  to  St.  Louis,  in  Missouri. 

We  pursued  our  way,  under  the  force  of  oars,  which  soon  brought 
us  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  where  the  captain  paused  to  prepare 
for  stemming  the  Mississippi.  It  was  now  the  first  day  of  July, 
warm  and  balmy  during  the  mornings  and  evenings,  but  of  a  torrid 
heat  at  noon.  We  were  now  one  thousand  miles  below  Pittsburgh 
— a  distance  which  it  is  impossible  for  any  man  to  realize  from 
the  mere  reading  of  books.  This  splendid  valley  is  one  of  the 
prominent  creations  of  the  universe.  Its  fertility  and  beauty  are 
unequaled;  and  its  capacities  of  sustaining  a  dense  population 
cannot  be  overrated.  Seven  States  border  on  its  waters,  and  they 
are  seven  States  which  are  destined  to  contribute  no  little  part  to 


28  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  commerce,  wealth,  and  power  of  the  Union.  It  is  idle  to  talk 
of  the  well-cultivated  and  garden-like  little  rivers  of  Europe,  of 
some  two  or  three  hundred  miles  in  length,  compared  to  the  Ohio. 
There  is  nothing  like  it  in  all  Europe  for  its  great  length,  unin 
terrupted  fertility,  and  varied  resources,  and  consequent  power  to 
support  an  immense  population.  Yet  its  banks  consist  not  of  a 
dead  level,  like  the  lower  Nile  and  Volga,  but  of  undulating  plains 
and  hills,  which  afford  a  lively  flow  to  its  waters,  and  supply  an 
amount  of  hydraulic  power  which  is  amazing.  The  river  itself  is 
composed  of  some  of  the  prime  streams  of  the  country.  The 
Alleghany,  the  Monongahela,  the  Muskingum,  the  Miami,  the 
Wabash,  the  Cumberland,  and  the  Tennessee,  are  rivers  of  the 
most  noble  proportions,  and  the  congregated  mass  of  water  rolls 
forward,  increasing  in  volume  and  magnificence,  until  the  scene 
delights  the  eye  by  its  displays  of  quiet,  lovely,  rural  magnitude 
and  physical  grandeur. 

Yet  all  this  is  but  an  element  in  the  vast  system  of  western 
waters.  It  reaches  the  Mississippi,  but  to  be  swallowed  up  and 
engulfed  by  that  turbid  and  rapid  stream,  which,  like  some  gap 
ing,  gigantic  monster,  running  wild  from  the  Rocky  Mountains  and 
the  Itasca  summit,  stands  ready  to  gulp  it  down.  The  scene  is 
truly  magnificent,  and  the  struggle  not  slight.  For  more  than 
twenty  miles,  the  transparent  blue  waters  of  the  Ohio  are  crowded 
along  the  Tennessee  coast ;  but  the  Mississippi,  swollen  by  its  sum 
mer  flood,  as  if  disdainful  of  its  rural  and  peace-like  properties, 
gains  the  mastery  before  reaching  Memphis,  and  carries  its  cha 
racteristic  of  turbid  geologic  power  for  a  thousand  miles  more, 
until  its  final  exit  into  the  Mexican  Gulf. 

I  had  never  seen  such  a  sight.  I  had  lost  all  my  standards  of 
comparison.  Compared  to  it,  my  little  home  streams  would  not  fill 
a  pint  cup ;  and,  like  a  man  suddenly  ushered  into  a  new  world,  I 
was  amazed  at  the  scene  before  me.  Mere  amplitude  of  the  most 
ordinary  elements  of  water  and  alluvial  land  has  done  this.  The 
onward  rush  of  eternal  waters  was  an  idea  vaguely  floating  in  my 
mind.  .  The  Indians  appeared  to  have  embodied  this  idea  in  the 
word  Mississippi. 

Ensminger  was  a  stout  manly  fellow,  of  the  characteristic  traits  of 
Anglo-Saxon  daring  ;  but  he  thought  it  prudent  not  to  plunge  too 
hastily  into  this  mad  current,  and  we  slept  at  the  precise  point  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  29 

embouchure,  where,  I  think,  Cairo  is  now  located.  Early  the  next 
morning  the  oarsmen  were  paraded,  like  so  many  militia,  on  the 
slatted  gunwales  of  the  barge,  each  armed  with  a  long  and  stout 
setting  pole,  shod  with  iron.  Ensminger  himself  took  the  helm, 
and  the  toil  and  struggle  of  pushing  the  barge  up  stream  began. 
"We  were  obliged  to  keep  close  to  the  shore,  in  order  to  find  bottom 
for  the  poles,  and  whenever  that  gave  out,  the  men  instantly 
resorted  to  oars  to  gain  some  point  on  the  opposite  side,  where  bottom 
could  be  reached.  It  was  a  struggle  requiring  the  utmost  activity. 
The  water  was  so  turbid  that  we  could  not  perceive  objects  an  inch 
below  the  surface.  The  current  rushed  with  a  velocity  that  threat 
ened  to  carry  everything  before  it.  The  worst  effect  was  its  per 
petual  tendency  to  undermine  its  banks.  Often  heavy  portions  of 
the  banks  plunged  into  the  river,  endangering  boats  and  men.  The 
banks  consisted  of  dark  alluvion  ten  to  fifteen  feet  above  the  water, 
bearing  a  dense  growth  of  trees  and  shrubbery.  The  plunging  of 
these  banks  into  the  stream  often  sounded  like  thunder.  With 
every  exertion,  we  advanced  but  five  miles  the  first  day,  and  it  was 
a  long  July  day.  As  evening  came  on,  the  mosquitos  were  in 
hordes.  It  was  impossible  to  perform  the  offices  of  eating  or  drink 
ing,  without  suffering  the  keenest  torture  from  their  stings. 

The  second  day  we  ascended  six  miles,  the  third  day  seven 
miles,  the  fourth  day  six  miles,  and  the  fifth  eight  miles,  which 
brought  us  to  the  first  settlement  on  the  Missouri  shore,  called 
Tyawapaty  Bottom.  The  banks  in  this  distance  became  more 
elevated,  and  we  appeared  to  be  quitting  the  more  nascent  region. 
We  noticed  the  wild  turkey  and  gray  squirrel  ashore.  The  following 
day  we  went  but  three  miles,  when  the  severe  labor  caused  some 
of  the  hands  to  give  out.  Ensminger  was  a  man  not  easily  dis 
couraged.  He  lay  by  during  the  day,  and  the  next  morning  found 
means  to  move  ahead.  At  an  early  hour  we  reached  the  head  of 
the  settlement,  and  came  to  at  a  spot  called  the  Little  Chain  of 
Rocks.  The  fast  lands  of  the  Missouri  shore  here  jut  into  the  river, 
and  I  examined,  at  this  point,  a  remarkable  bed  of  white  clay, 
which  is  extensively  employed  by  the  local  mechanics  for  chalk, 
but  which  is  wholly  destitute  of  carbonic  acid.  We  ascended,  this 
day,  ten  miles ;  and  the  next  day  five  miles,  which  carried  us  to 
Cape  Girardeau — a  town  estimated  to  be  fifty  miles  above  the  mouth 
of  the  Ohio.  Here  were  about  fifty  houses,  situated  on  a  com- 


30  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

manding  eminence.  We  had  been  landed  but  a  short  time,  when 
one  of  the  principal  merchants  of  the  place  sent  me  word  that  he 
had  just  received  some  drugs  and  medicines  which  he  wished  me 
to  examine.  I  went  up  directly  to  his  store,  when  it  turned  out 
that  he  was  no  druggist  at  all,  nor  wished  my  skill  in  this  way,  but, 
having  heard  there  was  a  doctor  aboard,  he  had  taken  this  facetious 
mode  of  inviting  me  to  partake  of  some  refreshments.  I  regret 
that  I  have  forgotten  his  name. 

The  next  day  we  ascended  seven  miles,  and  next  the  same  dis 
tance,  and  stopped  at  the  Moccason  Spring,  a  basin  of  limpid  wa 
ter  occupying  a  crevice  in  the  limestone  rock.  The  day  following 
we  ascended  but  five  miles,  and  the  next  day  seven  miles,  in  which 
distance  we  passed  the  Grand  Tower,  a  geological  monument 
rising  from  the  bed  of  the  river,  which  stands  to  tell  of  some  great 
revolution  in  the  ancient  face  of  the  country.  The  Mississippi 
River  probably  broke  through  one  of  its  ancient  barriers  at  this 
place.  We  made  three  unsuccessful  attempts  to  pass  Garlic  Point, 
where  we  encountered  a  very  strong  current,  and  finally  dropped 
down  and  came  to,  for  the  night,  below  it,  the  men  being  much  ex 
hausted  with  these  attempts.  We  renewed  the  effort  with  a  cordelle 
the  next  morning,  with  success,  but  not  without  exhausting  the 
men  so  much  that  two  of  them  refused  to  proceed,  who  were  im 
mediately  paid  off,  and  furnished  provisions  to  return.  We  suc 
ceeded  in  going  to  the  mouth  of  the  Obrazo,  about  half  a  mile 
higher,  when  we  lay  by  all  day.  This  delay  enabled  Ensminger 
to  recruit  his  crew,  and  during  the  three  following  days  we  as 
cended  respectively  six,  seven,  and  ten  miles,  which  brought  us  to 
the  commencement  of  Bois-brule  bottom.  This  is  a  fertile,  and  was 
then  a  comparatively  populous,  settlement.  We  ascended  along  it 
about  seven  miles,  the  next  day  seven  more,  and  the  next  eleven, 
which  completed  the  ascent  to  the  antique  town  of  St.  Genevieve. 
About  three  hundred  houses  were  here  clustered  together,  which, 
with  their  inhabitants,  had  the  looks  which  we  may  fancy  to  belong 
to  the  times  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France,  It  was  the  chief  mart  of 
the  lead  mines,  situated  in  the  interior.  I  observed  heavy  stacks 
of  pig  lead  piled  up  about  the  warehouses.  We  remained  here 
the  next  day,  which  was  the  20th  of  July,  and  then  went  for 
ward  twelve  miles,  the  next  day  thirteen,  and  the  next  five, 
which  brought  us,  at  noon,  to  the  town  of  Herculaneum,  con- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  31 

taining  some  thirty  or  forty  buildings,  excluding  three  picturesque- 
looking  shot  towers  on  the  top  of  the  rocky  cliffs  of  the  river. 
This  was  another  mart  of  the  lead  mines. 

I  determined  to  land  definitively  at  this  point,  purposing  to 
visit  the  mines,  after  completing  my  ascent  by  land  to  St.  Louis. 
It  was  now  the  23d  of  July,  the  whole  of  which,  from  the  1st, 
we  had  spent  in  a  diligent  ascent  of  the  river,  by  setting  pole 
and  cordelle,  from  the  junction  of  the  Ohio — a  distance  of  one 
hundred  and  seventy  miles.  We  were  still  thirty  miles  above  St. 
Louis. 

I  have  detailed  some  of  the  incidents  of  the  journey,  in 
order  to  denote  the  difficulties  of  the  ascent  with  barges  prior  to 
the  introduction  of  steam,  and  also  the  means  which  this  slow 
ness  of  motion  gave  me  of  becoming  acquainted  with  the  physical 
character  of  this  river  and  its  shores.  A  large  part  of  the  west 
banks  I  had  traveled  on  foot,  and  gleaned  several  facts  in  its 
mineralogy  and  geology  which  made  it  an  initial  point  in  my  future 
observations.  The  metalliferous  formation  is  first  noticed  at  the 
little  chain  of  rocks.  From  the  Grand  Tower,  the  western  shores 
become  precipitous,  showing  sections  and  piled-up  pinnacles  of  the 
series  of  horizontal  sandstones  and  limestones  which  characterize 
the  imposing  coast.  Had  I  passed  it  in  a  steamer,  downward 
bound,  as  at  this  day,  in  forty-eight  hours,  I  should  have  had  none 
but  the  vaguest  and  most  general  conceptions  of  its  character. 
But  I  went  to  glean  facts  in  its  natural  history,  and  I  knew  these 
required  careful  personal  inspection  of  minute  as  well  as  general 
features.  There  may  be  a  sort  of  horseback  theory  of  geology ; 
but  mineralogy,  and  the  natural  sciences  generally,  must  be  in 
vestigated  on  foot,  hammer  or  goniometer  in  hand. 


32  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Reception  at  Herculaneum,  and  introduction  to  the  founder  of  the  first 
American  colony  in  Texas,  Mr.  Austin — His  character — Continuation  of 
the  journey  on  foot  to  St.  Louis — Incidents  by  the  way — Trip  to  the  mines 
—-Survey  of  the  mine  country — Expedition  from  Potosi  into  the  Ozark 
Mountains,  and  return,  after  a  winter's  absence,  to  Potosi. 

1818.  THE  familiar  conversation  on  shore  of  my  friendly  asso 
ciates,  speaking  of  a  doctor  on  board  who  was  inquiring  into  the 
natural  history  and  value  of  the  country  at  every  point,  procured 
me  quite  unexpectedly  a  favorable  reception  at  Herculaneum,  as 
it  had  done  at  Cape  Girardeau.  I  was  introduced  to  Mr.  Austin, 
the  elder,  who,  on  learning  my  intention  of  visiting  the  mines, 
offered  every  facility  in  his  power  to  favor  my  views.  Mr.  Austin 
was  a  gentleman  of  general  information,  easy  and  polite  manners, 
and  enthusiastic  character.  He  had,  with  his  connections,  the 
Bates,  I  believe,  been  the  founder  of  Herculaneum,  and  was  soli 
citous  to  secure  it  a  share  of  the  lead  trade,  which  had  been  so 
long  and  exclusively  enjoyed  by  St.  Genevieve.  He  was  a  man  of 
very  decided  enterprise,  inclined  to  the  manners  of  the  old  school 
gentlemen,  which  had,  I  believe,  narrowed  his  popularity,  and  ex 
posed  him  to  some  strong  feuds  in  the  interior,  where  his  estates 
lay.  He  was  a  diligent  reader  of  the  current  things  of  the  day, 
and  watched  closely  the  signs  of  the  times.  He  had  lived  in  the 
capital  of  Virginia,  where  he  married.  He  had  been  engaged  ex 
tensively  as  a  merchant  and  miner  in  Wyeth  county,  in  the  western 
part  of  that  State.  He  had  crossed  the  wilderness  west  of  the 
Ohio  River,  at  an  early  day,  to  St.  Louis,  then  a  Spanish  interior 
capital.  He  had  been  received  by  the  Spanish  authorities  with 
attentions,  and  awarded  a  large  grant  of  the  mining  lands.  He 
had  remained  under  the  French  period  of  supremacy,  and  had 
been  for  about  sixteen  years  a  resident  of  the  region  when  it  was 
transferred  by  purchase  to  the  United  States.  The  family  had 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  33 

been  from  an  early  day,  the  first  in  point  of  civilization  in  the 
country.  And  as  his  position  seemed  to  wane,  and  clouds  to  hover 
over  his  estates,  he  seemed  restless,  and  desirous  to  transfer  his 
influence  to  another  theatre  of  action.  From  my  earliest  conversa 
tions  with  him,  he  had  fixed  his  mind  on  Texas,  and  spoke  with 
enthusiasm  about  it. 

I  left  my  baggage,  consisting  of  two  well-filled  trunks,  in  t  charge 
of  Mr.  Ellis,  a  worthy  innkeeper  of  the  town,  and  when  I  was 
ready  to  continue  my  way  on  foot  for  St.  Louis,  I  was  joined  in 
this  journey  by  Messrs.  Kemp  and  Keen,  my  fellow-voyagers  on 
the  water  from  Louisville.  We  set  out  on  the  26th  of  the  month. 
The  weather  was  hot  and  the  atmosphere  seemed  to  be  lifeless  and 
heavy.  Our  road  lay  over  gentle  hills,  in  a  state  of  nature.  The 
grass  had  but  in  few  places  been  disturbed  by  the  plough,  or  the 
trees  by  the  axe.  The  red  clay  soil  seemed  fitter  for  the  miner 
than  the  farmer. 

At  the  distance  of  seven  miles,  we  came  to  a  remarkable  locality 
of  springs  strongly  impregnated  with  sulphur,  which  bubbled  up 
from  the  ground.  They  were  remarkably  clear  and  cold,  and  de 
posited  a  light  sediment  of  sulphur,  along  the  little  rills  by  which 
they  found  an  outlet  into  a  rapid  stream,  which  was  tributary  to 
the  Mississippi. 

Five  miles  beyond  these  springs,  we  reached  the  valley  of  the 
Merrimack,  just  at  nightfall;  and  notwithstanding  the  threaten 
ing  atmosphere,  and  the  commencement  of  rain,  before  we  de 
scended  to  the  stream,  we  prevailed  with  the  ferryman  to  go  down 
and  set  us  over,  which  we  urged  with  the  view  of  reaching  a  house 
within  less  than  a  mile  of  the  other  bank.  He  landed  us  at  the 
right  spot ;  but  the  darkness  had  now  become  so  intense  that  we 
could  not  keep  the  road,  and  groped  our  way  along  an  old  wheel- 
track  into  the  forest.  It  also  came  on  to  rain  hard.  We  at  last 
stood  still.  We  were  lost  in  utter  darkness,  and  exposed  to  a  pelt 
ing  storm.  After  a  while  we  heard  a  faint  stroke  of  a  cow  bell. 
We  listened  attentively;  it  was  repeated  at  long  intervals,  but 
faintly,  as  if  the  animal  was  housed.  It  gave  us  the  direction, 
which  was  quite  different  from  the  course  we  had  followed.  ^No 
obstacle,  though  there  were  many,  prevented  us  from  reaching  the 
house,  where  we  arrived  wet  and  hungry,  and  half  dead  with 
fatigue. 
3 


84  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

The  Merrimack,  in  whose  valley  we  were  thus  entangled,  is  the 
prime  outlet  of  the  various  streams  of  the  mine  country,  where  Re 
nault,  and  Arnault,  and  other  French  explorers,  expended  their 
researches  during  the  exciting  era  of  the  celebrated  illusory  Missis 
sippi  scheme. 

The  next  day  we  crossed  an  elevated  arid  tract  for  twelve  miles 
to  the  village  of  Carondalet,  without  encountering  a  house,  or  an 
acre  of  land  in  cultivation.  On  this  tract,  which  formed  a  sort  of 
oak  orchard,  with  high  grass,  and  was  a  range  for  wild  deer,  Jef 
ferson  Barracks  have  since  been  located.  Six  miles  further  brought 
us  to  the  town  of  St.  Louis,  over  an  elevated  brushy  plain,  in 
which  the  soil  assumed  a  decidedly  fertile  aspect.  We  arrived 
about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  had  a  pleasant  evening  to 
view  its  fine  site,  based  as  it  is  on  solid  limestone  rock,  where  no 
encroachment  of  the  headlong  Mississippi  can  ever  endanger  its 
safety.  I  was  delighted  with  the  site,  and  its  capacity  for  expan 
sion,  and  cannot  conceive  of  one  in  America,  situated  in  the  in 
terior,  which  appears  destined  to  rival  it  in  population,  wealth, 
power,  and  resources.  It  is  idle  to  talk  of  any  city  of  Europe 
or  Asia,  situated  as  this  is,  twelve  hundred  miles  from  the  sea, 
which  can  be  named  as  its  future  equal. 

It  was  now  the  27th  of  July,  and  the  river,  which  had  been  swol 
len  by  the  Missouri  flood,  was  rapidly  falling,  and  almost  diminished 
to  its  summer  minimum.  It  left  a  heavy  deposit  of  mud  on  its  im 
mediate  shores,  which,  as  it  dried  in  the  sun,  cracked  into  fragments, 
which  were  often  a  foot  thick.  These  cakes  of  dried  sediment  con 
sisted  chiefly  of  sand  and  sufficient  aluminous  matter  to  render  the 
whole  body  of  the  deposit  adhesive. 

I  was  kindly  received  by  R.  Pettibone,  Esq.,  a  townsman 
from  New  York,  from  whom  I  had  parted  at  Pittsburgh.  This  gen 
tleman  had  established  himself  in  business  with  Col.  Eastman,  and 
as  soon  as  he  heard  of  my  arrival,  invited  me  to  his  house,  where  I 
remained  until  I  was  ready  to  proceed  to  the  mines.  I  examined 
whatever  seemed  worth  notice  in  the  town  and  its  environs.  I 
then  descended  the  Mississippi  in  a  skiff  about  thirty  miles  to 
Herculaneum,  and  the  next  day  set  out,  on  foot,  at  an  early  hour, 
for  the  mines.  I  had  an  idea  that  every  effective  labor  should  be 
commenced  right,  and,  as  I  purposed  examining  the  mineralogy 
and  geology  of  the  mine  tract,  I  did  not  think  that  could  be  more 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  35 

thoroughly  accomplished  than  on  foot.  I  ordered  my  baggage  to 
follow  me  by  the  earliest  returning  lead  teams.  True  it  was  sultry, 
and  much  of  the  first  part  of  the  way,  I  was  informed,  was  very 
thinly  settled.  I  went  the  first  day,  sixteen  miles,  and,  reached 
the  head  of  Joachim  Creek.  In  this  distance,  I  did  not,  after 
quitting  the  environs  of  the  town,  pass  a  house.  The  country  lay 
in  its  primitive  state.  For  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  good  road, 
an  elevated  arid  ridge  had  been  pursued  much  of  the  way.  In 
crossing  this,  I  suffered  severely  from  heat  and  thirst,  and  the  only 
place  where  I  saw  water  was  in  a  rut,  which  I  frightened  a  wild 
turkey  from  partaking  of,  in  order  to  stoop  down  to  it  myself.  As 
soon  as  I  reached  the  farm  house,  where  I  stopped  at  an  early  hour, 
I  went  down  to  the  creek,  and  bathed  in  its  refreshing  current. 
This,  with  a  night's  repose,  perfectly  restored  me.  The  next  day 
I  crossed  Grand  River,  and  went  to  the  vicinity  of  Old  mines, 
when  a  sudden  storm  compelled  me  to  take  shelter  at  the  first  house, 
where  I  passed  my  second  night.  In  this  distance  I  visited  the 
mining  station  of  John  Smith  T.  at  his  place  of.  Shibboleth.  Smith 
was  a  bold  and  indomitable  man,  originally  from  Tennessee,  who 
possessed  a  marked  individuality  of  character,  and  being  a  great 
shot  with  pistol  and  rifle,  had  put  the  country  in  dread  of  him. 

After  crossing  Big  or  Grand  River,  I  was  fairly  within  the  mine 
country,  and  new  objects  began  to  attract  my  attention  on  every 
hand.  The  third  day,  at  an  early  hour,  I  reached  Potosi,  and  took 
up  my  residence  at  Mr.  W.  Ficklin's,  a  most  worthy  and  estimable 
Kentuckian,  who  had  a  fund  of  adventurous  lore  of  forest  life  to  tell, 
having,  in  early  life,  been  a  spy  and  a  hunter  "  on  the  dark  and 
bloody  ground."  With  him  I  was  soon  at  home,  and  to  him  I  owe 
much  of  my  early  knowledge  of  wood-craft.  The  day  after  my 
arrival  wa^s  the  general  election  of  the  (then)  Territory  of  Missouri, 
and  the  district  elected  Mr.  Stephen  F.  Austin  to  the  local  legisla 
ture.  I  was  introduced  to  him,  and  also  to  the  leading  gentlemen 
of  the  county,  on  the  day  of  the  election,  which  brought  them  to 
gether.  Mr.  Austin,  the  elder,  also  arrived.  This  gathering  was  a 
propitious  circumstance  for  my  explorations ;  no  mineralogist  had 
ever  visited  the  country.  Coming  from  the  quarter  I  did,  and  with 
the  object  I  had,  there  was  a  general  interest  excited  on  the  subject, 
and  each  one  appeared  to  feel  a  desire  to  show  me  attentions. 

Mr.  Stephen  F.  Austin  invited  me  to  take  rooms  at  the  old 


36  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

Austin  mansion  ;  he  requested  me  to  make  one  of  them  a  depot 
for  my  mineralogical  collections,  and  he  rode  out  with  me  to  ex 
amine  several  mines. 

He  was  a  gentleman  of  an  acute  and  cultivated  mind,  and 
great  suavity  of  manners.  He  appreciated  the  object  of  my  visit, 
and  saw  at  once  the  advantages  that  might  result  from  the 
publication  of  a  work  on  the  subject.  For  Missouri,  like  the  other 
portions  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  had  come  out  of  the  Late  War 
with  exhaustion.  The  effects  of  a  peace  were  to  lower  her  staples, 
lead,  and  furs,  and  she  also  severely  felt  the  reaction  of  the  paper 
money  system,  which  had  created  extensive  derangement  and  de 
pression.  He  possessed  a  cautious,  penetrating  mind,  and  was  a 
man  of  elevated  views.  He  had  looked  deeply  into  the  problem 
of  western  settlement,  and  the  progress  of  American  arts,  educa 
tion,  and  modes  of  thinking  and  action  over  the  whole  western 
world,  and  was  then  meditating  a  movement  on  the  Red  River  of 
Arkansas,  and  eventually  Texas.  He  foresaw  the  extension  in 
the  Mississippi  Valley  of  the  American  system  of  civilization,  to 
the  modification  and  exclusion  of  the  old  Spanish  and  French 
elements. 

Mr.  Austin  accompanied  me  in  several  of  my  explorations. 
On  one  of  these  excursions,  while  stopping  at  a  planter's  who 
owned  a  mill,  I  saw  several  large  masses  of  sienite,  lying  on  the 
ground;  and  on  inquiry  where  this  material  could  come  from,  in 
the  midst  of  a  limestone  country,  was  informed  that  it  was  brought 
from  the  waters  of  the  St.  Francis,  to  serve  the  purpose  of  mill 
stones.  This  furnished  the  hint  for  a  visit  to  that  stream,  which 
resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the  primitive  tract,  embracing  the 
sources  of  the  St.  Francis  and  Big  Rivers. 

I  found  rising  of  forty  principal  mines  scattered  over  a  dis 
trict  of  some  twenty  miles,  running  parallel  to,  and  about  thirty 
miles  wrest  of,  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi.  I  spent  about  three 
months  in  these  examinations,  and  as  auxiliary  means  thereto,  built 
a  chemical  furnace,  for  assays,  in  Mr.  Austin's  old  smelting-house, 
and  collected  specimens  of  the  various  minerals  of  the  country. 
Some  of  my  excursions  were  made  on  foot,  some  on  horseback,  and 
some  in  a  single  wagon.  I  unwittingly  killed  a  horse  in  these 
trips,  in  swimming  a  river,  when  the  animal  was  over-heated ;  at 
least  he  was  found  dead  next  morning  in  the  stable. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  37 

i.  In  tlie  month  of  October  I  resolved  to  push,  my  examinations 
west  beyond  the  line  of  settlement,  and  to  extend  them  into  the 
Ozark  Mountains.  By  this  term  is  meant  a  wide  range  of  hill  coun 
try  running  from  the  head  of  the  Merrimack  southerly  through  Mis 
souri  and  Arkansas.  In  this  enterprise  several  persons  agreed  to 
unite.  I  went  to  St.  Louis,  and  interested  a  brother  of  my  friend 
Pettibone  in  the  plan.  I  found  my  old  fellow-voyager,  Brigham, 
on  the  American  bottom  in  Illinois,  where  he  had  cultivated  some 
large  fields  of  corn,  and  where  he  had  contracted  fever  and  ague. 
He  agreed,  however,  to  go,  and  reached  the  point  of  rendezvous, 
at  Potosi ;  but  he  had  been  so  enfeebled  as  to  be  obliged  to  return 
from  that  point.  The  brother  of  Pettibone  arrived.  He  had  no 
tastes  for  natural  history,  but  it  was  a  season  of  leisure,  and  he 
was  prone  for  the  adventure.  But  the  experienced  woodsmen 
who  had  agreed  to  go,  and  who  had  talked  largely  of  encountering 
bears  and  Osage  Indians,  and  slaughtering  buffalo,  one  by  one  gave 
out.  I  was  resolved  myself  to  proceed,  whoever  might  flinch.  I 
had  purchased  a  horse,  constructed  a  pack  saddle  with  my  own 
hands,  and  made  every  preparation  that  was  deemed  necessary. 
On  the  6th  of  November  I  set  out.  Mr.  Ficklin,  my  good  host, 
accompanied  me  to  the  outskirts  of  the  settlement.  He  was  an 
old  woodsman,  and  gave  me  proper  directions  about  hobbling  my 
horse  at  night,  and  imparted  other  precautions  necessary  to  secure 
a  man's  life  against  wild  animals  and  savages.  My  St.  Louis 
auxiliary  stood  stoutly  by  me.  If  he  had  not  much  poetry  in  his 
composition,  he  was  a  reliable  man  in  all  weathers,  and  might  be 
counted  upon  to  do  his  part  willingly. 

This  journey  had,  on  reflection,  much  daring  and  adventure.  It 
constitutes  my  initial  point  of  travels  ;  but,  as  I  have  described  it 
from  my  journal,  in  a  separate  form,  it  will  not  be  necessary  here 
to  do  more  than  say  that  it  was  successfully  accomplished.  After 
spending  the  fall  of  1818,  and  the  winter  of  1819,  in  a  series  of 
adventures  in  barren,  wild,  and  mountainous  scenes,  we  came  out 
on  the  tributary  waters  of  the  Arkansas,  down  which  we  descended 
in  a  log  canoe.  On  the  Strawberry  River,  my  ankle,  which  I  had 
injured  by  leaping  from  a  wall  of  rock  while  hunting  in  the  Green 
Mountains  four  years  before,  inflamed,  and  caused  me  to  lie  by  a 
few  days  ;  which  was  the  only  injury  I  received  in  the  route. 


38  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

I  returned  to  Potosi  in  February.  The  first  man  I  met  (Major 
Hawkins),  on  reaching  the  outer  settlements,  expressed  surprise  at 
seeing  me,  as  he  had  heard  from  the  hunters,  who  had  been  on 
my  trail  about  eighty  miles  to  the  Saltpetre  caves  on  the  Cur 
rents  River,  that  I  had  been  killed  by  the  Indians.  Every  one 
was  pleased  to  see  me,  and  no  one  more  so  than  my  kind  Ken 
tucky  host,  who  had  been  the  last  to  bid  me  adieu  on  the  verge  of 
the  wilderness. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  39 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Sit  down  to  write  an  account  of  the  mines— Medical  properties  of  the  Mis 
sissippi  water — Expedition  to  the  Yellow  Stone — Resolve  to  visit  Wash 
ington  with  a  plan  of  managing  the  mines — Descend  the  river  from  St. 
Genevieve  to  New  Orleans — Incidents  of  the  trip — Take  passage  in  a  ship 
for  New  York — Reception  with  my  collection  there — Publish  my  memoir 
on  the  mines,  and  proceed  with  it  to  Washington — Result  of  my  plan — 
Appointed  geologist  and  mineralogist  on  an  expedition  to  the  sources  of 
the  Mississippi. 

1819.  I  NOW  sat  down  to  draw  up  a  description  of  the  mine 
country  and  its  various  mineral  resources.  Having  finished  my 
expedition  to  the  south,  I  felt  a  strong  desire  to  extend  my  obser 
vations  up  the  Mississippi  to  St.  Anthony's  Falls,  and  into  the 
copper-bearing  regions  of  that  latitude.  Immediately  I  wrote  to 
the  Hon.  J.  B.  Thomas,  of  Illinois,  the  only  gentleman  I  knew  at 
Washington,  on  the  subject,  giving  him  a  brief  description  of  my 
expedition  into  the  Ozarks.  I  did  not  know  that  another  move 
ment,  in  a  far  distant  region,  was  then  on  foot  for  exploring  the 
same  latitudes,  with  which  it  was  my  fortune  eventually  to  be  con 
nected.  I  allude  to  the  expedition  from  Detroit  in  1820,  under 
General  Cass. 

I  had,  at  this  time,  personally  visited  every  mine  or  digging  of 
consequence  in  the  Missouri  country,  and  had  traced  its  geological 
relations  into  Arkansas.  I  was  engaged  on  this  paper  assiduously. 
When  it  was  finished,  I  read  it  to  persons  well  acquainted  with 
the  region,  and  sought  opportunities  of  personal  criticism  upon  it. 

The  months  of  February  and  March  had  now  glided  away. 
Too  close  a  confinement  to  my  room,  however,  affected  rny  health. 
The  great  change  of  life  from  camping  out,  and  the  rough  scenes 
of  the  forest,  could  not  fail  to  disturb  the  functional  secretions. 
An  obstruction  of  the  liver  developed  itself  in  a  decided  case  of 
jaundice.  After  the  usual  remedies,  I  made  a  journey  from  Po- 


40  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

tosi  to  the  Mississippi  River,  for  the  purpose  of  ascending  that 
stream  on  a  barge,  in  order  that  I  might  be  compelled  to  drink  its 
turbid,  but  healthy  waters,  and  partake  again  of  something  like 
field  fare.  The  experiment  succeeded. 

The  trip  had  the  desired  effect,  and  I  returned  in  a  short  time 
from  St.  Louis  to  Mine  an  Breton  in  completely  restored  health. 

At  Herculaneum,  I  was  introduced  to  Major  Stephen  II.  Long, 
of  the  United  States  Topographical  Engineers,  who  was  now  on  his 
way,  in  the  small  steamer  Western  Pioneer,  up  the  Missouri  to  the 
Yellow  Stone.  I  went  on  board  the  boat  and  was  also  introduced 
to  Mr.  Say,  the  entomologist  and  conchologist,  Mr.  Jessup  the 
geologist,  and  other  gentlemen  composing  the  scientific  corps. 

This  expedition  was  the  first  evidence  to  my  mind  of  the  United 
States  Government  turning  attention,  in  connection  with  practical 
objects,  to  matters  of  science,  and  the  effort  was  due,  I  understand, 
to  the  enlightened  mind  of  Mr.  Calhoun,  then  Secretary  of  <  War. 

It  occurred  to  me,  after  my  return  to  Potosi,  that  the  subject  of  the 
mines  which  I  had  been  inquiring  about,  so  far  as  relates  to  their 
management  as  a  part  of  the  public  domain,  was  one  that  belonged 
properly  to  the  United  States  Government;  Missouri  was  but  a  ter 
ritory  having  only  inchoate  rights.  The  whole  mineral  domain  was 
held,  in  fee,  by  the  General  Government,  and  whatever  irregularity 
had  been  seen  about  the  collections  of  rents,  &c.,  constituted  a  ques 
tion  which  Congress  could  only  solve.  I  determined  to  visit  Wash 
ington,  and  lay  the  subject  before  the  President.  As  soon  as  I  had 
made  this  determination,  everything  bowed  to  this  idea.  I  made 
a  rapid  visit,  on  horseback,  to  St.  Louis,  with  my  manuscript,  to 
consult  a  friend,  who  entirely  concurred  in  this  view.  If  the 
mines  were  ever  to  be  put  on  a  proper  basis,  and  the  public  to 
derive  a  benefit  from  them,  the  government  must  do  it. 

As  soon  as  I  returned  to  Potosi,  I  packed  my  collection  of 
mineralogy,  &c.  I  ordered  the  boxes  by  the  lead  teams  to  St. 
Genevieve.  I  went  to  the  same  point  myself,  and,  taking  passage 
in  the  new  steamer  "St.  Louis,"  descended  the  Mississippi  to  New 
Orleans.  The  trip  occupied  some  days.  I  repassed  the  junction 
of  the  Ohio  with  deep  interest.  It  is  not  only  the  importance  of 
geographical  events  that  impresses  us.  The  nature  of  the  pheno 
mena  is  often  of  the  highest  moral  moment. 

An  interesting  incident  occurred  as  soon  as  I  got  on  board  the 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  41 

steamer.  The  captain  handed  me  a  letter.  I  opened  it,  and  found 
it  to  contain  money  from  the  secretary  of  a  secret  society.  I  was 
surprised  at  such  an  occurrence,  but  I  confess  not  displeased.  I 
had  kept  my  pecuniary  affairs  to  myself.  My  wardrobe  and  bag 
gage  were  such  as  everywhere  to  make  a  respectable  appearance. 
If  I  economized  in  travel  and  outlay,  I  possessed  the  dignity  of 
keeping  my  own  secret.  One  night,  as  I  lay  sleepless  in  a  dark 
but  double-bedded  room,  an  old  gentleman — a  disbanded  officer, 
I  think,  whose  health  disturbed  his  repose — began  a  conversation 
of  a  peculiar  kind,  and  asked  me  whether  I  was  not  a  Freemason. 
Darkness,  and  the  distance  I  was  from  him,  induced  a  studiedly 
cautious  reply.  But  a  denouement  the  next  day  followed.  This 
incident  was  the  only  explanation  the  unwonted  and  wholly  unex 
pected  remittance  admitted.  A  stranger,  traveling  to  a  southern 
and  sickly  city  to  embark  for  a  distant  State,  perhaps  never  to  re 
turn — the  act  appeared  to  me  one  of  pure  benevolence,  and  it  re 
veals  a  trait  which  should  wipe  away  many  an  error  of  judgment 
or  feeling. 

The  voyage  down  this  stream  was  an  exciting  one,  and  replete 
with  novel  scenes  and  incidents.  The  portion  of  the  river  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  which  it  had  taken  me  twenty  days  to 
ascend  in  a  barge,  we  were  not  forty-eight  hours  in  descending. 
Trees,  points  of  land,  islands,  every  physical  object  on  shore,  we 
rushed  by  with  a  velocity  that  left  but  vague  and  indistinct  im 
pressions.  We  seemed  floating,  as  it  were,  on  the  waters  of  chaos, 
where  mud,  trees,  boats,  were  carried  along  swiftly  by  the  current, 
without  any  additional  impulse  of  a  steam-engine,  puffing  itself 
off  at  every  stroke  of  the  piston.  The  whole  voyage  to  New  Or 
leans  had  some  analogy  to  the  recollection  of  a  gay  dream,  in 
which  objects  were  recollected  as  a  long  line  of  loosely-connected 
panoramic  fragments. 

At  New  Orleans,  where  I  remained  several  days,  I  took  passage 
in  the  brig  Arethusa,  Captain  H.  Leslie,  for  New  York. 

While  at  anchor  at  the  Balize,  we  were  one  night  under  appre 
hensions  from  pirates,  but  the  night  passed  away  without  any 
attack.  The  mud  and  alluvial  drift  of  the  Mississippi  extend 
many  leagues  into  the  gulf.  It  was  evident  that  the  whole  delta 
had  been  formed  by  the  deposits  made  in  the  course  of  ages.  Buried 
trees,  and  other  forms  of  organic  life,  which  have  been  disinterred 


42  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

from  the  banks  of  the  river,  as  high,  not  only  as  New  Orleans 
and  Natchez,  but  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  show  this.  It  must 
be  evident  to  every  one  who  takes  the  trouble  to  examine  the  phe 
nomena,  that  an  arm  of  the  gulf  anciently  extended  to  this  point ; 
and  that  the  Ohio,  the  Arkansas,  Red  River,  and  other  tributaries 
of  the  present  day,  as  well  as  the  main  Mississippi,  had  at  that 
epoch  entered  this  ancient  arm  of  the  gulf.  I  landed  at  the  light 
house  at  the  Balize.  We  had  to  walk  on  planks  supported  by 
stakes  in  the  water.  A  sea  of  waving  grass  rose  above  the  liquid 
plain,  and  extended  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  About  twelve  or 
fourteen  inches  depth  of  water  spread  over  the  land.  A  light-house 
of  brick  or  stone,  formerly  built  on  this  mud  plain,  east  of  the  main 
pass,  had  partially  sunk,  and  hung  in  a  diagonal  line  to  the  hori 
zon,  reminding  the  spectator  of  the  insecurity  of  all  solid  struc 
tures  on  such  a  nascent  basis.  The  present  light-house  was  of  wood. 
It  was  evident,  however,  that  here  were  deposited  millions  of  acres 
of  the  richest  alluvion  on  the  globe,  and  in  future  times  another 
Holland  may  be  expected  to  be  rescued  from  the  dominions  of  the 
ocean.  As  we  passed  out  into  the  gulf,  another  evidence  of  the  dan 
ger  of  the  channel  met  our  view,  in  the  wreck  of  a  stranded  vessel. 
The  vast  stain  of  mud  and  alluvial  filth  extended  for  leagues  into 
the  gulf.  As  the  vessel  began  to  take  the  rise  and  swell  of  the 
sea,  I  traversed  the  deck  diligently,  and,  by  dint  of  perseverance 
in  keeping  the  deck,  escaped  sea-sickness.  I  had  never  been  at 
sea  before.  When  the  land  had  vanished  at  all  points,  and  there 
was  nothing  in  sight  but  deep  blue  water  around  us  and  a  sky 
above,  the  scene  was  truly  sublime ;  there  was  a  mental  reaction, 
impressing  a  lesson  of  the  insignificance  of  man,  which  I  had  never 
before  felt. 

We  passed  the  Gulf  of  Florida,  heaving  in  sight  on  one  side,  as 
we  passed,  of  the  Tortugas,  and,  on  the  other,  of  the  Mora  Castle  of 
Havana,  after  which  there  was  little  to  be  noticed,  but  changes  in  the 
Gulf  Stream,  fishes,  sea-birds,  ships,  and  the  constant  mutations 
from  tempests  to  the  deep  blue  waters  of  a  calm,  till  we  hove  in 
sight  of  the  Neversinks,  and  entered  the  noble  bay  of  New  York. 

It  was  the  third  of  August  when  I  reached  the  city,  having 
stayed  out  my  quarantine  faithfully  on  Staten  Island,  the  mine 
ralogy  and  geological  structure  of  which  I  completely  explored 
during  that  period  of  municipal  regimen — for  it  was  the  season  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  43 

yellow  fever,  and  there  was  a  rigid  quarantine.  Dr.  Dewitt,  the 
health  officer,  who  had  known  my  father,  received  me  very  kindly, 
and  my  time  wore  off  imperceptibly,  while  I  footed  its  serpentine 
vales  and  magnesian  plains. 

On  reaching  the  city,  I  fixed  my  lodgings  at  a  point  on  the  banks 
of  the  Hudson,  or  rather  at  its  point  of  confluence  with  the  noble 
bay  (71  Courtland),  where  I  could  overlook  its  islands  and  busy 
water  craft,  ever  in  motion. 

I  had  now  completed,  by  land  and  water,  a  circuit  of  the 
Union,  having  traveled  some  6000  miles.  My  arrival  was  oppor 
tune.  No  traveler  of  modern  times  had  thrown  himself  upon  the 
success  of  his  scientific  observations,  and  I  was  hailed,  by  the  sci 
entific  public,  as  the  first  one  who  had  ever  brought  a  collection  of 
the  mineral  productions  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  My  collection, 
which  was  large  and  splendid,  was  the  means  of  introducing  me  to 
men  of  science  at  New  York  and  elsewhere.  Dr.  Samuel  L. 
Mitchell  and  Dr.  D.  Hosack,  who  were  then  in  the  zenith  of  their 
fame,  cordially  received  me.  The  natural  sciences  were  then 
chiefly  in  the  hands  of  physicians,  and  there  was  scarcely  a  man 
of  note  in  these  departments  of  inquiry  who  was  not  soon  num 
bered  among  my  acquaintances.  Dr.  John  Torrey  was  then  a 
young  man,  who  had  just  published  his  first  botanical  work.  Dr. 
A.  W.  Ives  warmly  interested  himself  in  my  behalf,  and  I  had 
literary  friends  on  every  side.  Among  these  Gov.  De  Witt  Clin 
ton  was  prominent. 

I  had  fixed  my  lodgings  where  the  Hudson  River,  and  the  noble 
bay  of  New  York  and  its  islands,  were  in  full  view  from  my  window. 
Here  I  opened  my  collection,  and  invited  men  of  science  to  view  it. 
'I  put  to  press  my  observations  on  the  mines  and  physical  geography 
of  the  West.  I  also  wrote  a  letter  on  its  resources,  which  was  pub 
lished  by  the  Corresponding  Association  of  Internal  Improvements, 
The  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,  and  the  Historical  Society,  each 
admitted  me  to  membership.  My  work  was  published  about  the 
25th  of  November.  As  soon  as  it  was  announced,  I  took  copies  of 
it,  and  proceeded  to  Washington,  where  I  was  favorably  received. 
I  lost  no  time  in  calling  on  Mr.  Monroe,  and  the  Secretaries  of 
War  and  of  the  Treasury.  Mr.  Monroe  took  up  his  commonplace- 
book,  and  made  memorandums  of  my  statements  respecting  the 
mines.  Mr.  Calhoun  received  me  cordially,  and  said  that  the  juris- 


44  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

diction  of  the  mines  was  not  in  his  department.  But  he  had  received 
a  memoir  from  General  Cass,  Governor  of  Michigan,  proposing  to 
explore  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  through  the  Lakes,  and  sug 
gesting  that  a  naturalist,  conversant  with  mineralogy,  should  ac 
company  him,  to  inquire  into  the  supposed  value  of  the  Lake  Su 
perior  copper  mines.  He  tendered  me  the  place,  and  stated  the 
compensation.  The  latter  was  small,  but  the  situation  appeared  to 
me  to  be  one  which  was  not  to  be  overlooked.  I  accepted  it.  It 
seemed  to  be  the  bottom  step  in  a  ladder  which  I  ought  to  climb. 
Small  events,  it  has  been  said,  lead  a  man,  and  decide  his  course  in 
life  ;  and  whether  this  step  was  important  in  mine,  may  be  better 
judged  of,  perhaps,  when  these  notes  shall  have  been  read. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  I  accepted  this  place,  the  subject  of  the 
management  and  superintendence  of  the  western  mines  appeared 
to  be  fully  appreciated  by  Mr.  Calhoun  and  Mr.  Crawford,  the 
latter  of  whom  requested  a  written  statement  on  the  subject ;  and 
it  was  held  for  further  consideration.*  I  found  during  this,  my 
first  visit  to  the  capital,  that  the  intelligence  of  my  favorable  re 
ception  at  New  York,  and  of  my  tour  in  the  West,  had  preceded 
me.  Friends  appeared,  of  whom,  at  this  distance  of  time,  I  may 
name  the  Vice-President,  D.  D.  Tompkins,  Judge  Smith  Thompson, 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  Colonel  Benton,  Senator  elect  from  Missouri, 
Hon.  John  Scott,  the  delegate,  Hon.  Jesse  B.  Thomas,  Senator  from 
Illinois,  John  D.  Dickinson,  Esq.,  Representative  from  Troy, 
N.  Y.,  Hon.  Josiah  Meigs,  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land 
Office,  Gen.  Sol.  Van  Rensselaer,  and  Dr.  Darlington,  Rep.  from 
Pennsylvania.  To  each  of  these,  I  have  ever  supposed  myself  to 
be  under  obligations  for  aiding  me  in  my  object  of  exploration, 
and  I  certainly  was  for  civilities  and  attentions. 

Mr.  Calhoun  addressed  a  letter  to  Governor  Cass,  of  Michigan, 
and  I  proceeded  immediately  to  the  North,  to  be  ready  to  avail 
myself  of  the  first  opportunity  of  ascending  the  lakes  to  the  place 
of  departure. 

*  This  effort  became  the  cause  of  the  government  finally  taking  definite 
action  on  the  subject.  Mr.  Monroe  presented  it  to  the  consideration  of  Con 
gress  in  the  fall,  and  a  superintendent  was  subsequently  appointed. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  45 


CHAPTER   V. 

Set  out  on  the  expedition  to  the  northwest— Remain  a  few  weeks  at  New 
York — Visit  Niagara  Falls,  and  reach  Detroit  in  the  first  steamer — Prepa 
rations  for  a  new  style  of  traveling — Correspondents — General  sketch  of 
the  route  pursued  by  the  expedition,  and  its  results— Return  to  Albany,  and 
publish  my  narrative — Journal  of  it — Preparation  for  a  scientific  account 
of  the  observations. 

1820.  I  LEFT  Washington  on  the  5th  of  February,  exactly  one 
,  year  from  my  return  to  Potosi  from  the  Ozarks ;  proceeded  to  New 
York,  where  I  remained  till  early  in  March;  traveled  by  sleigh  over 
the  Highlands,  was  at  Niagara  Falls  on  the  1st  of  May,  and  reached 
Detroit  in  the  steamer  "Walk-in-the-water"  on  the  8th  of  May. 
Captain  D.  B.  Douglass,  of  West  Point  Academy,  was  appointed 
topographer,  and  joined  me  at  Buffalo.  We  proceeded  up  Lake 
Erie  in  company,  and  were  received  in  a  most  cordial  manner  by 
General  Cass  and  the  citizens  generally  of  that  yet  remote  and 
gay  military  post. 

Arrangements  were  not  completed  for  immediate  embarkation. 
We  were  to  travel  in  the  novel  Indian  bark  canoe.  Many  little 
adaptations  were  necessary,  and  while  these  things  were  being  done 
we  spent  a  couple  of  weeks  very  agreeably,  in  partaking  of  the 
hospitalities  of  the  place.  My  correspondence  now  began  to  ac 
cumulate,  and  I  took  this  occasion  of  a  little  pause  to  attend  to  it. 
The  publication  of  my  work  on  the  mines  had  had  the  effect  to 
awaken  attention  to  the  varied  resources  of  the  Mississippi  Valley, 
and  the  subject  of  geographical  and  geological  explorations.  It 
also  brought  me  a  class  of  correspondents  who  are  simply  anxious 
for  practical  information,  and  always  set  about  getting  it  in  the 
most  direct  way,  whether  they  are  personal  or  introduced  acquaint 
ances  or  not.  I  determined  at  once  to  reply  to  these,  wherever 
they  appeared  to  be  honest  inquiries  for  geographical  facts,  which 
I  only,  and  not  books,  could  communicate. 


46  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Mr.  Robert  Bright,  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  an  English  emigrant, 
having  got  a  copy  of  my  work,  wrote  (Jan.  11)  as  to  the  business 
prospects  of  St.  Louis,  intending  apparently  to  go  thither.  Not 
knowing  my  correspondent,  but,  on  a  moment's  reflection,  believing 
the  communication  of  such  information  would  not  make  me  poorer 
and  might  be  important  to  him,  by  helping  him  on  in  his  fortunes 
in  the  world,  I  wrote  to  him,  giving  the  desired  information,  assign 
ing  to  that  spot,  in  my  estimation,  a  highly  important  central  influ 
ence  on  the  business  and  affairs  of  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

The  Hon.  John  Scott,  delegate  in  Congress,  from  Missouri, 
speaking  of  the  work  on  the  mineralogy,  &c.,  of  that  territory, 
says,  "Those  sources  of  individual  and  national  wealth,  which  I 
Lave  no  doubt  you  have  well  developed,  have  been  too  long 
neglected,  and  I  trust  that  your  well-directed  efforts  to  bring  them 
to  notice  will  be .  amply  rewarded,  not  only  in  the  emoluments 
derived  from  the  work,  but  what  is  still  more  gratifying*  to  the 
author,  and  the  enlightened  and  patriotic  statesman,  in  seeing  this 
portion  of  our  resources  brought  into  full  operation." 

Mr.  Robert  C.  Bruffey,  of  Missouri,  writes  (March  14th),  giving 
a  sketch  of  a  recent  tour  into  the  southern  part  of  Arkansas : — 

"  Health  of  Southern  Climates. — When  I  returned  from  the  Ar 
kansas,  which  was  not  till  the  6th  of  October,  with  some  few  others, . 
I  brought  a  particular  '  specimen'  of  the  country,  namely,  the  ague 
and  fever,  which  I  endured  for  two  months,  and  until  the  com 
mencement  of  cold  weather. 

"  I  continued  but  three  weeks  at  the  Springs  (Hot  Springs  of 
Wachita) ;  could  I  have  spent  the  whole  summer  in  the  use  of  the 
water,  no  doubt  I  should  have  been  much  benefited,  if  not  en 
tirely  relieved  from  my  irksome  complaint.  I  saw  your  friend 
Stephen  F.  Austin,  at  the  Springs,  just  recovered  from  a  danger 
ous  sickness,  namely,  fever  and  vomiting  blood.  He  inquired 
after  you  particularly. 

(t  A.  New  Field  for  Exploration. — When  I  was  in  the  lower  coun 
try,  I  was  sorry  you  had  not  time  to  visit  that  interesting  section  of 
country  previous  to  the  publication  of  your  work  (which,  I  under 
stand,  has  been  received  and  appreciated  with  avidity) ;  for  I 
assure  you,  as  relates  to  scientific  researches,  you  would  have 


PEKSONAL  MEMOIRS.  47 

collected  materials  that  would  have  come  within  its  purview,  and 
repaid  you  liberally  for  your  labor,  and  the  specimens  added 
richly  to  your  collection. 

"I  will  now  give  you  a  description,  so  far  as  my  feeble  abilities 
will  admit,  of  the  things  which  I  think  worthy  the  attention  of  a 
devotee  of  science.  In  the  first  place,  the  springs  are  worthy  of 
notice,  in  a  natural  as  well  as  medical  point  of  view.  They  con 
tain  in  their  different  issues  all  the  different  temperatures,  from 
boiling,  down  to  a  pleasure  bath.  They  contain  a  combining 
principle,  or  the  quality  of  petrifying  and  uniting  various  sub 
stances  that  may  come  in  contact  with  them,  such  as  flint,  earth, 
stone,  iron,  &c.  The  bluff  from  which  they  flow  out  is  princi 
pally  of  an  apparent  calcareous  substance,  formed  by  the  wrater.  In 
some  of  the  springs  a  red,  in  others  a  green  and  yellow,  sediment 
is  produced.  The  waters  will  remove  rheumatism,  purge  out  mer 
cury,  and  produce  salivation,  in  those  who  have  it  in  their  system 
previously;  cure  old  sores  and  consumptions,  in  their  early  stages; 
cure  dropsies,  palsies,  &c.,  if  taken  in  time. 

"  The  next  curiosity  is  the  loadstone,  a  specimen  of  which  I 
have  with  me ;  you  can  examine  it  when  you  visit  this  country. 
The  next  rock  crystal,  of  which  I  have  two  specimens.*  The 
fourth  is  alum,  of  which  I  procured  a  small  quantity,  as  I  did  not 
visit  the  cave  where  it  is  to  be  obtained.  The  fifth  is  oil  and 
whetstone,  of  which  there  is  a  great  abundance  in  that  quarter. 
The  sixth  is  asbestus.  In  a  word,  the  subjects  are  worthy  the 
attention  of  those  who  wish  to  be  instrumental  in  enlarging  or 
developing  that  branch  of  science." 

Mr.  William  Ficklin,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Kentucky,  but  now 
a  resident  of  Missouri,  writes :  "I  am  pleased  to  hear  of  your 
appointment,  and  wish  I  could  be  with  you  on  the  route,  as  you 
will  visit  a  section  of  the  country  but  little  known  to  our  govern 
ment.  I  must  advise  you  to  be  on  your  guard  against  the  Indians, 
the  best  of  whom  will  murder  a  man  for  a  trifle,  if  they  can  meet 
him  alone,  or  off  his  guard. 

"  A  Mr.  Nabb,  a  few  months  ago,  brought  me  some  white  metal, 
which,  he  says,  he  smelted  in  a  common  forge — it  was  as  bright  as 
silver,  but  too  hard  to  bear  the  hammer.  I  think  it  must  be  zinc." 

*  Now  in  my  cabinet. 


48  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

March  IStL — Mr.  Amos  Eaton  writes  from  Troy:  "A  second 
edition  of  my  Index  to  Geology  is  in  the  press — about  thirty-six 
pages  struck  off.  I  have  written  the  whole  over  anew,  and  ex 
tended  it  to  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  pages  12mo.  I  have 
taken  great  pains  to  collect  facts,  in  this  district,  during  the  two 
years  since  my  first  edition  was  published.  But  I  am  rather 
deficient  in  my  knowledge  of  secondary  and  alluvial  formations ; 
I  wish  to  trouble  you  with  a  few  inquiries  upon  that  subject. 

"  From  what  knowledge  I  have  been  able  to  obtain  in  that 
department,  I  am  inclined  to  arrange  the  secondary  class  thus  : — 

"Breccia:  compact,  or  shell  limestone;  gypsum,  secondary 
sandstone. 

"  I  leave  much,  also,  for  peculiar  local  formations. 

"  A  gentleman  presented  specimens  to  the  Troy  Lyceum,  from 
Illinois,  of  gypsum  and  secondary  sandstone,  and  informed  me 
that  the  latter  overlaid  the  former  in  regular  structure.  'Myron 
Holly,  and  others,  have  given  me  similar  specimens,  which  they 
represent  as  being  similarly  situated,  from  several  localities  in  the 
western  part  of  this  State.  This  secondary  sandstone  is  sometimes 
more  or  less  calcareous.  I  believe  it  is  used  for  a  cement  by  the 
Canal  Company,  which  hardens  under  water.  "Will  you  do  me 
the  favor  to  settle  this  question  ? 

"  On  your  way  to  Detroit,  you  may  perhaps,  without  material 
inconvenience,  collect  facts  of  importance  to  me,  in  relation  to 
secondary  and  alluvial  formations.  Anything  transmitted  to  me 
by  the  middle  of  April  on  these  subjects  will  be  in  season,  because 
I  shall  not  have  printed  all  the  transition  part  before  that  time. 

"  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  strata  constituting  Rocky 
Mountains  ?  Is  it  primitive,  or  is  it  graywacke  like  Catskill 
Mountains  ?  I  have  said,  in  a  note,  that,  after  you  and  Dr.  E. 
James  set  foot  upon  it,  we  shall  no  longer  be  ignorant  of  it. 

"  I  intend  to  kindle  a  blaze  of  geological  zeal  before  you  return. 
I  have  adapted  the  style  of  my  index  to -the  capacities  of  ladies, 
plough-joggers,  and  mechanics." 

March  2Sth. — While  here,  I  received  a  notice  of  my  election 
as  a  member  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  at  Philadel 
phia. 

April  28^. — James  T.  Johnston,  Esq.,  of  N.  Y.,  writes  on  the 
interesting  character  of  the  mineralogy  of  the  interior  of  Georgia. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  49 

The  spirit  of  inquiry  denoted  by  these  letters  gives  but  a  faint 
idea  of  the  interest  which  was  now  awakened  in  the  public  mind, 
on  the  exploration  of  the  west,  and  it  would  require  a  reference  to 
the  public  prints  of  the  day  to  denote  this.  If  the  delay  had 
served  no  other  purpose,  it  had  brought  us  into  a  familiar  acquaint 
ance  with  our  commander,  who  was  frank  and  straightforward  in  his 
manners,  and  fully  disposed,  not  only  to  say,  but  to  do  everything 
to  facilitate  the  object.  He  put  no  veto  on  any  request  of  this 
kind,  holding  the  smiths  and  mechanics  of  the  government  amena 
ble  to  comply  with  any  order.  He  was  not  a  man,  indeed,  who  dealt 
in  hems  and  haws — did  not  require  to  sleep  upon  a  simple  ques 
tion — and  is  not  a  person  whose  course  is  to  be  stopped,  as  many 
little  big  men  are,  by  two  straws  crossed. 

At  length  the  canoes,  which  were  our  principal  cause  of  delay, 
arrived  from  Lake  Huron,  where  they  were  constructed,  and  all 
things  were  ready  for  our  embarkation.  It  was  the  24th  of  May 
when  we  set  out.  A  small  detachment  of  infantry  had  been 
ordered  to  form  a. part  of  the  expedition,  under  Lieutenant  .ZEneas 
Mackay.  Eight  or  ten  Chippewa  and  Ottowa  Indians  were  taken 
in  a  separate  canoe,  as  hunters,  and  gave  picturesqueness  to  the 
brigade  by  their  costume.  There  were  ten  Canadian  voyagers  of 
the  north-west  stamp.  Professor  Douglass  and  myself  were  the 
only  persons  to  whom  separate  classes  of  scientific  duties  were 
assigned.  A  secretary  and  some  assistants  made  the  governor's 
mess  consist  of  nine  persons.  Altogether,  we  numbered,  including 
guides  and  interpreters,  about  forty  persons  ;  a  truly  formidable 
number  of  mouths  to  feed  in  the  "waste  howling  wilderness." 

Having  kept  and  published  af  journal  of  the  daily  incidents  of 
the  expedition,  I  refer  to  it  for  details.*  To  plunge  into  the  wilder 
ness  is  truly  to  take  one's  life  in  his  hand.  But  nobody  thought 
of  this.  The  enterprise  was  of  a  kind  to  produce  exhilaration. 
The  route  lay  up  the  Detroit  and  St.  Glair  Rivers,  and  around  the 
southern  shores  of  Lakes  Huron  and  Superior  to  Fond  du  Lac. 
Thence  up  the  St.  Louis  River  in  its  rugged  passage  through  the 
Cabotian  Mountains  to  the  Savannah  summit  which  divides  the 
great  lakes  from  the  Mississippi  Valley.  The  latter  was  entered 

*  A  Narrative  Journal  of  Travels  through  the  American  Lakes  to  the  Sources 
of  the  Mississippi  River.     1  vol.  8vo.  pp.  419  :  Albany,  1821. 
4 


50  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

through  the  Comtagwna  or  Sandy  Lake  River.  From  this  point 
the  source  of  the  Mississippi  was  sought  up  rapids  and  falls,  and 
through  lakes  and  savannahs,  in  which  the  channel  winds.  We 
passed  the  inlet  of  the  Leech  Lake,  which  was  fixed  upon  by 
Lieutenant  Pike  as  its  probable  source,  and  traced  it  through 
Little  Lake  Winnipeg  to  the  inlet  of  Turtle  Lake  in  upper  Red 
Cedar,  or  Cass  Lake,  in  north  lat.  47°.  On  reaching  this  point, 
the  waters  were  found  unfavorable  to  proceeding  higher.  The 
river  was  then  descended  to  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  St.  Peters, 
and  Prairie  du  Chien.  From  the  latter  point  we  ascended  the 
Wisconsin  to  the  portage  into  Fox  River,  and  descended  the  latter 
to  Green  Bay.  At  this  point,  the  expedition  was  divided,  a  part 
^oinsr  north,  in  order  to  trace  the  shores  to  Michilimackinack,  and 

DO"  ' 

part  steering  south,  by  the  shores  of  Lake  Michigan  to  Chicago. 
At  the  latter  place,  another  division  was  made,  Governor  Cass  and 
suite  proceeding  on  horseback,  across  the  peninsula  of  Michigan, 
and  Captain  Douglass  and  myself  completing  the  survey  of  the 
eastern  coast  of  Michigan,  and  rejoining  the  party  detached  to 
strike  Michilimackinack.  The  Huron  shores  were  coasted  to  the 
head  of  the  River  St.  Clair  and  Detroit. 

About  four  thousand  miles  were  traversed.  Of  this  distance  the 
topography  was  accurately  traced  by  Captain  Douglass  and  his 
assistant,  Mr.  Trowbridge.  This  officer  also  took  observations  for 
the  latitude  at  every  practical  point,  and  collected  with  much  labor 
the  materials  for  a  new  and  enlarged  map.  Its  geology  and  mine 
ralogy  were  the  subjects  of  a  detailed  report  made  by  me  to  the 
War  Department  in  1822.  Of  the  copper  deposits  on  Lake  Supe 
rior,  a  detailed  report  was  made  to  the  same  department  in  Novem 
ber  1820.  The  Indian  tribes  were  the  subject  of  observation  made 
by  General  Cass.  Its  botany,  its  fresh  water  conchology,  and  its 
zoology  and  ichthyology,  received  the  attention  that  a  rapid  transit 
permitted.  Its  soil,  productions,  and  climate  were  the  topics  of 
daily  observation.  In  short,  no  exploration  had  before  been  made 
which  so  completely  revealed  the  features  and  physical  geography 
of  so  large  a  portion  of  the  public  domain.  And  the  literary  and 
scientific  public  waited  with  an  intense  desire  for  the  result  of  these 
observations  in  every  department. 

The  first  letter  I  received  on  my  return  route  from  that  eventful 
tour,  was  at  the  post  of  Green  Bay,  where  a  letter  from  J.  T.  John- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  51 

stem,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  awaited  me:  "Since  you  departed,''  he 
observes,  "  nothing  of  importance  has  occurred,  either  in  the  moral 
or  political  world.  The  disturbances  which  disgrace  the  kingdom 
of  Great  Britain  are,  and  still  continue  to  be,  favored  by  a  few 
factionists.  Thistlewood,  and  the  members  of  the  Cato  Street  con 
spiracy,  have  been  tried  for  high  treason,  and  condemned,  and  I 
presume  the  next  arrivals  must  bring  us  an  account  of  their  execu 
tion.  The  Cortes  has  been  established  in  Spain,  and  there  floats 
a  rumor  that  the  Saint,  the  adored  Ferdinand,  has  fled  to  France. 
The  public  debates  in  France  seem  to  me  to  thunder  forth,  as  the 
precursor  of  some  event  which  will  yet  violently  agitate  the  coun 
try.  (Napoleon  was  now  in  St.  Helena.)  The  stormy  wave  of 
discord  has  not  subsided.  The  temple  of  ambition  is  not  over 
thrown,  and  party  spirit  will  rush  to  inhabit  it.  The  convulsive 
struggle  for  independence  in  the  South  (America)  still  continues, 
but  civil  war  appears  about  to  interrupt  its  progress.  At  home 
all  is  quiet.  A  virtuous  chief  magistrate  and  a  wise  administra 
tion  must  benefit  a  people  so  PRONE  TO  DOMESTIC  FACTION." 

This  gave  me  the  first  glimpse  of  home  and  its  actualities,  and 
the  letter  was  refreshing  for  the  sympathies  it  expresses,  after  long 
months  of  tugging  over  portages,  and  looking  about  to  arrange  in 
the  mind  stratifications,  to  gather  specimens  of  minerals,  and 
fresh  water  shells,  and  watch  the  strange  antics  which  have  been 
cut  over  the  whole  face  of  the  northwest  by  the  Boulder  Group  of 
Rocks. 

Sept.  6.  Mr.  C.  C.  Trowbridge  writes  from  Michilimackinack:  "  I 
forward  the  specimens  collected  by  Mr.  Doty  and  myself,  on  the 
tour  (from  Green  Bay,  on  the  north  shore,  to  Michilimackinack). 
The  most  interesting  will  probably  be  the  organic  remains.  They 
were  collected  in  Little  Noquet  Bay,  on  the  N.  E.  side,  where 
ridges  of  limestone  show  themselves  frequently.  Near  the  top  of 
the  package  you  find  a  piece  of  limestone  weighing  about  two 
pounds,  of  which  the  upper  stratum  was  composed ;  there  are  two 
pieces  of  the  lower  stratum,  resembling  blue  pipestone.  The 
middle  stratum  was  .composed  of  these  remains.  About  ten  miles 
N.  E.  of  Great  Bay  de  Noquet,  we  found  flint,  or  hornstone,  in 
small  quantities  in  the  limestone  rocks.  There  is  also  a  specimen 
of  the  marble,  which  we  saw  little  of;  but  since  our  arrival  I  am  in- 


52  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

formed  that  a  large  bluff,  composed  of  the  same,  is  seen  30  to  40 
miles  from  this.  The  gypsum  I  picked  up  on  St.  Martin's  Islands." 

On  reaching  Detroit,  Gov.  Cass  invited  Capt.  Douglass  and 
myself  to  recruit  ourselves  a  few  days  at  his  "  old  mansion  of  the  an 
cient  era."  I  examined  and  put  in  order  my  collection  of  specimens, 
selecting  such  as  were  designed  for  various  institutions.  A  local 
association  of  persons  inclined  to  foster  literary  efforts,  under  the 
name  of  "Detroit  Lyceum,"  elected  me  a  member.  The  intrepid 
and  energetic  officer  who  had  planned  and  executed  this  scheme  of 
western  exploration  gave  me  a  copy  of  his  official  letter  to  the 
Secretary  of  War,  warmly  approbating  the  conduct  of  Capt. 
Douglass  and  myself,  as  members  of  the  expedition.  All  its  re 
sults  were  attended  with  circumstances  of  high  personal  gratifica 
tion. 

I  left  Detroit  on  the  13th  of  October  at  4  o'clock  P.  M.,  in  the 
steamer  "  Walk-in-the- Water,"  the  first  boat  built  on  the  Lake 
waters,  and  reached  Black  Rock  at  7  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the 
17th,  being  a  stormy  passage,  in  a  weak  but  elegant  boat,  of  eighty- 
seven  hours.  Glad  to  set  my  foot  on  dry  land  once  more,  I  hurried 
on  by  stage  and  canal,  and  reached  Oneida  Creek  Depot  on  the 
21st  at  4  o'clock  in  the  morning,  stopped  for  breakfast  there,  and 
then  proceeded  on  foot,  through  the  forest,  by  a  very  muddy  path, 
to  Oneida  Castle,  a  distance  of  three  miles — my  trunk  being  carried 
by  a  man  on  horseback.  Thence  I  took  a  conveyance  for  Mr. 
W.  H.  Shearman's,  at  Vernon,  where  I  arrived  at  ten  o'clock  A.  M. 

Capt.  Douglass,  who  had  preceded  me,  wrote  from  West  Point 
Military  Academy,  on  the  27th,  that  in  the  sudden  change  of  habits 
he  had  been  affected  with  a  dreadful  influenza.  My  own  health  con 
tinued  to  be  unimpaired,  and  my  spirits  were  buoyant.  After  a 
few  days'  rest,  I  wrote  a  report  (Nov.  6th)  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
on  the  metalliferous  character  of  the  Lake  Superior  country,  par 
ticularly  in  relation  to  its  reported  wealth  in  copper.  I  proceeded 
to  Albany  on  the  7th  of  December,  and  arrived  the  day  following, 
and  was  cordially  greeted  by  all  my  friends  and  acquaintances.  It 
was  my  intention  to  have  gone  immediately  to  New  York,  but  the 
urgent  entreaties  of  Mr.  Carter  and  others  induced  me  to  defer 
it.  Very  little  had  been  said  by  the  members  of  the  party  about 
a  publication.  We  looked  to  Capt.  Douglass,  who  was  the  topo 
grapher  and  a  professor  at  West  Point,  to  take  the  lead  in  the 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  53 

matter.  The  death  of  Mr.  Ellieott,  Professor  of  Mathematics  at 
that  institution,  who  was  his  father-in-law,  and  his  appointment 
to  the  vacant  chair,  from  that  of  engineering,  placed  him  in  a 
very  delicate  and  arduous  situation.  He  has  never  received  credit 
for  the  noble  manner  in  which  he  met  this  crisis.  He  was  not  only 
almost  immediately  required  to  teach  his  class  the  differential  cal 
culus,  but  the  French  copy — a  language  with  which  he  was  not 
familiar — was  the  only  one  employed.  He  was  therefore  not  only 
obliged  to  study  a  comparatively  new  science,  but  to  do  it  in  a  new 
language ;  and  when  the  course  began,  he  had  to  instruct  his  class 
daily  in  tasks  which  he  committed  nightly.  Most  men  would  have 
sunk  under  the  task,  but  he  went  triumphantly  through  it,  and  I 
have  never  heard  that  the  students  or  others  ever  had  cause  to 
suspect  his  information  or  question  his  abilities.  He  wrote  to  me, 
and  perhaps  to  me  only,  on  this  subject. 

There  was  something  like  a  public  clamor  for  the  results  of  the 
expedition,  and  the  narrative  was  hurried  into  press.  A  new  zeal 
was  awakened  upon  the  subject  of  mineralogy  and  geology.  A 
friend  wrote  to  me  on  the  mineral  affluence  of  upper  Georgia. 
Several  letters  from  the  western  district  of  the  State,  transmitting 
specimens,  were  received.  "The  unexampled  success  of  your  ex 
pedition,"  observes  one  of  these  correspondents,  "in  all  respects 
is  a  subject  of  high  congratulation,  not  only  for  those  of  whom  it 
was  composed,  but  also  to  a  great  portion  of  the  people  of  the 
United  States,  and  to  this  State  in  particular,  as  we  are  the  grand 
link  that  unites  that  vast  region  to  our  Atlantic  border."*  These 
feelings  appear  in  letters  from  near  and  far.  Captain  Douglass 
was  aware  of  this  interest,  and  anxious,  amidst  his  arduous  duties, 
to  get  the  necessary  time  to  arrange  his  notes  and  materials.  He 
wrote  to  me  (December  25)  to  furnish  Professor  Silliman  some 
sketches  for  the  American  Journal  of  Science.  On  the  topic  of 
topography  he  says: — 

"  With  regard  to  our  daily  occurrences,  ought  not  something  to 
be  done  ?  I  intended  to  have  had  a  conversation  with  Governor 
Cass  and  yourself  on  the  subject  before  I  parted  from  you,  but  it 
escaped  me,  and  I  have  since  written  about  it. 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  receive  your  delineation  of  the  Mississippi 

*  W.  S.  D.  Z.,  9th  Dec.  1820. 


54  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

below  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  your  levels  through  the  Fox  and  Wis 
consin  (I  believe  in  these  we  agree  pretty  nearly)  would  enable 
me  to  consolidate  mine. 

"  While  I  think  of  it,  let  me  tell  you  I  have  made  some  calcu 
lations  about  the  height  of  the  Porcupine  Mountains.  My  data 
are  the  distance  at  which  they  were  seen  from  Kewewena  portage, 
under  the  influence  of  great  refraction,  and  the  distance  on  the 
following  day  without  unusual  refraction,  and  I  am  convinced  they 
cannot  be  less  than  2000  feet  high ;  if,  however,  this  staggers  you, 
say  1800,  and  I  am  confident  you  are  within  the  real  elevation. 

"  Estimates  of  heights,  breadths  of  rivers,  &c.,  and,  in  looking 
over  your  journal,  any  other  topographical  facts  which  you  may 
have  to  dispose  of,  will  be  very  acceptable  to  me.  Will  you  be 
able  to  spare  me  (that  is,  to  let  me  copy)  any  of  your  drawings  ? 
You  know,  I  believe,  my  views  in  asking  are  to  embellish  my  map 
and  memoir  with  landscape  views  in  a  light  style." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  55 


CHAPTER  VI. 

s 

Reception  by  the  country  on  my  return — Reasons  for  publishing  my  narra 
tive  without  my  reports  for  a  digested  scientific  account  of  the  expedition — 
Delays  interposed  to  this — Correspondents — Locality  of  strontian — Letter 
from  Dr.  Mitchell — Report  on  the  copper  mines  of  Lake  Superior — Theo 
retical  geology — Indian  symbols — Scientific  subjects — Complete  the  publi 
cation  of  my  work — Its  reception  by  the  press  and  the  public — Effects  on 
my  mind — Receive  the  appointment  of  Secretary  to  the  Indian  Commission 
at  Chicago — Result  of  the  expedition,  as  shown  by  a  letter  of  Dr.  Mitchell 
to  General  Cass. 

1821.  GOVERNOR  CLINTON  offered  me  the  use  of  his  library 
while  preparing  my  journal  for  the  press.  Mr.  Henry  Inrnan, 
who  was  then  beginning  to  paint,  re-drew  some  of  the  views.  One 
of  the  leading  booksellers  made  me  favorable  proposals,  which  I 
agreed  early  in  January  to  accept.  I  began  to  transcribe  my 
journal  on  the  8th  of  the  month,  and  very  assiduously  devoted 
myself  to  that  object,  sending  off  the  sheets  hurriedly  as  they 
were  written.  The  engravings  were  immediately  put  in  hands. 
In  this  way,  the  work  went  rapidly  on ;  and  I  kept  up,  at  the 
same  time,  an  industrious  correspondence  with  scientific  men  in 
various  places. 

It  was  at  this  time  an  object  of  moment,  doubtless,  that  the 
results  of  this  expedition  should  have  been  combined  in  an  elaborate 
and  joint  work  by  the  scientific  gentlemen  of  the  party.  The 
topography  and  astronomy  had  been  most  carefully  attended  to 
by  Captain  Douglass,  and  the  materials  collected  for  an  improved 
map.  Its  geology  and  mineralogy  had  formed  the  topic  of  my 
daily  notes.  Its  aboriginal  population  had  been  seen  under  cir 
cumstances  rarely  enjoyed.  Its  fresh  water  conchology  had  been 
carefully  observed  by  Douglass  and  myself,  and  fine  collections 
made.  Something  had  been  done  respecting  its  botany,  and  the 
whole  chain  of  events  was  ready  to  be  linked  together  in  a  striking 
manner. 


56  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

But  there  was  no  one  to  take  the  initiative.  Governor  Cass,  who 
had  led  the  expedition,  did  not  think  of  writing.  Professor  Doug 
lass,  who  was  my  senior,  and  who  occupied  the  post  of  topogra 
pher,  by  no  means  underrated  the  subject,  but  deferred  it,  and,  by 
accepting  the  Professorship  of  Mathematics  at  West  Point,  as 
sumed  a  duty  which  made  it  literally  impossible,  though  he  did  not 
see  it  immediately,  that  he  should  do  justice  to  his  own  notes.  I 
simply  went  forward  because  no  one  of  the  members  of  the  expedi 
tion  offered  to.  I  had  kept  a  journal  from  the  first  to  the  last  day, 
which  I  believe  no  one  else  had.  I  had  been  diligent  in  the  morn 
ing  and  evening  in  observing  every  line  of  coast  and  river.  I 
never  allowed  the  sun  to  catch  me  asleep  in  my  canoe  or  boat.  I 
had  kept  the  domestic,  as  wTell  as  the  more  grave  and  important 
events.  I  was  importuned  to  give  them  to  the  public.  I  had 
written  to  Douglass  about  it,  but  he  was  dilatory  in  answering  me, 
and  when  at  last  he  did,  and  approved  my  suggestion  for  a  joint 
work  in  which  our  observations  should  be  digested,  it  was  too  late, 
so  far  as  my  narrative  went,  to  withdraw  it  from  my  publishers. 
But  I  pledged  to  him  at  once  my  geological  and  mineralogical 
reports,  and  I  promptly  sent  him  my  portfolio  of  sketches  to  em 
bellish  his  map.  This  is  simply  the  history  of  the  publication  of 
my  narrative  journal. 

My  position  was,  at  this  time,  personally  agreeable.  My  room 
was  daily  visited  by  literary  and  scientific  men.  I  was  invited  to 
the  mansions  of  distinguished  men,  who  spoke  of  my  recent  journey 
as  one  implying  enterprise.  Nothing,  surely,  when  I  threw  myself 
into  the  current  of  western  emigration,  in  1817,  was  farther  from 
my  thoughts  than  my  being  an  instrumental  cause,  to  much  extent, 
in  stirring  up  and  awakening  a  zeal  for  scientific  explorations  and 
researches.  The  diurnal  press,  however,  gave  this  tone  to  the  thing. 
The  following  is  an  extract : — * 

"During  the  last  year,  an  expedition  was  authorized  by  the  Na 
tional  Government,  which  left  Detroit  some  time  in  the  month  of 
May,  under  the  personal  orders  of  Governor  Cass,  of  the  Michigan 
Territory,  provided  with  the  necessary  means  of  making  observa 
tions  upon  the  topography,  natural  history,  and  aborigines  of  the 
country.  We  have  had  an  opportunity  of  conversing  with  one  of 

/  *  New  York  Statesman,  Jan.  1821. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  5T 

the  gentlemen  who  accompanied  Governor  Cass  in  the  expedition, 
Mr.  H.  R.  Schoolcraft,  who  has  recently  returned  to  this  city, 
bringing  a  large  collection  of  mineral  and  other  substances,  calcu 
lated  to  illustrate  the  natural  history  of  the  regions  visited. '  We 
learn  that  the  party  passed  through  Lake  Superior,  and  penetrated 
to  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  which  have  been,  for  the  first 
time,  satisfactorily  ascertained.  In  returning,  they  passed  down 
the  Mississippi  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  thence  came  across  to 
Green  Bay,  by  means  of  the  Ouisconsin  and  Fox  Rivers.  Indian 
tribes  were  found  in  every  part  of  the  country  visited,  by  whom 
they  were  generally  well  received,  except  at  the  Sault  St.  Marie, 
where  a  hostile  disposition  was  manifested.  The  country  was 
found  to  present  a  great  variety  in  its  soil,  climate,  productions, 
and  the  character  of  the  savages,  and  the  information  collected 
must  prove  highly  interesting  both  to  men  of  business  and  men  of 
science. 

"  It  will  be  seen,  by  referring  to  an  advertisement  in  our  paper 
of  to-day,  that  Mr.  Schoolcraft  contemplates  publishing  an  account 
of  the  expedition,  under  the  form  of  a  personal  narrative,  embrac 
ing  notices  of  interesting  scenery,  the  Indian  tribes,  topographical 
discoveries,  the  quadrupeds,  mineral  productions,  and  geology  of 
the  country,  accompanied  by  an  elegant  map  and  a  number  of 
picturesque  views.  From  an  inspection  of  the  manuscript  map 
and  views,  we  are  persuaded  that  no  analogous  performances,  of 
equal  merit,  have  ever  been  submitted  to  the  hands  of  the  engraver 
in  this  country.  We  have  always  been  surprised  that,  while  we 
have  had  so  many  travelers  through  the  Valley  of  the  Ohio  and 
Lower  Mississippi,  no  one  should  have  thought  of  filling  up  the 
chasm  in  our  northwestern  geography.  The  field  is  certainly  a 
very  ample  one — we  cannot  but  felicitate  the  public  in  having  a 
person  of  the  acknowledged  talents,  industry,  and  original  views 
of  Mr.  S.  to  supply  the  deficiency." 

At  length  Professor  Douglass  (Feb.  9th)  responded  to  my  propo 
sition  to  club  our  wits  in  a  general  work.  "Your  propositions  rela 
tive  to  a  joint  publication,  meet  my  views  precisely,  and  of  course 
I  am  inclined  to  believe  we  may  make  an  interesting  'work.'  In 
addition  to  the  usual  heads  of  topographical  and  geographical  know 
ledge,  which  I  propose  to  treat  of,  in  my  memoir  on  that  subject,  I 
am  promised  by  Dr.  Torrey  some  of  the  valuable  aid  which  it  will  be 


58  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

in  his  power  to  render  for  the  article  <  Botany,'  and  our  collections 
should  furnish  the  materials  of  a  description  of  the  fresh  water 
conchology."  His  proposition  was  based  on  giving  a  complete 
account  of  the  animal  and  mineral  constituents  of  the  country,  its 
hydrography  and  resources;  the  paper  on  the  aboriginal  tribes  to 
be  contributed  by  General  Cass. 

A  difficulty  is,  however,  denoted.  "  My  duties  here,''  he  writes, 
"  as  they  engross  everything  at  present,  will  force  me  to  delay  a 
little,  and  I  am  in  hopes,  by  so  doing,  to  obtain  some  further  data. 
I  enter,  in  a  few  days,  on  the  discharge  of  my  professional  duties, 
under  considerable  disadvantages,  owing  to  the  late  introduction 
into  our  courses  of  some  French  works  on  the  highest  branches  of 
mathematics,  which  it  falls  to  my  lot  first  to  teach.  Between 
French,  therefore,  and  fluxions,  and  moreover,  the  French  method 
of  fluxions,  which  is  somewhat  peculiar,  I  have  had  my  hands 
pretty  full.  I  look  forward  to  a  respite  in  April." 

The  professor  had,  in  fact,  to  teach  his  class  as  he  taught  him 
self,  and  just  kept  ahead  of  them — a  very  hard  task. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  this  plan  of  an  enlarged  publication 
was  kept  in  view,  I  pushed  my  narrative  forward.  While  it  was 
going  through  the  press,  almost  every  mail  brought  me  something 
of  interest  respecting  the  progress  of  scientific  discovery.  A  few 
items  may  be  noticed. 

Discovery  of  Strontian  on  Lake  Erie. — Mr.  William  A.  Bird,  of 
Troy,  of  the  Boundary  Survey,  writes  (Jan.  22d) : — 

"  On  our  return  down  the  lake,  last  fall,  we  were  becalmed  near 
the  islands  in  Lake  Erie.  I  took  a  boat,  and,  accompanied  by 
Major  Delafield,  Mr.  A.  Stevenson,  and  Mr.  De  Russey  (who  was 
to  be  our  guide),  went  in  search  of  the  strontian  to  the  main  shore, 
where  Mr.  De  Russey  says  it  was  found  in  the  summer  of  1819. 
After  an  unsuccessful  search  of  an  hour,  we  gave  it  up,  and  deter 
mined  to  return  to  our  vessel.  On  our  way  we  stopped  at  Moss 
Island,  when,  immediately  on  landing,  we  found  the  mineral  in 
question.  I  wandered  a  little  from  the  others,  and  found  the  large 
bed  of  which  I  spoke  to  you.  We  there  procured  large  quantities, 
and  some  large  crystals. 

"  This  strontian  was  on  the  south  side  of  Moss  Island,  in  a 
horizontal  vein  of  three  feet  in  thickness,  and  from  forty  to  fifty 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  59 

feet  in  length.  I  had  no  means  of  judging  its  depth  into  the  rock. 
The  base  of  the  island  is  wholly  composed  of  limestone,  in  which 
shells  scarcely,  if  ever,  appear." 

Conchology — Mineralized  Fungus,  $c. — Dr.  Samuel  L,  Mit 
chell,  of  New  York,  writes  (Jan.  30th):  "I  was  glad  to  receive 
your  letter  and  the  accompanying  articles,  by  the  hand  of  Colonel 
Gardiner ;  but  I  am  sorry  your  business  is  such  as  to  prevent 
your  meditated  visit  to  the  city  until  spring. 

"I  had  a  solemn  conference  with  Mr.  Barnes,  our  distinguished 
conchologist,  on  the  subject  of  your  shells.  We  had  Say's  pub 
lication  on  the  land  and  fresh  water  molluscas  before  us.  We 
believed  the  univalves  had  been  chiefly  described  by  him ;  one,  or 
probably  two  of  the  species  were  not  contained  in  his  memoir.  It 
would  gratify  me  very  much  to  possess  a  complete  collection  of 
those  molluscas.  I  gave  Mr.  Barnes,  who  is  an  indefatigable 
collector,  such  duplicates  as  I  could  spare. 

"I  showed  your  sandy  fungus  to  my  class  at  the  college  yester 
day.  Our  medical  school  was  never  so  flourishing,  there  being 
nearly  two  hundred  students.  In  the  evening,  I  showed  it  to  the 
lyceum.  All  the  members  regretted  your  determination  to  stay 
the  residue  of  the  winter  in  Albany. 

"  The  little  tortoise  is  referred,  with  a  new  and  singular  bird, 
to  a  zoological  committee  for  examination.  The  sulphate  of  stron- 
tian  is  elegant. 

"I  am  forming  a  parcel  for  Professor  Schreibers,  curator  of 
the  Austrian  emperor's  cabinet  at  Vienna;  the  opportunity  will  be 
excellent  to  send  a  few." 

Report  on  the  Copper  of  Lake  Superior. — Professor  Silliman,  in 
announcing  a  notice  of  my  work  on  the  mines,  for  the  next  num 
ber  of  the  Journal  of  Science^  Feb.  5th,  says  :  "  I  have  written  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  and  he  has  given  his  consent  to  have  your 
report  appear  in  the  Journal  of  Science ." 

Governor  Cass,  of  Michigan  (Feb.  20th),  expresses  his  thanks 
for  a  manuscript  copy  of  the  MS.  report.  "I  trust,"  he  adds, 
"  the  report  will  be  published  by  the  government.  It  would  be 
no  less  useful  and  satisfactory  to  the  public  than  honorable  to 
yourself." 


60  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Greology  of  Western  New  York. — Mr.  Andrew  McNabb,  of  Ge 
neva  (Feb.  26th),  sends  me  two  separate  memoirs  on  the  mine 
ralogy  and  geology  of  the  country,  to  be  employed  as  materials  in 
my  contemplated  memoir.  The  zeal  and  intelligence  of  this  gen 
tleman  have  led  him  to  outstrip  every  observer  who  has  entered 
into  this  field  of  local  knowledge.  Its  importance  to  the  value  of 
the  lands,  their  mines,  ores,  resources,  water  power,  and  general 
character,  has  led  him  to  take  the  most  enlarged  views  of  the 
subject. 

"  Pursue,''  he  says,  "  my  dear  sir,  your  career,  for  it  is  an 
honorable  one.  The  world,  bad  as  it  is,  has  been  much  worse  than 
now  for  authors  ;  and  through  the  great  reading  public,  there  are 
many  generous  souls,  whose  views  are  not  confined  to  sordidness 
and  self.  May  all  your  laudable  exertions  be  crowned  with  ample 
success — with  pleasure  and  profit  to  yourself  and  fellow-citizens  !" 

Boulder  of  Copper. — A  large  specimen  of  native  copper  from 
Lake  Superior,  procured  by  me,  forwarded  to  Mr.  Calhoun,  by- 
General  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer,  representative  in  Congress,  was 
cut  up  by  his  directions,  and  presented  to  the  foreign  ministers 
and  gentlemen  from  abroad ;  and  thus  the  resources  of  the  coun 
try  made  known.  In  a  letter  of  Feb.  27th,  Mr.  Calhoun  acknow 
ledges  the  receipt  of  it. 

Theoretical  G-eology. — Mr.  McNabb,  in  forwarding  additional 
papers  relative  to  western  geology,  observes :  "  Have  you  seen 
Greenough's  Essays  on  Greology?  The  reviewers  speak  of  it  as 
well  as  critics  usually  do  on  such  occasions.  President  Greenough 
has  given  a  shock  to  the  '  Wernerian  system;'  his  battery  is  pretty 
powerful,  but  he  seems  more  intent  on  leveling  than  on  building. 
The  Wernerian  system  is  very  beautiful,  ingenious,  and  plausible, 
and  I  would  almost  regret  its  demolition,  unless  it  should  be  found 
to  stand  in  the  way  of  truth. 

"  Without  some  system  or  order  in  the  investigation  of  nature's 
works  and  nature's  laws,  the  mind  is  puzzled  and  confounded, 
wandering,  like  Noah's  dove,  over  the  face  of  the  deep,  without 
finding  a  resting-place.  What  a  pity  that  human  knowledge  and 
tmman  powers  are  so  limited  !" 


PERSONAL  MEMOIKS.  61 

Indian  Symbolic  Figures. — Professor  Douglass  (March  17th) 
writes,  making  some  inquiries  about  certain  symbolic  figures  on 
the  Sioux  bark  letter,  found  above  Sank  River. 

Expedition  to  the  Yellow  Stone. — I  fancy  those  western  expe 
ditions  intend  to  beat  us  all  hollow,  in  tough  yarn,  as  the  sailors 
have  it ;  for  it  seems  the  Indian  affair  has  got  into  the  form  of  a 
newspaper  controversy  already :  vide  Aurora  and  National  Gf-azette. 

Mineralogy  of  Georgia. — J.  T.  Johnston,  Esq.,  of  New  York, 
writes  (March  23d)  that  he  has  made  an  arrangement  for  procur 
ing  minerals  for  me  from  this  part  of  the  Union. 

Scientific  Subjects.  —  Mr.  McNabb  writes  (March  27th) :  "  I 
deeply  regret  that  so  little  attention  is  bestowed  by  our  legislatures 
(State  and  National)  on  objects  of  such  importance  as  those  which 
engage  your  thoughts,  while  so  much  time,  breath,  and  treasure 
are  wasted  on  frivolous  subjects  and  party  objects.  How  long 
must  the  patriot  and  philanthropist  sigh  for  the  termination  of 
such  driveling  and  delusion  !" 

After  a  labor  at  my  table  of  about  fourteen  weeks,  the  manu 
script  was  all  delivered  to  my  printers ;  and  I  returned  to  New 
York,  and  took  up  my  abode  in  my  old  quarters  at  71  Courtland. 
The  work  was  brought  out  on  the  20th  of  May,  making  an  octavo 
volume  of  419  pages,  with  six  plates,  a  map,  and  engraved  title- 
page.  Marks  of  the  haste  with  which  it  was  run  through  the  press 
were  manifest,  and  not  a  few  typographical  errors.  Nobody  was 
more  sensible  of  this  than  myself,  and  of  the  value  that  more  time 
and  attention  would  have  imparted.  But  the  public  received  it  with 
avidity,  and  the  whole  edition  was  disposed  of  in  a  short  time. 
Approbatory  notices  appeared  in  the  principal  papers  and  journals. 
The  New  York  Columbian  says  : —  / 

"The  author  has  before  given  the  public  a  valuable  work  upon 
the  Lead  Mines  of  Missouri,  and,  if  we  mistake  not,  a  book  of 
instructions  upon  the  manufacture  of  glass.  He  is  advantageously 
known  as  a  man  of  science  and  literary  research,  and  well  quali 
fied  to  turn  to  beneficial  account  the  mass  of  information  he  must 


62  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

have  collected  in  his  tour  through  that  interesting  part  of  the 
country,  which  has  attracted  universal  attention,  though  our 
knowledge  of  it  has  hitherto  been  extremely  limited.  We  think 
there  is  no  fear  that  the  just  expectations  of  the  public  will  be 
disappointed;  but  that  the  book  will  be  found  to  furnish  all  the 
valuable  and  interesting  information  that  the  subject  and  acquire 
ments  of  the  writer  promised,  conveyed  in  a  chaste  and  easy  style 
appropriate  for  the  journalist — occasionally  enlivened  by  animat 
ing  descriptions  of  scenery.  The  author  has  not  suffered  his 
imagination  to  run  wild  from  a  foolish  vanity  to  win  applause  as  a 
fine  writer,  when  the  great  object  should  be  to  give  the  reader  a 
view  of  what  he  describes,  as  far  as  language  will  permit,  in  the 
same  light  in  which  he  beheld  it  himself.  He  aims  to  give  you  a 
just  and  true  account  of  what  he  has  seen  and  heard,  and  his  book 
will  be  referred  to  as  a  record  of  facts  by  the  learned  and  scien 
tific  at  home  and  abroad.  It  is  a  production  honorable  «to  the 
country,  and,  if  we  mistake  not,  will  advance  her  reputation  in 
the  opinion  of  the  fastidious  reviewers  of  Scotland  and  England, 
in  spite  of  their  deep-rooted  prejudices." 

Mr.  Walsh,  of  the  National  Gazette,  deems  it  a  valuable  addition 
to  this  class  of  literature. 

" Public  attention,"  he  remarks,  "  was  much  excited  last  year  by 
the  prospectus  of  the  expedition,  of  which  Mr.  Schoolcraft  formed 
a  part  as  mineralogist,  and  whose  journey  he  has  now  described. 
He  remarks,  in  his  introduction,  with  truth,  that  but  little  detailed 
information  was  before  possessed  of  the  extreme  northwestern 
region  of  the  Union — of  the  great  chain  of  lakes — and  of  the 
sources  of  the  Mississippi  River,  which  continued  to  be  a  subject 
of  dispute  between  geographical  writers.  In  the  autumn  of  1819 
Governor  Cass,  of  Michigan  Territory,  projected  an  expedition  for 
exploring  what  was  so  imperfectly  known,  and  yet  so  worthy  of 
being  industriously  surveyed. 

"  The  Secretary  of  War — to  whom  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  book  is 
appropriately  dedicated,  with  a  just  testimony  to  the  liberal  and 
enlightened  character  of  his  official  administration — not  only  ad 
mitted  the  plan  of  Governor  Cass,  but  furnished  him  with  the 
means  of  carrying  it  into  full  effect  by  providing  an  escort  of  sol 
diers  and  directing  the  commandants  of  the  frontier  garrisons  to 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  63 

furnish  every  aid,  of  whatever  description,  which  the  party  might 
require.  To  the  Governor,  as  chief  of  the  expedition,  he  asso 
ciated  several  gentlemen  qualified  to  accomplish  its  objects;  which 
were — a  more  correct  knowledge  of  the  names,  numbers,  customs, 
history,  mode  of  subsistence,  and  dispositions  of  the  Indian  tribes 
—the  collection  of  materials  for  an  accurate  map  of  the  country — 
the  investigation  of  the  subject  of  the  northwestern  copper  and 
lead  mines,  and  gypsum  quarries ;  and  the  acquisition,  from  the 
Indians,  of  such  tracts  as  might  be  necessary  to  secure  the  benefit 
of  them  to  the  United  States. 

"  In  the  course  of  last  March,  we  published  a  letter  of  Governor 
Cass  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  describing  in  a  happy  manner  some 
of  the  scenes  and  occurrences  which  fell  within  the  observation  or 
inquiry  of  the  expedition.  Mr.  Schoolcraft  states,  at  the  end  of 
his  introductory  remarks,  that  he  does  not  profess  to  communicate 
all  the  topographical  information  collected,  and  that  a  special  to 
pographical  report  and  map  may  be  expected,  together  with  other 
reports  and  the  scientific  observations  of  the  expedition  in  gene 
ral.  We  anticipate,  therefore,  an  ample  and  valuable  accession  to 
our  stock  of  knowledge  respecting  so  important  a  portion  of  the 
American  territory  ;  and  such  evidence  of  the  utility  of  enterprises 
of  the  kind,  as  will  inspire  every  branch  of  the  government  with 
a  desire  to  see  them  repeated  with  equipments  and  facilities  adapted 
to  the  most  comprehensive  research,  and  fitted  to  render  them  cre 
ditable  in  their  fruits  to  the  national  character  abroad. 

"  The  present  narrative  does  not  exhibit  the  author  in  his  capa 
city  of  mineralogist  alone.  In  this  he  appears  indeed  more  distinct 
ively,  and  to  particular  advantage  ;  but  he  writes  also  as  a  general 
describer  and  relater,  and  has  furnished  lively  and  ample  accounts 
of  the  natural  objects,  and  novel,  magnificent  scenery  which  he 
witnessed;  and  of  the  history,  character,  condition,  and  habits  of 
the  various  Indian  bands  whom  he  encountered  in  his  route,  or 
who  belong  especially  to  our  northwestern  territories." 

I  was  deeply  sensible  of  the  exalted  feelings  and  enlarged  sen 
timents  with  which  these  and  other  notices  were  written.  The 
effect  on  my  mind  was  a  sense  of  literary  humility,  and  a  desire 
to  prove  myself  in  any  future  attempts  of  the  kind  in  some  mea 
sure  worthy  of  them.  Literary  candidates  are  not  ever,  perhaps, 


64  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

so  much  pleased  or  gratified  by  those  who  render  them  exact  jus 
tice,  of  which  there  is  always  some  notion,  as  by  warm,  liberal,  or 
high-minded  thoughts  and  commendations,  which  are  incentives 
to  future  labors. 

May  22d. — General  Cass  had,  before  leaving  Detroit,  offered 
me  the  situation  of  Secretary  to  the  Commissioners  appointed  to 
confer  with  the  Indians  at  Chicago  in  the  summer  of  1821,  with 
a  view,  primarily,  to  the  interesting  and  circuitous  journey  which 
it  was  his  intention  to  make,  in  order  to  reach  the  place  of  meet 
ing.  This  oifer,  as  the  time  drew  on,  he  now  put  in  the  shape  of 
a  letter,  which  I  determined  at  once  to  accept,  and  made  my 
arrangements  to  leave  the  city  without  loss  of  time. 

It  was  proposed  to  be  at  Detroit  the  1st  of  July.  The  tour 
would  lie  through  the  valleys  of  the  Miami  of  the  lakes,  and  the 
Wabash,  which  interlock  at  the  Fort  Wayne  summit ;  then 
across  the  Grand  Prairie  of  the  Illinois  to  St.  Louis,  and  up  the 
Illinois  River  from  its  mouth  to  its  source.  This  would  give  me  a 
personal  knowledge  of  three  great  valleys,  which  I  had  not  before 
explored,  and  connect  my  former  southern  explorations  in  Arkan 
sas  and  Missouri  with  those  of  the  great  lake  basins  and  the 
upper  Mississippi.  I  had  been  at  the  sources  and  the  mouth  of 
that  great  river,  and  I  had  now  the  opportunity  to  complete  the 
knowledge  of  its  central  portions.  It  was  with  the  utmost  avidity, 
therefore,  that  I  turned  my  face  again  towards  the  West. 

Mr.  Calhoun,  who  was  written  to  on  the  subject,  concurred  in 
this  plan,  and  extended  the  time  for  the  completion  of  my  geolo 
gical  report. 

Joint  Work  on  the  Scientific  Results  of  the  Expedition  of  1820. — 
General  Cass,  who  had  been  written  to,  thus  expresses  himself  on 
this  subject: — 

"  Captain  Douglass  has  informed  me  that  you  and  he  meditate 
a  joint  work,  which  shall  comprise  those  objects,  literary  and 
scientific,  which  could  not  properly  find  a  place  in  a  diurnal  narra 
tive.  At  what  time  is  this  work  to  appear,  and  what  are  its  plan 
and  objects?  My  observations  and  inquiries  respecting  the 
Indians  will  lead  me  much  further  than  I  intended  or  expected. 
If  I  can  prepare  anything  upon  that  subject  prior  to  the  appear 
ance  of  the  work,  I  shall  be  happy  to  do  it." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  65 

Geological  Survey  of  Dutchess  County. — Dr.  Benjamin  Allen, 
of  Hyde  Park,  writes  to  me  (June  4th)  on  this  subject,  urging  me 
to  undertake  the  survey;  but  the  necessity  of  closing  my  engage 
ments  in  the  West  rendered  it  impossible. 

^Expedition  of  1820. — Dr.  Mitchell  furnishes  me  opinions  upon 
some  of  the  scientific  objects  collected  by  me  and  my  associates 
in  the  northwest  in  1820  : — 

"  The  Squirrel  sent  by  General  Cass  is  a  species  not  heretofore 
described,  and  has  been  named  by  Dr.  Mitchell  the  federation 
squirrel,  or  sciurus  tredecem  striatus. 

"The  Pouched  Rat,  or  mus  bursarius,  has  been  seen  but  once  in 
Europe.  This  was  a  specimen  sent  to  the  British  Museum  from 
Canada,  and  described  by  Dr.  Shaw.  But  its  existence  is  rather 
questioned  by  Charles  Cuvier. 

"Both  animals  have  been  described  and  the  descriptions  published 
in  the  21st  Vol.  of  the  Medical  Repository  of  New  York,  p.  248 
et  seq.  The  specimens  are  both  preserved  in  my  museum.  Draw 
ings  have  been  executed  by  the  distinguished  artist  Milbert,  and 
forwarded  by  him  at  my  request  to  the  administrators  of  the 
King's  Museum,  at  Paris,  of  which  he  is  a  corresponding  member. 
My  descriptions  accompany  them.  The  originals  are  retained  as 
too  valuable  to  be  sent  out  of  the  country. 

"  The  Paddle  Fish  is  the  spatularia  of  Shaw  and  polyodon  of 
Lacepede.  It  lives  in  the  Mississippi  only,  and  the  skeleton, 
though  incomplete,  is  better  than  any  other  person  here  possesses. 
It  is  carefully  preserved  in  my  collection. 

"The  Serpent  is  a  species  of  the  Linnsean  genus  Anguis,  the 
orveto  of  the  French,  and  the  blind  worm  of  the  English.  The 
loss  of  the  tail  of  this  fragile  creature  may  render  an  opinion 
a  little  dubious,  but  it  is  supposed  to  be  an  ophias  aureus  of  Dan- 
din,  corresponding  to  the  Anguis  ventralis  of  Linn,  figured  by 
Catesby. 

"  The  shells  afford  a  rich  amount  of  undescribed  species.  The 
whole  of  the  univalves  and  bivalves,  received  from  Messrs.  School- 
craft  and  Douglass,  have  been  assembled,  and  examined  with  all 
I  possessed  before,  and  with  Mr.  Stacy  Collins's  molluscas  brought 
from  Ohio.  Mr.  Barnes  is  charged  with  describing  and  deline- 
5 


66  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

ating  all  the  species  not  contained  in  Mr.  Say's  memoir  on  these 
productions  of  the  land  and  fresh  waters  of  North  America.  The 
finished  work  will  be  laid  before  the  Lyceum,  and  finally  be  printed 
in  Silliman's  New  Haven  Journal.  The  species  with  which  zoology 
•will  be  enriched  will  amount  probably  to  nine  or  ten.  We  shall 
endeavor  to  be  just  to  our  friends  and  benefactors. 

"  The  pipe  adorns  my  mantelpiece,  and  is  much  admired  by  con 
noisseurs." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  67 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Trip  through  the  Miami  of  the  lakes,  and  the  W abash  Valley— Cross  the 
grand  prairie  of  Illinois— Revisit  the  mines — Ascend  the  Illinois— Fever — 
Return  through  the  great  lakes— Notice  of  the  "  Trio"— Letter  from  Profes 
sor  Silliman — Prospect  of  an  appointment  under  government — Loss  of  the 
"  Walk-in- the-Water" — ^Geology  of  Detroit— Murder  of  Dr.  Madison  by  a 
Winnebago  Indian. 

1821.'  I  LEFT  New  York  for  Chicago  on  the  16th  June — hurried 
rapidly  through  the  western  part  of  that  State — passed  up  Lake 
Erie  from  Buffalo,  and  reached  Detroit  just  in  season  to  embark, 
on  the  4th  of  July.  General  Cass  was  ready  to  proceed,  with  his 
canoe-elege  in  the  water.  We  passed,  the  same  day,  down  the 
Detroit  River,  and  through  the  head  of  Lake  Erie  into  the  Maumee 
Bay  to  Port  Lawrence,  the  present  site,  I  believe,  of  the  city  of 
Toledo.  This  was  a  distance  of  seventy  miles,  a  prodigious  day's 
journey  for  a  canoe.  But  we  were  shot  along  by  a  strong  wind, 
which  was  fair  when  we  started,  but  had  insensibly  increased  to  a 
gale  in  Lake  Erie,  when  we  found  it  impossible  to  turn  to  land 
without  the  danger  of  filling.  The  wind,  though  a  gale,  was  still 
directly  aft.  On  one  occasion  I  thought  we  should  have  gone  to 
the  bottom,  the  waves  breaking  in  a  long  series,  above  our  heads, 
and  rolling  down  our  breasts  into  the  canoe.  I  looked  quietly  at 
General  Cass,  who  sat  close  on  my  right,  but  saw  no  alarm  in  his 
countenance.  "That  was  a  fatherly  one,"  was  his  calm  expres 
sion,  and  whatever  was  thought,  little  was  said.  We  weathered 
and  entered  the  bay  silently,  but  with  feelings  such  as  a  man  may 
be  supposed  to  have  when  there  is  but  a  step  between  him  and 
death. 

We  ascended  the  Miami  Valley,  through  scenes  renowned  by  the 
events  of  two  or  three  wars.  I  walked  over  the  scene  of  Dudley's 
defeat  in  1812 ;  of  Wayne's  victory  in  1793  ;  and  of  the  sites  of 
forts  Deposit  and  Defiance,  and  other  events  celebrated  in  history. 


68  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

From  Fort  Defiance,  which  is  at  the  junction  of  the  River  Au- 
glaize,  we  rode  to  Fort  Wayne,  sleeping  in  a  deserted  hut  half  way. 
We  passed  the  summit  to  the  source  of  the  Wabash,  horseback, 
sleeping  at  an  Indian  house,  where  all  the  men  were  drunk,  and  kept 
up  a  howling  that  would  have  done  credit  to  a  pack  of  hungry  wolves. 
The  Canadians,  who  managed  our  canoe,  in  the  mean  time  brought 
it  from  water  to  water  on  their  shoulders,  and  we  again  embarked, 
leaving  our  horses  at  the  forks  of  the  Wabash.  The  whole  of 
this  long  and  splendid  valley,  then  wild  and  in  the  state  of  nature, 
till  below  the  Tippecanoe,  we  traversed,  day  by  day,  stopping  at 
Vincennes,  Terrehaute,  and  a  hundred  other  points,  and  entered 
the  Ohio  and  landed  safely  at  Shawneetown.  Here  it  was  deter 
mined  to  send  the  Canadians  with  our  canoe,  round  by  water  to 
St.  Louis,  while  we  hired  a  sort  of  stage-wagon  to  cross  the 
prairies.  I  visited  the  noted  locality  of  fluor  spar  in  Pope  County, 
Illinois,  and  crossing  the  mountainous  tract  called  the  Knobs, 
rejoined  the  party  at  the  Saline.  Here  I  found  my  old  friend  En- 
menger,  of  Kemp  and  Keen  memory,  to  be  the  innkeeper.  On 
reaching  St.  Louis,  General  Cass  rode  over  the  country  to  see  the 
Missouri,  while  I,  in  a  sulky,  revisited  the  mines  in  Washington, 
and  brought  back  a  supply  of  its  rich  minerals.  We  proceeded  in 
our  canoe  up  the  River  Illinois  to  the  rapids,  at  what  is  called 
Fort  Rock,  or  Starved  Rock,  and  from  thence,  finding  the  water 
low,  rode  on  horseback  to  Chicago,  horses  having  been  sent,  for  this 
purpose,  from  Chicago  to  meet  us.  There  was  not  a  house  from 
Peoria  to  John  Craft's,  four  miles  from  Chicago.  I  searched  for, 
and  found,  the  fossil  tree,  reported  to  lie  in  the  rocks  in  the  bed  of 
the  river  Des  Plaines.  The  sight  of  Lake  Michigan,  on  nearing 
Chicago,  was  like  the  ocean.  We  found  an  immense  number  of  In 
dians  assembled.  The  Potawattomies,  in  their  gay  dresses  and  on 
horseback,  gave  the  scene  an  air  of  Eastern  magnificence.  Here  we 
were  joined  by  Judge  Solomon  Sibley,  the  other  commissioner  from 
Detroit,  whence  he  had  crossed  the  peninsula  on  horseback,  and 
we  remained  in  negotiation  with  the  Indians  during  fifteen  con 
secutive  days.  A  treaty  was  finally  signed  by  them  on  the  24th 
of  August,  by  which,  for  a  valuable  consideration  in  annuities 
and  goods,  they  ceded  to  the  United  States  about  five  millions  of 
acres  of  choice  lands. 

Before  this  negotiation  was  finished,  I  was  seized  with  bilious 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  69 

fever,  and  consequently  did  not  sign  the  treaty.  It  was  of  the 
worst  bilious  type,  and  acute  in  its  character.  I  did  not,  indeed, 
ever  expect  to  make  another  entry  in  a  human  journal.  But  a 
vigorous  constitution  at  length  prevailed,  and  weeks  after  all  the 
party  had  left  the  ground,  I  was  permitted  to  embark  in  a  vessel 
called  the  Decatur  on  the  23d  of  September  for  Detroit.  We  reach 
ed  Michilimackinack  the  seventh  day  of  our  voyage,  and  returned 
to  Detroit  on  the  6th  of  October.  The  incidents  and  observations 
of  this  journey  have  been  given  to  the  public  under  the  title  "Tra 
vels  in  the  Central  Portions  of  the  Mississippi  Valley"  (1  vol.  pp. 
459,  8vo.:  New  York). 

I  still  felt  the  effects  of  my  illness  on  reaching  Detroit,  where 
I  remained  a  few  days  before  setting  out  for  New  York.  On 
reaching  Oneida  County,  where  I  stopped  to  recruit  my  strength, 
I  learned  that  some  envious  persons,  who  shielded  themselves 
under  the  name  of  "  Trio,"  had  attacked  my  Narrative  Journal, 
in  one  of  the  papers  during  my  absence.  The  attack  was  not  of 
a  character  to  demand  a  very  grave  notice,  and  was  happily  ex 
posed  by  Mr.  Carter,  in  some  remarks  in  the  columns  of  the 
Statesman,  which  first  called  my  attention  to  the  subject. 

"A  trio  of  writers,"  he  observes,  in  his  paper  of  17th  August, 
"in  the  Daily  Advertiser  of  Wednesday,  have  commenced  an 
attack  on  the  Narrative  Journal  of  Mr.  Schoolcraft,  lately  pub 
lished  in  this  city.  We  should  feel  excessively  mortified  for  the 
literary  reputation  of  our  country,  if  it  took  any  three  of  our 
writers  to  produce  such  a  specimen  of  criticism  as  the  article 
alluded  to;  and  'for  charity's  sweet  sake,'  we  will  suppose  that  by 
a  typographical  error  the  signature  is  printed  Trio  instead  of  Tyro. 
At  any  rate,  the  essay,  notwithstanding  all  its  wes  and  ours,  bears 
the  marks  of  being  the  effort  of  one  smatterer,  rather  than  the 
joint  production  of  three  critics,  as  the  name  imports. 

"  The  Trio  (if  we  admit  there  are  triajuneta  in  uno,  in  this  knot 
of  savans)  pretend  to  be  governed  by  patriotic  motives  in  attack 
ing  Mr.  Schoolcraft.  4  In  what  we  have  said,  our  object  has  been 
to  expose  error,  and  to  shield  ourselves  from  the  imputation  which 
would  justly  be  thrown  upon  ourselves.'  The  construction  of  this 
sentence  reminds  us  of  the  exordium  of  Deacon  Strong's  speech  at 
Stonington — 'the  generality  of  mankind  in  general  endeavor  to 
try  to  take  the  disadvantage  of  the  generality  of  mankind  in 


70  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

general.'  But  not  to  indulge  in  levities  on  so  grave  a  subject,  we 
are  happy  in  the  belief  that  the  reputation  of  our  country  does 
not  demand  the  condemnation  of  Schoolcraft's  Journal,  as  a  proof 
of  our  taste,  nor  need  such  a  shield  as  the  trio  have  interposed,  to 
protect  it  from  thq  attacks  of  foreign  reviewers  : — 

'Non  tali  auxilio,  nee  defensoribus  istis 
Tempus  eget.' 

It  affords  us  great  pleasure  to  relieve  the  anxiety  of  the  Trio  on 
the  subject  of  shielding  4  ourselves  from  the  imputation  which  would 
be  justly  thrown  upon  ourselves,'  by  stating  that  one  of  the  most 
scientific  gentlemen  in  the  United  States  wrote  to  the  publishers 
of  Schoolcraft's  Journal,  not  a  week  since,  for  a  copy  of  the  work 
to  send  to  Paris,  adding  to  his  request,  the  work  is  so  valuable  that 
I  doubt  not  it  would  be  honorably  noticed. 

^  "We  have  not  taken  the  trouble  to  examine  the  passages  to  which 
the  Trio  have  referred  ;  for,  admitting  that  a  trifling  error  has  been 
detected  in  an  arithmetical  calculation — that  a  few  plants  (or  vege 
tables,  as  this  botanist  calls  them)  have  been  described  as  new, 
which  were  before  known — and  .that  in  the  haste  of  composition 
some  verbal  errors  may  have  escaped  the  author,  yet  these  slight 
defects  do  not  detract  essentially  from  the  merit  of  the  work,  or 
prove  that  it  has  improperly  been  denominated  a  scientific,  valua 
ble,  and  interesting  volume.  Our  sage  critics  are  not  aware  how 
many  and  whom  they  include  in  the  denunciation  of  4  a  few  men 
who  pretend  to  all  the  knowledge,  all  the  wisdom  of  the  country;' 
if  by  a  few  they  mean  all  who  have  spoken  in  the  most  favorable 
terms  of  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  book. 

"  One  word  in  respect  to  the  i  candor'  of  the  Trio,  and  we  have 
done.  It  would  seem  to  have  been  more  candid,  and  the  disavowal 
of  'an  intention  to  injure'  would  have  been  more  plausible,  if  the 
attack  had  been  commenced  when  the  author  was  present  to  de 
fend  himself,  and  not  when  he  is  in  the  depth  of  a  wilderness,  re 
mote  from  his  assailants  and  ignorant  of  their  criticisms.  But  we 
trust  he  has  left  many  friends  behind  who  will  promptly  and 
cheerfully  defend  his  reputation  till  his  return." 

On  reading  the  pieces,  I  found  them  to  be  based  in  a  petty  spirit 
of  fault-finding,  uncandid,  illiberal,  and  without  wit,  science,  or 
learning.  It  is  said  in  a  book,  which  my  critics  did  not  seem  to 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  71 

have  caught  the  spirit  of — "  Should  not  the  multitude  of  words 
be  answered,  and  should  a  man  fall  if  talk  be  justified  ?  Should 
thy  lies  make  men  hold  their  peace,  and  when  thou  mockest  shall 
no  man  make  thee  ashamed?"  (Job  xi.  2,  3.)  My  blood  boiled. 
I  could  have  accepted  and  approved  candid  and  learned  and  scien 
tific  criticism.  I  replied  in  the  papers,  pointing  out  the  gross 
illiberality  of  the  attack,  and  tried  to  provoke  a  discovery  of  the. 
authors.  But  they  were  still  as  death  ;  the  mask  that  had  been 
assumed  to  shield  envy,  hypercriticism,  and  falsehood,  there  was 
neither  elevation  of  moral  purpose,  courage,  nor  honor,  to  lay  aside. 

In  the  mean  time,  all  my  correspondents  and  friends  sustained 
me.  Men  of  the  highest  standing  in  science  and  letters  wrote  to 
me.  A  friend  of  high  standing,  in  a  note  from  Washington 
(Oct.  24th)  congratulating  me  on  my  recovery  from  the  fever  at 
Chicago,  makes  the  following  allusion  to  this  concealed  and  spite 
ful  effort :  "  When  in  Albany  I  procured  from  Mr.  Webster  copies 
of  them  (the  pieces),  with  a  view  to  say  something  in  the  papers, 
had  it  been  necessary.  But,  from  their  character  and  effect,  this 
would  have  been  wholly  unnecessary.  They  have  fallen  still-born 
from  the  press." 

Mr.  Carter  (Oct.  28th)  says:  "  G.  C.  was  at  my  room,  and  spoke 
of  the  numbers  with  the  utmost  contempt,  and  thought  they  were 
not  worth  noticing.  The  same  opinion  is  entertained  by  every  one 
whom  I  have  heard  speak  on  the  subject.  Chancellor  Kent  told 
me  that  your  book  is  the  most  interesting  he  has  ever  read,  and 
that  the  attack  on  it  amounts  to  nothing.  Others  have  paid  it  the 
%ame  compliment,  and  I  think  your  fame  is  in  no  danger  of  being 
injured  by  the  Trio." 

Mr.  Baldwin,  a  legal  gentleman  of  high  worth  and  standing, 
made  the  following  observations  in  one  of  the  city  papers,  under 
the  signature  of  "Albanian": — 

u  True  criticism  is  a  liberal  and  humane  art,  and  teaches  no 
less  to  point  out  and  admire  what  is  deserving  of  applause,  than 
to  detect  and  expose  blemishes  and  defects.  If  this  be  a  correct 
definition  of  criticism,  and  '  Trio'  were  capable  of  filling  the  office 
he  has  assumed,  I  am  of  opinion  that  a  different  judgment  would 
have  been  pronounced  upon  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  book  of  travels  ;  and 
that  they  would  have  been  justly  eulogized,  and  held  up  for  the 
perusal  of  every  person  at  all  anxious  about  acquiring  an  intimate 


72  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

knowledge  of  the  interesting  country  through  which  he  traveled, 
and  which  he  so  ably  and  beautifully  described.  It  is  certainly 
true,  that  we  abound  in  snarling  critics,  whose  chief  delight  is  in 
finding  fault  with  works  of  native  production  ;  and  though  it  is  not 
my  business  to  tread  upon  their  corns,  I  could  wish  they  might  ever 
receive  that  castigation  and  contempt  which  they  merit  from  a 
liberal  and  enlightened  public.  In  the  first  article  which  appeared 
in  your  useful  paper,  over  the  signature  of  i  Trio,'  I  thought  I 
discovered  only  the  effervescence  of  a  pedantic  and  caviling  dis 
position  ;  but,  when  I  find  that  writer  making  false  and  erroneous 
statements,  and  drawing  deductions  therefrom  unfavorable  to  Mr. 
Schoolcraft,  I  deprecate  the  evil,  and  invite  the  public  to  a  free 
and  candid  investigation  of  the  truth.  Not  satisfied  with  detract 
ing  from  the  merits  of  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  work,  'Trio'  indulges  in 
some  bitter  and  illiberal  remarks  upon  those  gentlemen  who  com 
posed  the  Yellow  Stone  River  expedition  ;  and  to  show  how  little 
qualified  he  is  for  the  subject,  I  will  venture  to  declare  him  ignorant 
of  the  very  first  principles  upon  which  that  expedition  was  organ 
ized." 

So  much  for  the  "  Trio."  No  actual  discovery  of  the  authors 
was  made ;  but  from  information  subsequently  obtained,  it  is  be 
lieved  that  their  names  are  denoted  under  the  anagram  LENICTRA. 

Other  criticisms  of  a  different  stamp  were,  however,  received 
from  high  sources,  speaking  well  of  the  work,  which  may  here  be 
mentioned.  Professor  Silliman  writes  from  New  Haven,  November 
22d  :  "I  perused  your  travels  with  great  satisfaction  ;  they  have 
imparted  to  me  a  great  deal  of  information  and  pleasure.  CoulcP 
any  scientific  friend  of  yours  (Captain  Douglass,  for  instance) 
prepare  a  notice,  or  a  review,  I  would  cheerfully  insert  it. 

"  In  reading  your  travels,  I  marked  with  a  pencil  the  scientific 
notices,  and  especially  those  on  mineralogy  and  geology,  thinking 
that  I  might  at  a  future  period  embody  them  into  an  article 
for  the  journal.  Would  it  not  be  consistent  with  your  time  and 
occupations  to  do  this,,  and  forward  me  the  article  ?  I  would  be 
greatly  pleased  also  to  receive  from  you  a  notice  of  the  fluor  spar 
from  Illinois  ;  of  the  fossil  tree ;  and,  in  short,  any  of  your  scientific 
or  miscellaneous  observations,  which  you  may  see  fit  to  intrust  to 
the  pages  of  the  journal,  I  shall  be  happy  to  receive,  and  trust 
they  would  not  have  a  disadvantageous  introduction  to  the  world." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  73 

How  different  is  this  in  its  spirit  and  temper  from  the  flimsy 
thoughts  of  the  Trio  ! 

Literary  Honors. — Dr.  Alfred  S.  Monson,  of  New  Haven,  in 
forms  me  (November  23d)  of  my  election  as  a  member  of  the 
American  Geological  Society.  Mr.  Austin  Abbott  communicates 
notice  of  my  election  as  a  member  of  the  Hudson  Lyceum  of 
Natural  History. 

Appointment  under  Government. — A  friend  in  high  confidence 
at  Washington  writes  (November  4th) :  "  The  proposition  to 
remove  from  Sackett's  Harbor  to  the  Sault  of  St.  Mary  a  battalion 
of  the  army,  and  to  establish  a  military  post  at  the  latter  place, 
has  been  submitted  by  Mr.  Calhoun  to  the  President.  The  pres 
sure  of  other  subjects  has  required  an  investigation  and  decision 
since  his  return  ;  so  that  he  has  not  yet  been  able  to  examine  this 
matter.  Mr.  Calhoun  is  himself  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  mea 
sure,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  such  will  be  the  result  of  the 
Presidential  deliberation.  The  question  is  too  plain,  and  the  con 
siderations  connected  with  it  too  obvious  and  important,  to  allow 
any  prominent  difficulties  to  intrude  themselves  between  the  con 
ception  and  the  execution  of  the  measure.  If  a  post  be  established, 
it  is  almost  certain  that  an  Indian  agency  will  be  located  there, 
and,  in  the  event,  it  is  quite  certain  that  you  will  be  appointed 
the  agent." 

Loss  of  the  "  Walk-in-the-water."  —  This  fine  steamer  was 
wrecked  near  the  foot  of  Lake  Erie,  in  November.  A  friend  in 
Detroit  writes  (November  17th):  "This  accident  maybe  consider 
ed  as  one  of  the  greatest  misfortunes  which  have  ever  befallen 
Michigan,  for  in  addition  to  its  having  deprived  us  of  all  certain 
and  speedy  communication  with  the  civilized  world,  I  am  fearful 
it  will  greatly  check  the  progress  of  emigration  and  improvement. 
They  speak  of  three  new  boats  on  Lake  Erie  next  season ;  I  hope 
they  maybe  erected,  but  such  reports  are  always  exaggerated." 

G-eology  of  Detroit. — "  No  accurate  measurement  that  I  can 
find  has  ever  been  made  of  the  height  of  the  bank  of  the  river  at 
this  place.  As  near  as  I  can  ascertain,  however,  from  those  who 
have  endeavored  to  obtain  correct  information  respecting  it,  and 


74  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

from  my  own  judgment,  I  should  suppose  the  base  of  the  pillars 
at  the  upper  end  of  the  market-house,  which  stand  three  hundred 
feet  from  the  water's-  edge,  to  be  thirty-three  feet  above  the  sur 
face  of  the  river.  The  bank  is  of  a  gentle  descent  towards  the 
water,  and  gradually  recedes  from  the  river  for  one  mile  above  the 
lower  line  of  the  city. 

aln  digging  a  well  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  city,  in  the 
street  near  the  Council  House,  the  loam  appeared  to  be  about  a 
foot  and  a  half  deep.  The  workmen  then  passed  through  a 
stratum  of  blue  clay  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  when  they  struck  a  vein 
of  coarse  sand,  eight  inches  in  thickness,  through  which  the  water 
entered  so  fast,  as  to  almost  prevent  them  from  going  deeper. 
They,  however,  proceeded  through  another  bed  of  blue  clay, 
twenty  or  twenty-two  feet,  and  came  to  a  fine  yellow  sand,  resem 
bling  quicksand,  into  which  they  dug  three  feet  and  stopped,  having 
found  sufficient  water.  The  whole  depth  of  the  well  was* thirty- 
three  feet. 

"The  water  is  clear,  and  has  no  bad  taste.  No  vegetable  or 
other  remains  were  found,  and  only  a  few  small  stones  and  pebbles, 
such  as  are  on  the  shores  of  the  river.  A  little  coarse  dark  sand 
and  gravel  were  found  below  the  last  bed  of  clay,  on  the  top  of 
the  yellow  sand." 

The  boring  for  water  in  1830  was  extended,  on  the  Fort  Shelby 
plateau,  260  feet.  After  passing  ten  feet  of  alluvion,  the  auger 
passed  through  115  feet  of  blue  clay,  with  quicksand,  then  two  of 
beach  sand  and  pebbles,  when  the  limestone  rock  was  struck.  It 
was  geodiferous  for  sixty  feet,  then  lies  sixty-five,  then  a  carbon 
ate  of  lime  eight  feet,  at  which  depth  the  effort  was  relinquished 
unsuccessfully. — Historical  and  Scientific  Sketches  of  Michigan. 

"  Bed  of  the  Detroit  River. — I  am  induced  to  believe  the  bed 
of  the  River  Detroit  is  clay,  from  the  fact  that  it  affords  good 
anchorage  for  vessels.  Neither  limestone  nor  any  other  rock  has 
ever  been  discovered  in  it." 

Murder  of  Dr.  Madison. — A  gentleman  at  the  West  writes  to 
me  (Nov.  17):  "As  to  the  murder  of  Dr.  Madison,  the  facts 
were,  that  he  started  from  Green  Bay,  writh  three  soldiers,  to  go  to 
Chicago,  and  from  thence  to  his  wife  in  Kentucky,  who,  during 
his  absence,  had  added  '  one'  to  the  family.  The  Indian  Ke-taw- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  75 

kah  had  left  the  bay  the  day  previous,  had  passed  the  Indian 
village  on  the  Manatoowack  River,  on  his  way  to  Chebiogan  on 
the  west  side  of  Lake  Michigan,  to  see  a  relative,  but  had  turned 
back.  When  the  Doctor  met  him,  he  was  standing  by  the  side  of 
a  tree,  apparently  unemployed.  The  Indian,  says  the  Doctor, 
addressed  him,  and  said  something,  from  which  he  understood  they 
wanted  them  to  guide  him  to  Chicago.  As  he  knew  he  should  get 
something  to  eat  from  them,  he  concluded  he  would  go  with  them 
as  far  as  Chebiogan.  Accordingly,  he  fell  in  with  the  party  about 
2  P.  M.,  and  walked  on  until  they  had  passed  the  Manatoowack 
River,  about  three  miles. 

"They  came  to  a  small  rise  of  ground,  over  which  two  of  the 
soldiers  had  passed,  and  the  other  was  by  the  side  of  the  Doctor's 
horse,  and  both  were  just  on  the  top.  The  Indian  was  about  two 
rods  in  the  rear,  and  was  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  when  a  gun  was 
fired  in  the  rear,  and  Madison  received  the  charge  in  his  shoulders 
and  in  the  back  of  his  neck,  and  immediately  fell  from  his  horse. 
The  Indian  instantly  disappeared.  The  Doctor  exclaimed,  6  Oh ! 
why  has  that  Indian  shot  me  ?  I  never  did  him  or  any  of  them  any 
injury.  To  kill  me,  too,  when  I  was  just  returning  to  my  wife  and 
my  little  child,  which  I  have  never  seen !  It  is  more  painful  than 
death.'  His  conversation  was  very  pathetic,  as  related  by  the 
soldier,  and  all  who  heard  him  were  greatly  affected. 

"The  Indian  says  he  shot  him  without  any  cause  or  malice; 
that  the  thought  came  into  his  head,  about  two  minutes  before, 
that  he  would  kill  one  of  the  four ;  and  when  he  saw  the  Doctor 
on  the  top  of  the  hill,  he  concluded  he  would  fire  at  him,  to  see 
how  pretty  he  would  fall  off  his  horse." 

These  things  transpired  late  in  the  fall.  I  did  not  reach  Albany 
till  late  in  December,  and  immediately  began  to  prepare  my 
geological  report. 


76  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

New-Yearing — A  prospect  opened — Poem  of  Ontwa — Indian  biography — 
Fossil  tree — Letters  from  various  persons — Notice  of  Ontwa — Professor 
Silliman — Gov.  Clinton — Hon.  J.  Meigs — Colonel  Benton — Mr.  Dickenson 
— Professor  Hall — Views  of  Ex-presidents  Madison,  Jefferson,  and  Adams 
on  geology — Geological  notices — Plan  of  a  gazetteer — Opinions  of  ray 
Narrative  Journal  by  scientific  gentlemen — The  impostor  John  Dun  Hunter 
— Trip  up  the  Potomac — Mosaical  chronology — Visit  to  Mount  Vernon. 

1822.  Jan.  1st. — I  spent  this  day  a  New-Yearing.  Albany 
is  a  dear  place  for  the  first  of  January;  not  only  the  houses  of 
every  one,  but  the  hearts  of  every  one  seem  open  on  this  day.  It 
is  no  slight  praise  to  say  that  one  day  out  of  the  three  hundred 
and  sixty-five  is  consecrated  to  general  hospitality  and  warm 
hearted  cordiality.  If  St.  Nicholas  was  the  author  of  this  custom, 
he  was  a  social  saint ;  and  the  custom  seems  to  be  as  completely 
kept  up  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  as  it  ever  could  have  been  on 
the  banks  of  the  Rhine. 

Jan.  5th. — My  experience  is  that  he  who  would  rise,  in  science 
or  knowledge,  must  toil  incessantly ;  it  is  the  price  at  which  success 
sells  her  favors.  During  the  last  four  years,  I  have  passed  not  less 
than  ten  thousand  miles,  and  in  all  this  time  I  have  scarcely  lain 
down  one  night  without  a  feeling  that  the  next  day's  success  must 
depend  upon  a  fresh  appeal  to  continued  effort.  My  pathway  has 
certainly  not  lain  over  beds  of  gold,  nor  my  pillow  been  composed 
of  down.  And  yet  my  success  has  served  to  raise  the  envy  and 
malignity  of  some  minds.  True,  these  have  been  small  minds; 
while  a  just  appreciation  and  approval  have  marked  the  course  of 
the  exalted  and  enlightened.  A  friend  writes  from  Washington, 
this  day,  assuring  me  that  I  am  not  forgotten  in  high  quarters. 
•'The  occupation,"  he  says,  "  of  the  Sault  has  been  decided  on, 
and  I  have  but  little  doubt  of  your  appointment  to  the  agency. 
Make  your  mind  easy.  I  am  certain  the  government  will  not  for- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  77 

get  you,  and  I  never  can.  I  shall  not  lose  sight  of  your  interest 
a  moment." 

Thus,  while  an  envious  little  clique  here  has,  in  my  absence, 
clandestinely  thrown  most  uncandid  censure  upon  me  and  my  labors, 
a  vista  of  honor  is  presented  to  my  hopes  from  a  higher  source. 

While  recovering  from  the  prostrating  effects  of  my  Chicago 
fever,  I  had  drawn  up  a  memoir  for  the  American  Geological  So 
ciety,  which  had  made  me  a  member,  on  the  fossil  tree  observed 
in  the  stratification  of  the  Des  Plaines,  of  the  Illinois,  and  took 
the  occasion  of  being  detained  here  in  making  my  report,  to  print 
it,  and  circulate  copies.  It  appeared  to  be  a  good  opportunity, 
while  calling  attention  to  the  fact  described,  to  connect  it  with  the 
system  of  secondary  rocks,  as  explained  by  geologists.  In  this 
way,  the  occurrence  of  perhaps  a  not  absolutely  unique  phenome 
non  is  made  a  vehicle  of  conveying  geological  information,  which 
is  now  sought  with  avidity  in  the  country.  This  step  brought  me 
many  correspondents  of  note. 

Mr.  Madison  (Ex-President  United  States)  writes  (Jan.  22): 
i;  The  present  is  a  very  inquisitive  age,  and  its  researches  of  late 
have  been  ardently  directed  to  the  primitive  composition  and 
structure  of  our  globe,  as  far  as  it  has  been  penetrated,  and  to  the 
processes  by  which  succeeding  changes  have  been  produced.  The 
discoveries  already  made  are  encouraging ;  but  vast  room  is  left  for 
the  further  industry  and  sagacity  of  geologists.  This  is  sufficiently 
shown  by  the  opposite  theories  which  have  been  espoused ;  one  of 
them  regarding  water,  the  other  fire,  as  the  great  agent  employed 
by  nature  in  her  work. 

"It  may  well  be  expected  that  this  hemisphere,  which  has  been 
least  explored,  will  yield  its  full  proportion  of  materials  towards  a 
satisfactory  system.  Your  zealous  efforts  to  share  in  the  contri 
butions  do  credit  to  your  love  of  truth  and  devotion  to  the  cause 
of  science,  and  I  wish  they  may  be  rewarded  with  the  success  they 
promise,  and  with  all  the  personal  gratifications  to  which  they 
entitle  you." 

Mr.  Jefferson  (Ex-President  United  States)  sends  a  note  of 
thanks  (Jan.  26th)  in  the  following  words  :  "  It  is  a  valuable  ele 
ment  towards  the  knowledge  we  wish  to  obtain  of  the  crust  of  the 
globe  we  inhabit ;  and,  as  crust  alone  is  immediately  interesting 


78  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

to  us,  we  are  only  to  guard  against  drawing  our  conclusions  deeper 
than  we  dig.  You  are  entitled  to  the  thanks  of  the  lovers  of 
science  for  the  preservation  of  this  fact." 

Mr.  John  Adams  (Ex-President  United  States,  Jan.  27th)  says : 
"  I  thank  you  for  your  memoir  on  the  fossil  tree,  which  is  very 
well  written ;  and  the  conjectures  on  the  processes  of  nature  in 
producing  it  are  plausible  and  probable. 

"  I  once  lay  a  week  wind-bound  in  Portland  road,  in  England, 
and  went  often  ashore,  and  ascended  the  mountain  from  whence 
they  get  all  the  Portland  stone  that  they  employ  in  building.  In 
a  morning  walk  with  some  of  the  American  passengers  from  the 
Lucretia,  Captain  Calehan,  we  passed  by  a  handsome  house,  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill,  with  a  handsome  front  yard  before  it.  Upon 
the  top  of  one  of  the  posts  of  this  yard  lay  a  fish,  coiled  up  in  a 
spiral  figure,  which  caught  my  eye.  I  stopped  and  gazed  at  it  with 
some  curiosity.  Presently  a  person,  in  the  habit  and  appeaf ance  of 
a  substantial  and  well-bred  English  gentleman,  appeared  at  his  door 
and  addressed  me.  4  Sir,  I  perceive  that  your  attention  is  fixed 
on  my  fish.  That  is  a  conger  eel — a  species  that  abounds  in  these 
seas;  we  see  them  repeatedly,  at  the  depth  of  twelve  feet  water, 
lying  exactly  in  that  position.  That  stone,  as  it  now  appears, 
was  dug  up  from  the  bowels  of  this  mountain,  at  the  depth  of 
twenty  feet  below  the  surface,  in  the  midst  of  the  rocks.  Now, 
sir,'  said  he,  i  at  the  time  of  the  deluge,  these  neighboring  seas 
were  thrown  up  into  that  mountain,  and  this  fish,  lying  at  the 
bottom,  was  thrown  up  with  the  rest,  and  then  petrified,  in  the 
very  posture  in  which  he  lay.' 

"I  was  charmed  with  the  eloquence  of  this  profound  philosopher, 
as  well  as  with  his  civility,  and  said  that  I  could  not  account  for 
the  phenomenon  by  any  more  plausible  or  probable  hypothesis. 

"  This  is  a  lofty  hill  and  very  steep,  and  in  the  road  up  and 
down,  there  are  flat  and  smooth  rocks  of  considerable  extent.  The 
commerce  in  Portland  stone  frequently  calls  for  huge  masses,  from 
ten  to  fifteen  tons  weight.  These  are  loaded  on  very  strong  wheels, 
and  drawn  by  ten  or  twelve  pair  of  horses.  When  they  come  to 
one  of  those  flat  rocks  on  the  side  of  the  hill  where  the  descent  is 
steep,  they  take  off  six  or  eight  pair  of  horses,  and  attach  them 
behind  the  wagon,  and  lash  them  up  hill,  while  one  or  two  pair 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  79 

of  horses  in  front  have  to  drag  the  wagon  and  its  load  and  six 
or  eight  pair  of  horses  behind  it,  backwards. 

"  I  give  you  this  history  by  way  of  comment  on  Dr.  Franklin's 
famous  argument  against  a  mixed  government.  That  great  man 
ought  not  to  have  quoted  this  as  a  New  England  custom,  because 
it  was  an  English  practice  before  New  England  existed,  and  is  a 
happy  illustration  of  the  necessity  of  a  balanced  government. 

"  And  since  I  have  mentioned  Dr.  Franklin,  I  will  relate  ano 
ther  fact  which  I  had  from  his  mouth.  When  he  lived  at  Passy, 
a  new  quarry  of  stone  was  opened  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  Ray 
de  Chaumont,  and,  at  the  depth  of  twenty  feet,  was  found  among 
the  rocks  a  shark's  tooth,  in  perfect  preservation,  which  I  sup 
pose  my  Portland  friend  would  account  for  as  he  did  for  his  conger 
eel,  though  the  tooth  was  not  petrified." 

Thus,  my  memoir  was  the  cause  of  the  expression  of  opinions 
and  facts  from  distinguished  individuals,  which  possess  an  interest 
distinct  from  the  bearing  of  such  opinions  on  geology. 

Mr.  Carter,  who  has  just  transferred  the  publication  of  the 
Statesman  from  Albany  to  New  York,  writes  (Jan.  10th)  from 
the  latter  city,  urging  me  to  hasten  my  return  to  that  city. 

Poem  on  the  theme  of  the  Aborigines. — "I  have,"  he  remarks, 
"  read  Ontwa,  the  Indian  poem  you  spoke  to  me  about  last  sum 
mer.  The  notes  by  Governor  Cass  are  extremely  interesting,  and 
written  in  a  superior  style.  I  shall  notice  the  work  in  a  few 
days." 

G-eology  of  New  York  Island. — "  I  wish  you  to  give  me  an 
article  on  the  mineralogy  and  geology  of  Manhattan  Island,  in 
the  form  of  a  letter  purporting  to  be  by  a  foreign  traveler.  (See 
Appendix,  No.  2.)  It  is  my  intention  to  give  a  series  of  letters, 
partly  by  myself  and  partly  by  others,  which  shall  take  notice  of 
everything  in  and  about  the  city  which  may  be  deemed  interesting. 
I  wish  to  begin  at  the  foundation  by  giving  a  geographical  and 
geological  sketch  of  the  Island." 

Indian  Biography. — "  Colonel  Haines  also  wishes  you  to  unite 


80  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

with  him  and  myself,  in  writing  a  series  of  sketches  of  celebrated 
Indians." 

Professor  Silliman  writes  (Jan.  20th),  acknowledging  the  receipt 
of  a  memoir  on  the  fossil  tree  of  the  Eiver  Des  Plaines,  which 
was  prepared  for  the  American  Geological  Society.  He  requests 
me  to  furnish  him  a  copy  of  my  memoir  on  the  geology  of  the  re 
gions  visited  by  the  recent  expedition,  or,  if  it  be  too  long  for  the 
purposes  of  the  American  Journal,  an  abstract  of  it. 

Animal  Impressions  in  Limestone. — "I  am  much  obliged  to 
you  for  your  kind  intention  of  furnishing  me  with  a  paper  on  the 
impressions  in  limestone,  and  I  hope  you  will  bear  it  in  mind,  and 
execute  it  accordingly. 

"I  have  observed  the  appointment  which  the  newspapers  state 
that  you  have  received  from  the  government,  and  regret  .that  it 
carries  you  so  far  south,*  into  an  unhealthy  climate ;  wishing  you, 
however,  health  and  leisure  to  pursue  those  studies  which  you  have 
hitherto  prosecuted  so  successfully." 

Professor  Frederick  Hall,  of  Middlebury  College,  addresses  me 
(Jan.  14th)  on  the  same  subject.  He  alludes  to  my  treatise  "  On 
the  Mines,  Minerals,  &c.,  of  the  western  section  of  the  United 
States ;"  a  work  for  which  our  country  and  the  world  are  deeply 
indebted  to  your  enlightened  enterprise  and  unrelaxing  zeal. 
Before  reading  it,  I  had  a  very  inadequate  conception  of  the  actual 
extent  and  riches  of  the  lead  mines  of  the  West.  It  seems,  ac 
cording  to  your  account,  that  these  mines  are  an  exhaustless  source 
of  wealth  to  the  United  States.  I  should  feel  glad  to  have  them 
put  under  your  superintendence ;  and  to  have  you  nurture  up  a 
race  of  expert  mineralogists,  and  become  a  Werner  among  them." 

Professor  Silliman  writes  (Jan.  25th):  "When  I  wrote  you  last, 
I  had  not  been  able  to  procure  your  memoir  on  the  fossil  tree.  I 
read  it,  however,  immediately  after,  and  was  so  much  pleased  with 
it,  that  I  extracted  the  most  important  parts  in  the  American 
Journal,  giving  credit,  of  course,  to  you  and  to  the  Geological 
Society." 

Jan.  29fA.  Chester  Dewy,  Professor,  &c.,  in  Williams  College, 
*  This  is  evidently  an  allusion  to  St.  Mary's,  in  Georgia,  instead  of  Michigan. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  81 

Mass.,  writes  a  most  kind  and  friendly  letter,  in  which  he  pre 
sents  various  subjects,  in  the  great  area  of  the  West,  visited  by 
me. 

Chalk  Formation. — "Mr.  Jessup,  of  Philadelphia,  told  me  that 
he  believed  you  doubtect  respecting  the  chalk  of  Missouri,  in  which 
you  found  nodules  of  flints.  I  wish  to  ask  if  this  be  fact.  From  the 
situation,  and  characters  and  uses,  you  might  easily  be  led  into  a 
mistake,  for  such  a  bed  of  any  other  earth  would  be  far  less  to  be 
expected,  and  be  also  a  far  greater  curiosity." 

Petrosilez,  $c. — "  By  the  way,  I  received  from  Dr.  Torrey  a 
curious  mixture  of  petrosilex  and  prehnite  in  radiating  crystals, 
which  was  sent  him  by  you,  and  collected  at  the  West.  He  did 
not  tell  me  the  name,  but  examination  showed  me  what  it  was.'' 

Tufa  from  Western  Neiv  York. — "  To  day,  a  Quaker  from 
Sempronius,  New  York,  has  shown  me  some  fine  tufa.  I  mention 
it,  because  you  may,  in  your  travels,  be  able  to  see  it.  He  says 
it  covers  an  acre  or  more  to  a  great  depth,  is  burned  into  excel 
lent  lime  with  great  ease,  and  is  very  valuable,  as  no  good  lime 
stone  is  found  near  them.  Some  of  it  is  very  soft,  like  agaric 
mineral,  and  would  be  so  called,  were  it  not  associated  with  beau 
tiful  tufa  of  a  harder  kind." 

G-eology  of  America. — "  You  have  explored  in  fine  situations, 
to  extend  the  knowledge  of  the  geology  of  our  country,  and  have 
made  great  discoveries.  5  congratulate  you  on  what  you  have 
been  able  to  do  ;  I  hope  you  may  be  able,  if  you  wish  it,  to  add 
still  more  to  our  knowledge." 

Jan.  29th.  Mr.  McNabb  says  :  "  I  have  just  received  a  speci 
men  of  excellent  pit-coal  from  Tioga  county,  Pennsylvania,  near 
the  head  of  the  south  branch  of  the  Tioga  River,  and  about  twenty 
miles  south  from  Painted  Post,  in  Steuben  County.  The  quantity 
is  said  to  be  inexhaustible,  and  what  renders  it  of  still  greater 
importance  is,  that  arks  and  rafts  descend  from  within  four  or  five 
miles  of  the  mines." 
6 


82  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

New  Gazetteer  of  New  York. — Mr.  Carter  writes  (Feb.  5th) 
inauspiciously  of  the  course  of  affairs  at  Washington,  as  not  favoring 
'the  spirit  of  exploration.  He  proposes,  in  the  event  of  my  not 
receiving  the  contemplated  appointment,  the  plan  of  a  Gazetteer 
of  New  York,  on  an  enlarged  and  scientific,  basis.  "  I  have  often 
expressed  to  you  my  opinion  of  the  Spafford  Gazetteer  of  this 
State.  It  is  wholly  unworthy  of  public  patronage,  and  would  not 
stand  in  the  way  of  a  good  work  of  the  kind ;  and  such  a  one,  I 
have  the  vanity  to  believe,  our  joint  efforts  could  produce.  It 
would  be  a  permanent  work,  with  slight  alterations,  as  the  State 
might  undergo  changes.  My  plan  would  be  for  you  to  travel 
over  the  State,  and  make  a  complete  mineralogical,  and  geological, 
and  statistical  survey  of  it,  which  would  probably  take  you  a  year 
or  more.  In  the  mean  time,  I  would  devote  all  my  leisure  to  the 
collection  and  arrangement  of  such  other  materials  as  we  should 
need  in  the  compilation  of  the  work." 

Feb.  18th.  Professor  Dewy  writes,  vindicating  my  views  of  the 
Huttonian  doctrines,  respecting  the  formation  of  secondary  rocks, 
which  he  had  doubted,  on  the  first  perusal  of  my  memoir  of  the 
fossil  tree  of  Illinois. 

Feb.  20th.  Caleb  Atwater,  Esq.,  of  Circleville,  Ohio,  the  author 
of  the  antiquarian  papers  in  the  first  volume  of  Archaeologies  Amer 
icana,  writes  on  the  occasion  of  my  geological  memoir.  He  com 
pletely  confounds  the  infiltrated  specimen  of  an  entire  tree,  in  the 
external  strata,  and  of  a  recent  age,  which  is  prominently  de 
scribed  in  my  paper,  with  ordinary  casts  and  impressions  of  organic 
remains  in  the  elder  secondary  rock  column. 

Feb.  24:th.  Mr.  McNabb  communicates  further  facts  and  dis 
coveries  of  the  mineral  wealth,  resources,  and  prospects  of  Western 
New  York  and  Pennsylvania. 

Narrative  Journal. — Professor  Silliman  (March  5th)  communi 
cates  an  extract  of  a  letter  to  him  from  Daniel  Wadsworth,  Esq., 
of  Hartford,  to  whom  he  had  loaned  my  Narrative. 

"  I  have  been  very  much  entertained  with  the  tour  to  the  west 
ern  lakes.  I  think  Mr.  Schoolcraft  writes  in  a  most  agreeable 
manner ;  there  is  such  an  entire  absence  of  affectation  in  all  he 
says,  as  well  as  his  manner  of  saying  it,  that  no  one  can  help  being 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  83 

exceedingly  pleased,  even  if  the  book  had  not  in  any  other  respect 
a  great  deal  of  merit.  The  whole  seems  such  real  and  such  abso 
lute  matter  of  fact,  that  I  feel  as  if  I  had  performed  the  journey 
with  the  traveller. 

"  All  I  regret  about  it  is  that  it  was  not  consistent  with  his 
plans  to  tell  us  more  of  what  might  be  considered  the  domestic 
part  of  the  expedition,  the  character  and  conduct  of  those  who 
were  of  the  party,  their  health,  difficulties,  opinions,  and  treat 
ment  of  each  other,  &c.  &c.  As  his  book  was  a  sort  of  official 
work,  I  suppose  he  thought  this  would  not  do,  and  I  wish  he  now 
would  give  his  friends  (and  let  us  be  amongst  them)  a  manuscript 
of  the  particulars  that  are  not  for  the  public.  Mrs.  W.  has  also 
been  as  much  pleased  as  myself." 

Under  the  date  of  March  22d,  Sir  Humphrey  Davy,  in  a  pri 
vate  letter  to  Dr.  Hosack,  says : — 

"  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  narrative  is  admirable,  both  for  the  facts  it 
develops  and  for  the  simplicity  and  clearness  of  the  details;  he 
has  accomplished  great  things  by  such  means,  and  offers  a  good 
model  for  a  traveler  in  a  new  country.  I  lent  his  book  to  our 
veteran  philosophical  geographer,  Major  Rennel,  who  was  highly 
pleased  with  it;  copies  of  it  would  sell  well  in  England." 

Dr.  Silliman  apprises  me  that  Professor  Douglass  expects  my 
geological  report  as  part  of  his  work. 

Having  now  finished  my  geological  report,  I  determined  to  take 
it  to  Washington.  On  reaching  New  York,  I  took  lodgings  at  the 
Franklin  House,  then  a  private  boarding-house,  where  my  friends, 
Mr.  Carter  and  Colonel  Haines,  had  rooms.  While  here,  I  was 
introduced  one  day  to  a  man  who  subsequently  attracted  a  good 
deal  of  notice  as  a  literary  -impostor.  This  was  a  person  named 
Hunter.  He  said  that  he  derived  this  name  from  his  origin  in  the 
Indian  country.  He  had  a  soft,  compliant,  half  quizzical  look, 
and  appeared  to  know  nothing  precisely,  but  dealt  in  vague  ac 
counts  and  innuendoes.  Having  gone  to  London,  the  booksellers 
thought  him,  it  appears,  a  good  subject  for  a  book,  and  some  hack 
was  employed  to  prepare  it.  It  had  a  very  slender  basis  in  any 
observations  which  this  man  was  capable  of  furnishing ;  but 
abounded  in  misstatements  and  vituperation  of  the  policy  of  this 
government  respecting  the  Indians.  This  fellow  is  handled  in  the 


84  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Oct.  No.  of  the  North  American  Revieiv,  for  1825,  in  a  manner 
which  gives  very  little  encouragement  to  literary  adventurers  and 
cheats.  The  very  man,  John  Dunn,  of  Missouri,  after  whom  he 
affected  to  have  been  named,  denies  that  he  ever  heard  of  him. 

I  had,  thus  far,  seen  but  little  of  the  Atlantic,  except  what 
could  be  observed  in  a  trip  from  New  Orleans  to  New  York,  and 
knew  very  little  of  its  coasts  by  personal  examination.  I  had 
never  seen  more  of  the  Chesapeake  than  could  be  shown  from  the 
head  of  that  noble  bay,  and  wished  to  explore  the  Valley  of  the 
Potomac.  For  this  purpose,  I  took  passage  in  a  coasting  vessel 
at  New  York,  and  had  a  voyage  of  a  novel  and  agreeable  kind, 
which  supplied  me  with  the  desired  information.  At  Old  Point 
Comfort,  I  remained  at  the  hotel  while  the  vessel  tarried.  In 
ascending  the  Potomac  one  night,  while  anchored,  a  negro  song 
was  wafted  in  the  stillness  of  the  atmosphere.  I  could  distinctly 
hear  the  following  words : — 

Gentlemen,  he  come  from  de  Maryland  shore, 
See  how  massa  gray  mare  go. 

Go,  gray,  go, 

Go,  gray,  go ; 
See  how  massa  gray  mare  go. 

I  reached  Washington  late  in  March,  and  sent  in  my  geological 
report  on  the  2d  of  April.  Mr.  Calhoun,  who  acknowledged  it 
on  the  6th,  referred  it  to  the  Topographical  Bureau.  Some  ques 
tion,  connected  with  the  establishment  of  an  agency  in  Florida, 
complicated  my  matter.  Otherwise  it  appeared  to  be  a  mere 
question  of  time.  The  Secretary  of  War  left  me  no  room  to 
doubt  that  his  feelings  were  altogether  friendly.  Mr.  Monroe  was 
also  friendly. 

Additional  Judicial  District  in  Michigan. — J.  D.  Doty,  Esq., 
wrote  to  me  (April  8th)  on  this  subject.  So  far  as  my  judgment 
and  observation  went,  they  were  favorable  to  this  project.  Besides, 
if  I  was  to  become  an  inhabitant  of  the  district,  as  things  now 
boded,  it  would  be  desirable  to  me  to  dwell  in  a  country  where  the 
laws,  in  their  higher  aspects,  were  periodically  administered.  I 
had,  therefore,  every  reason  to  favor  it. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  85 

Skeptical  Views  of  the  Mosaical  Chronology. — Baptiste  Irvine, 
Esq.,  in  referring  to  some  criticism  of  his  in  relation  to  the  dis 
covery  of  fossils  by  a  distinguished  individual,  brings  this  subject 
forward  in  a  letter  of  April  19th.  This  individual  had  written  to 
him,  impugning  his  criticisms. 

"  I  regret,"  he  observes,  "  the  cause,  and  shall  endeavor  to  give 
publicity  to  his  (my  friend's)  observations;  though  hardly  necessary 
to  him,  they  may  yet  awaken  some  ideas  in  the  minds  of  the  peo 
ple  on  the  wonders  of  physics  I  had  almost  said  the  slow  miracles 
of  creation.  For  if  ever  there  was  a  time  when  matter  existed 
not,  it  is  pretty  evident  that  millions  of  years  were  necessary  to 
establish  order  on  chaos,  instead  of  six  days.  Let  Cuvier,  &c., 
temporize  as  they  may.  However,  it  is  the  humble  allotment  of 
the  herd  to  believe  or  stare  ;  it  is  the  glory  of  intelligent  men  to 
acquire  and  admire."  "  For  the  memoir  I  am  very  thankful,  and 
I  perceive  it  alters  the  case.'' 

April  22d.  Mount  Vernon. — In  a  pilgrimage  to  this  spot,  if 
political  veneration  may  assume  that  name,  I  was  accompanied  by 
Honorable  Albert  H.  Tracy,  Mr.  Ruggles,  and  Mr.  Alfred  Conk- 
ling  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  all  of  New  York.  We  took 
a  carriage,  and  reached  the  hallowed  place  in  good  season,  and  were 
politely  admitted  to  all  the  apartments  and  grounds,  which  give 
interest  to  every  tread.  I  brought  some  pebbles  of  common  quartz 
and  bits  of  brown  oxide  of  iron,  from  the  top  of  the  rude  tomb, 
and  we  all  broke  branches  of  the  cedars  growing  there.  We  gazed 
into  the  tomb,  through  an  aperture  over  the  door,  where  bricks 
had  been  removed,  and  thought,  at  last,  that  we  could  distinguish 
the  coffin. 

Human  Feet  figured  on  Rock  at  St.  Louis. — The  Honorable 
Thomas  H.  Benton,  in  a  letter  of  29th  April,  expresses  the  opinion 
that  these  are  antiquities,  and  not  "  prints,"  and  that  they  are  of 
the  age  of  the  mounds  on  the  American  bottom. 

Mineralogy. — J.  D.  Doty,  Esq.,  transmits  (May  6th)  from  the 
vicinity  of  Martinsburg,  New  York,  specimens  of  the  geological 
structure  of  that  neighborhood. 


86  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Austin  s  Colony. — "  What  you  have  said  to  me  heretofore,  con 
cerning  Mr.  Austin's  settlement  in  Texas,  has  rather  turned  my 
attention  in  that  direction.  Have  you  any  means  of  communi 
cating  with  your  friend  ?  What  are  your  vie\ys  of  that  country  ?" 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  87 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Appointed  an  agent  of  Indian  affairs  for  the  United  States  at  Saint  Mary's — 
Reasons  for  the  acceptance  of  the  office — Journey  to  Detroit — Illness  at 
that  point — Arrival  of  a  steamer  with  a  battalion  of  infantry  to  establish 
a  new  military  post  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior — Incidents  of  the  voyage 
to  that  point — Reach  our  destination,  and  reception  by  the  residents  and 
Indians— A  European  and  man  of  honor  fled  to  the  wilderness. 

1822.  AT  length  Congress  passed  an  act,  which  left  Mr. 
Calhoun  free  to  carry  out  his  intentions  respecting  me,  by  the 
creation  of  a  separate  Indian  agency  for  Florida.  This  enabled 
him  to  transfer  one  of  the  western  agencies,  namely,  at  Vincen- 
nes,  Indiana,  where  the  Indian  business  had  ceased,  to  the  foot  of 
the  basin  of  Lake  Superior,  at  the  ancient  French  village  of  Sault 
de  Ste.  Marie,  Michigan.  Had  not  this  act  passed,  it  would  have 
been  necessary  to  transfer  this  agency  to  Florida,  for  which  Mr. 
Gad  Humphreys  was  the  recognized  appointee.  Mr.  Monroe 
immediately  sent  in  my  nomination  for  this  old  agency  to  the 
Senate,  by  whom  it  was  favorably  acted  on  the  8th  of  May.  The 
gentleman  (Mr.  J.  B.  Thomas,  Senator  from  Illinois)  whose  boat  I 
had  been  instrumental  in  saving  in  my  descent  of  the  Ohio  in  the 
spring  of  1818,  I  believe,  moved  its  confirmation.  It  was  from 
him,  at  any  rate,  that  I  the  same  day  obtained  the  information  of 
the  Senate's  action. 

I  had  now  attained  a  fixed  position ;  not  such  as  I  desired  in 
the  outset,  and  had  striven  for,  but  one  that  offered  an  interesting 
class  of  duties,  in  the  performance  of  which  there  was  a  wide  field 
for  honorable  exertion,  and,  if  it  was  embraced,  also  of  histori 
cal  inquiry  and  research.  The  taste  for  natural  history  might 
certainly  be  transferred  to  that  point,  where  the  opportunity  for  dis 
covery  was  the  greatest.  At  any  rate,  the  trial  of  a  residence  on 
thaf  remote  frontier  might  readily  be  made,  and  I  may  say  it  was  in 
fact  made  only  as  a  temporary  matter.  It  was  an  ancient  agency 


88  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

in  which  General  Harrison  had  long  exercised  his  superior  au 
thority  over  the  fierce  and  wild  tribes  of  the  West,  which  was  an 
additional  stimulus  to  exertion,  after  its  removal  to  Lake  Superior. 

I  called  the  next  day  on  Mr.  Calhoun,  to  express  my  obliga 
tion,  and  to  request  instructions.  For  the  latter  object,  he  re 
ferred  me  to  General  Cass,  of  Detroit,  who  was  the  superintendent 
of  Indian  affairs  on  the  North-Western  frontier,  and  to  whom  the 
policy  of  pushing  an  agency  and  a  military  post  to  that  point  is,  I 
believe,  due. 

I  now  turned  my  face  to  the  North,  made  a  brief  stay  in  New 
York,  hurried  through  the  western  part  of  that  State  to  Buffalo, 
and  ascended  Lake  Erie  to  Detroit.  At  this  point  I  was  attacked 
with  fever  and  ague,  which  I  supposed  to  have  been  contracted 
during  a  temporary  landing  at  Sandusky.  I  directed  my  physi 
cian  to  treat  it  with  renewed  doses  of  mercury,  in  quick  succes 
sion,  which  terminated  the  fever,  but  completely  prostrated  my 
strength,  and  induced,  at  first  tic  douloureux,  and  eventually  a  para 
lysis  of  the  left  cheek. 

The  troops  destined  for  the  new  post  arrived  about  the  begin 
ning  of  July.  They  consisted  of  a  battalion  of  the  2d  Regiment  of 
Infantry,  under  Colonel  Brady,  from  garrison  duty  at  Sackett's 
Harbor,  and  they  possessed  every  element  of  high  discipline  and 
the  most  efficient  action,  under  active  officers.  Brady  was  himself 
an  officer  of  Wayne's  war  against  the  Indians,  and  had  looked  dan 
ger  steadily  in  the  face  on  the  Niagara  frontier,  in  the  Late  War.  In 
this  condition,  I  hastily  snatched  up  my  instructions,  and  embarked 
on  board  the  new  steamer  "Superior,"  which  was  chartered  by  the 
government  for  the  occasion.  It  was  now  the  2d  of  July. 

Before  speaking  of  the  voyage  from  this  point,  it  may  be  well 
to  refer  to  another  matter.  The  probability  of  Professor  Doug 
lass  publishing  the  joint  results  of  our  observations  on  the  expedi 
tion  of  1820,  appeared  now  unfavorable.  Among  the  causes  of  this, 
I  regarded  my  withdrawal  to  a  remote  point  as  prominent  but  not 
decisive.  Two  years  had  already  elapsed ;  the  professor  was  com 
pletely  absorbed  in  his  new  professorship,  in  which  he  was  required 
to  teach  a  new  subject  in  a  new  language.  Governor  Cass,  who  had 
undertaken  the  Indian  subject,  had  greatly  enlarged  the  platform 
of  his  inquiries,  which  rendered  it  probable  that  there  would  be  a 
delay.  My  memoir  on  the  geology  and  mineralogy  only  was  ready. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  89 

Dr.  Barnes  had  the  conchology  nearly  ready,  and  the  botany, 
which  was  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  Torrey,  was  well  advanced.  But  it 
required  a  degree  of  labor,  zeal,  and  energy  to  push  forward  such  a 
work,  that  admits  of  no  abatements,  and  which  was  sufficient  to 
absorb  all  the  attention  of  the  highest  mind ;  and  could  not  be 
expected  from  the  professor,  already  overtasked. 

Among  the  papers  which  were  put  in  my  hands  at  Detroit,  I 
found  a  printed  copy  of  Governor  Cass's  Indian  queries,  based 
on  his  promise  to  Douglass,  by  which  I  was  gratified  to  perceive 
that  his  mind  was  earnestly  engaged  in  the  subject,  which  he  sought 
a  body  of  original  materials  to  illustrate.  I  determined  to  be  a 
laborer  in  this  new  field. 

Our  voyage  up  Lake  Huron  to  Michilimackinack,  and  thence 
east  to  the  entrance  of  the  Straits  of  St.  Mary's,  at  Detour,  was 
one  of  pleasant  excitement.  We  ascended  the  straits  and  river, 
through  Muddy  Lake  and  the  narrow  pass  at  Sailor's  Encamp 
ment,  to  the  foot  of  the  great  Nibeesh*  rapids.  Here  the  steamer 
came  to  anchor  from  an  apprehension  that  the  bar  of  Lake 
Georgef  could  not  be  crossed  in  the  existing  state  of  the  water. 

It  was  early  in  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  July  when  this  fact 
was  announced.  Colonel  Brady  determined  to  proceed  with  his 
staff  in  the  ship's  yawl,  by  the  shorter  passage  of  the  boat  chan 
nel,  and  invited  me  to  a  seat.  Captain  Rogers,  of  the  steamer, 
himself  took  the  helm.  After  a  voyage  of  about  four  or  five  hours, 
we  landed  at  St.  Mary's  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Men, 
women,  children,  and  dogs  had  collected  to  greet  us  at  the  old 
wharf  opposite  the  Nolan  House — the  ancient  "  chateau"  of  the 
North- West  Company.  And  the  Indians,  whose  costume  lent  an 
air  of  the  picturesque  to  the  scene,  saluted  us  with  ball,  firing  over 
our  heads  as  we  landed.  The  Chemoquemon  had  indeed  come ! 
Thus  the  American  flag  was  carried  to  this  point,  and  it  was  soon 
hoisted  on  a  tall  staff  in  an  open  field  east  of  Mr.  Johnston's 
premises,  where  the  troops,  as  they  came  up,  marched  with  in 
spiring  music,  and  regularly  encamped.  The  roll  of  the  drum 
was  now  the  law  for  getting  up  and  lying  down.  It  might  be  168 

*  This  name  signifies  strong  water,  meaning  bad  for  navigation,  from  its 
strength.  Here  Nebeesli  is  the  derogative  form  of  Nebee,  water. 

f  The  depth  of  water  on  this  bar  was  then  stated  to  be  but  six  feet  two 
inches. 


90  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

or  170  years  since  the  French  first  landed  at  this  point.  It  was 
just  59  since  the  British  power  had  supervened,  and  39  since  the 
American  right  had  been  acknowledged  by  the  sagacity  of  Dr. 
Franklin's  treaty  of  1783.  But  to  the  Indian,  who  stood  in  a 
contemplative  and  stoic  attitude,  wrapped  in  his  fine  blanket  of 
broadcloth,  viewing  the  spectacle,  it  must  have  been  equally  strik 
ing,  and  indicative  that  his  reign  in  the  North-West,  that  old  hive 
of  Indian  hostility,  was  done.  And,  had  he  been  a  man  of  letters, 
he  might  have  inscribed,  with  equal  truth,  as  it  was  done  for  the 
ancient  Persian  monarch,  "MENE,  MENE,  TEKEL." 

To  most  persons  on  board,  our  voyage  up  these  wide  straits, 
after  entering  them  at  Point  de  Tour,  had,  in  point  of  indefinite- 
ness,  been  something  like  searching  after  the  locality  of  the  north 
pole.  We  wound  about  among  groups  of  islands  and  through 
passages  which  looked  so  perfectly  in  the  state  of  nature  that, 
but  for  a  few  ruinous  stone  chimneys  on  St.  Joseph's,  it  could 
not  be  told  that  the  foot  of  man  had  ever  trod  the  shores.  The 
whole  voyage,  from  Buffalo  and  Detroit,  had  indeed  been  a  novel 
and  fairy  scene.  We  were  now  some  350  miles  north-west  of  the 
latter  city.  We  had  been  a  couple  of  days  on  board,  in  the  area  of 
the  sea-like  Huron,  before  we  entered  the  St.  Mary's  straits. 
The  Superior,  being  the  second  steamer  built  on  the  Lakes,*  had 
proved  herself  a  staunch  boat. 

The  circumstances  of  this  trip  were  peculiar,  and  the  removal 
of  a  detachment  of  the  army  to  so  remote  a  point  in  a  time  of 
profound  peace,  had  stimulated  migratory  enterprise.  The  mea 
sure  was,  in  truth,  one  of  the  results  of  the  exploring  expedition 
to  the  North- West  in  1820,  and  designed  to  curb  and  control  the 
large  Indian  population  on  this  extreme  frontier,  and  to  give 
security  to  the  expanding  settlements  south  of  this  point.  It  was  in 
this  light  that  Mr.  Calhoun,  the  present  enlightened  Secretary  of 
War,  viewed  the  matter,  and  it  may  be  said  to  constitute  a 
part  of  his  plan  for  throwing  a  cordon  of  advanced  posts  in  front 
of  the  wide  area  of  our  western  settlements.  From  expressions 
heard  on  our  route,  the  breaking  up  in  part  of  the  exceedingly 
well-quartered  garrison  of  Madison  barracks  at  Sackett's  Harbor, 

*  The  first  steamer  built  on  the  Lakes  was  called  the  "  "Walk-in-the-Water," 
after  an  Indian  chief  of  that  name ;  it  was  launched  at  Black  Rock,  Niagara 
River,  in  1818,  and  visited  Michilimackinack  in  the  summer  of  that  year. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  91 

N.  Y.,  was  not  particularly  pleasing  to  the  officers  of  this  detach 
ment,  most  of  whom  were  married  gentlemen,  having  families,  and 
all  of  whom  were  in  snug  quarters  at  that  point,  surrounded  as  it 
is  by  a  rich,  thriving,  farming  population,  and  commanding  a  good 
and  cheap  market  of  meats  and  vegetables.  To  be  ordered  off 
suddenly  a  thousand  miles  or  more,  over  three  of  the  great  series 
of  lakes,  and  pitched  down  here,  on  the  verge  of  the  civilized 
world,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior,  amid  Indians  and  Indian 
traders,  where  butchers'  meat  is  a  thing  only  to  be  talked  about, 
and  garden  vegetables  far  more  rare  than  "blackberries,"  was 
not,  certainly,  an  agreeable  prospect  for  officers  with  wives  and 
mothers  with  babies.  It  might,  I  am  inclined  to  think  from  what 
I  heard,  be  better  justified  on  the  grounds  of  national  than  of 
domestic  policy.  They  determined,  however,  on  the  best  possible 
course  under  the  circumstances,  and  took  their  ladies  and  families 
along.  This  has  given  an  air  of  gayety  and  liveliness  to  the  trip, 
and,  united  with  the  calmness  of  the  season,  and  the  great  novelty 
and  beauty  of  the  scenery,  rendered  the  passage  a  very  agreeable 
one.  The  smoothness  of  the  lakes,  the  softness  and  purity  of  the 
air,  the  wild  and  picturesque  character  of  the  scenes,  and  the  per 
fect  transparency  of  the  waters,  have  been  so  many  themes  of 
perpetual  remark  and  admiration.  The  occasional  appearance  of 
the  feather-plumed  Indian  in  his  sylph-like  canoe,  or  the  flapping 
of  a  covey  of  wild-fowl,  frightened  by  the  rushing  sound  of  a 
steamboat,  with  the  quick  pulsation  of  its  paddle-strokes  on  the 
water,  but  served  to  heighten  the  interest,  and  to  cast  a  kind  of 
fairy  spell  over  the  prospect,  particularly  as,  half  shrouded  in 
mist,  we  passed  among  the  green  islands  and  brown  rocks, 
fringed  with  fir  trees,  which  constituted  a  perfect  panorama  as  we 
entered  and  ascended  the  Straits  of  the  St.  Mary's. 

We  sat  down  to  our  Fourth-of-July  dinner  on  board  the  Superior, 
a  little  above  the  Thunder  Bay  Islands,  in  Lake  Huron,  and  as 
we  neared  the  once  sacred  island  of  Michilimackinack,  and  saw  its 
tall  cliffs  start  up,  as  it  were  by  magic,  from  the  clear  bosom  of 
the  pellucid  lake,  a  true  aboriginal,  whose  fancy  had  been  well 
imbued  with  the  poetic  mythology  of  his  nation,  might  have  sup 
posed  he  was  now,  indeed,  approaching  his  fondly-cherished 
"  Island  of  the  Blest."  Apart  from  its  picturesque  loveliness,  we 
found  it,  however,  a  very  flesh  and  blood  and  matter-of-fact  sort 


92  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

of  place,  and  having  taken  a  pilot  on  board,  who  knew  the  sinu 
osities  of  the  Saint  Mary's  channel,  we  veered  around,  the  next 
day,  and  steered  into  the  capes  of  that  expanded  and  intricate 
strait,  where  we  finally  anchored  on  the  morning  denoted,  and 
where  the  whole  detachment  was  quickly  put  under  orders  to 
ascend  the  river  the  remainder  of  the  distance,  about  fifteen  miles, 
in  boats,  each  company  under  its  own  oflficers,  while  the  colonel 
pushed  forward  in  the  yawl.  It  was  settled,  at  the  same  time, 
that  the  ladies  and  their  "  little  ones"  should  remain  on  board, 
till  matters  had  assumed  some  definite  shape  for  their  reception. 

We  were  received  by  the  few  residents  favorably,  as  has  been 
indicated.  Prominent  among  the  number  of  residents  who  came 
to  greet  us  was  Mr.  John  Johnston,  a  gentleman  from  the  north 
of  Ireland,  of  whose  romantic  settlement  and  adventures  here  we 
had  heard  at  Detroit.  He  gave  us  a  warm  welcome,  and  freely 
offered  every  facility  in  his  power  to  contribute  to  the  personal 
comfort  of  the  officers  and  their  families,  and  the  general  objects 
of  the  government.  Mr.  J.  is  slightly  lame,  walking  with  a  cane. 
He  is  of  the  medium  stature,  with  blue  eyes,  fair  complexion,  hair 
which  still  bears  traces  of  its  original  light  brown,  and  possesses 
manners  and  conversation  so  entirely  easy  and  polite  as  to  im 
press  us  all  very  favorably. 

Colonel  Brady  selected  some  large  open  fields,  not  susceptible 
of  a  surprise,  for  his  encampment.  To  this  spot,  as  boat  after 
boat  came  up,  in  fine  style,  with  its  complement  of  men  from  the 
steamer,  the  several  companies  marched  down,  and  before  night 
fall,  the  entire  command  was  encamped  in  a  square,  with  their 
tents  handsomely  pitched,  and  the  whole  covered  by  lines  of  sen 
tinels,  and  under  the  exact  government  of  troops  in  the  field.  The 
roll  of  the  drum  which  had  attracted  but  little  attention  on  the 
steamer,  assumed  a  deeper  tone,  as  it  was  re-echoed  from  the  ad 
joining  woods,  and  now  distinctly  announced,  from  time  to  time, 
the  placing  of  sentinels,  the  hour  for  supper,  and  other  offices 
of  a  clock,  in  civil  life.  The  French  population  evinced,  by  their 
countenances  and  gestures,  as  they  clustered  round,  a  manifest 
satisfaction  at  the  movement ;  the  groups  of  Indians  had  gazed 
in  a  sort  of  silent  wonder  at  the  pageant ;  they  seemed,  by  a  cer 
tain  air  of  secrecy  and  suspicion,  to  think  it  boded  some  evil  to 
their  long  supremacy  in  the  land.  Night  imperceptibly  threw  her 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  93 

dark  mantle  over  the  scene  ;  the  gazers,  group  by  group,  went  to 
their  lodges,  and  finally  the  sharp  roll  of  the  tattoo  bid  every  one 
within  the  camp  to  his  tent.  Captain  Alexander  K.  Thompson, 
who  had  claimed  the  commandant  as  his  guest,  invited  me  also  to 
spend  the  night  in  his  tent.  We  could  plainly  hear  the  deep  mur 
mur  of  the  falls,  after  wre  lay  dowTn  to  rest,  and  also  the  monotonous 
thump  of  the  distant  Indian  wabeno  drum.  Yet  at  this  remote  point, 
so  far  from  the  outer  verge  of  civilization,  we  found  in  Mr.  Johnston 
a  man  of  singular  energy  and  independence  of  character,  from  one 
of  the  most  refined  circles  of  Europe ;  who  had  pushed  his  way 
here  to  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior  about  the  year  1793  ;  had  en 
gaged  in  the  fur  trade,  to  repair  the  shattered  fortunes  of  his 
house  ;  had  married  the  daughter  of  the  ruling  Ogima  or  Forest 
King  of  the  Chippewas  ;  had  raised  and  educated  a  large  family, 
and  was  then  living,  in  the  only  building  in  the  place  deserving 
the  name  of  a  comfortable  residence,  with  the  manners  and  con 
versation  of  a  perfect  gentleman,  the  sentiments  of  a  man  of  honor, 
and  the  liberality  of  a  lord.  He  had  a  library  of  the  best  English 
works  ;  spent  most  of  his  time  in  reading  and  conducting  the  affairs 
of  an  extensive  business  ;  was  a  man  of  social  qualities,  a  practical 
philanthropist,  a  well-read  historian,  something  of  a  poet,  and  talked 
of  Europe  and  its  connections  as  things  from  which  he  was  probably 
forever  separated,  and  looked  back  towards  it  only  as  the  land  of 
reminiscences. 


94  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER   X. 

Incidents  of  the  summer  during  the  establishment  of  the  new  post  at  St.  Mary's 
— Life  in  a  nut-shell — Scarcity  of  room — High  prices  of  everything — State 
of  the  Indians — Their  rich  and  picturesque  costume — Council  and  its  inci 
dents — Fort  site  selected  and  occupied — The  evil  of  ardent  spirits  amongst 
the  Indians — Note  from  Governor  De  Witt  Clinton — Mountain  ash — Curious 
superstitions  of  the  Odjibwas— Language — Manito  poles — Copper — Super 
stitious  regard  for  Venus — Fine  harbor  in  Lake  Superior — Star  family — 
A  locality  of  necromancers — Ancient  Chippewa  capital — Eating  of  animals. 

1822.  July  7th.  WE  left  our  pallets  at  the  sound  of  the  reveille, 
and  partook  of  a  rich  cup  of  coffee,  with  cream,  which  smoked  on 
the  camp  breakfast-board  of  our  kind  entertainer,  Captain  Thomp 
son.*  The  ladies  and  children  came  up  from  the  steamer,  under 
due  escorts,  during  the  day,  and  were  variously  accommodated 
with  temporary  quarters.  Dr.  Wheaton  and  lady,  Captain  Brant, 
quartermaster,  and  myself,  were  received  eventually  at  the  table 
of  Mr.  Johnston.  Captain  Brant  and  myself  hired  a  small  room 
hard  by  for  an  office  to  be  used  between  us.  This  room  was  a 
small  log  tenement,  which  had  been  occupied  by  one  of  Mr.  J.'s 
hands.  It  was  about  twelve  by  fourteen  feet,  with  a  small  window 
in  front  and  in  rear,  and  a  very  rural  fire-place  in  one  corner.  It 
is  astonishing  how  much  comfort  can  be  enjoyed  in  a  crowded  and 
ill-fitted  place  on  a  pinch.  We  felicitated  ourselves  at  even  this. 
We  really  felt  that  we  were  quite  fortunate  in  getting  such  a 
locality  to  hail  from.  Captain  N.  S.  Clark  got  an  adjoining 
tenement,  of  similar  construction  and  use,  but  much  larger,  for  his 
numerous  family.  Some  of  the  ladies  took  shelter  at  the  domicil 
of  an  intelligent  American  family  (Mr.  E.  B.  Allen's)  who  had 
preceded  us  a  short  time  with  an  adventure  of  merchandise. 
One  or  two  of  the  ladies  abode  temporarily  in  the  tents  of  their 

*  This  officer  fell  at  the  battle  of  Ochechubby,  in  Florida,  as  colonel  of  the 
sixth  infantry,  gallantly  leading  his  men  to  battle. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  95 

husbands.  The  unmarried  officers  looked  for  nothing  better 
than  life  in  camp.  I  accepted  an  invitation  at  the  mess-table 
of  the  officers.  Besides  this  sudden  influx  of  population,  there 
were  followers  and  hucksters  of  various  hues  who  hoped  to  make 
their  profits  from  the  soldiery.  There  was  not  a  nook  in  the 
scraggy-looking  little  antique  village  but  what  was  sought  for  with 
avidity  and  thronged  with  occupants.  Whoever  has  seen  a 
flock  of  hungry  pigeons,  in  the  spring,  alight  on  the  leaf-covered 
ground,  beneath  a  forest,  and  apply  the  busy  powers  of  claw 
and  beak  to  obtain  a  share  of  the  hidden  acorns  that  may  be 
scratched  up  from  beneath,  may  form  some  just  notion  of  the 
pressing  hurry  and  bustle  that  marked  life  in  this  place.  The 
enhanced  price  that  everything  bore  was  one  of  the  results  of  this 
sudden  influx  of  consumers  and  occupants. 

8th.  I  went  to  rest  last  night  with  the  heavy  murmuring  sound 
of  the  falls  in  my  ears,  broken  at  short  intervals  by  the  busy 
thump-thump-thump  of  the  Indian  drum ;  for  it  is  to  be  added, 
to  the  otherwise  crowded  state  of  the  place,  that  the  open  grounds 
and  river-side  greens  of  the  village,  which  stretch  along  irregularly 
for  a  mile  or  two,  are  filled  with  the  lodges  of  visiting  Indian  bands 
from  the  interior.  The  last  month  of  spring  and  the  early  sum 
mer  constitute,  in  fact,  a  kind  of  carnival  for  the  natives.  It  is  at 
this  season  that  the  traders,  who  have  wintered  in  the  interior, 
come  out  with  their  furs  to  the  frontier  posts  of  St.  Mary's,  Drum- 
mond  Island,  and  Michilimackinack,  to  renew  their  stocks  of  goods. 
The  Indians,  who  have  done  hunting  at  this  season,  as  the  furred 
animals  are  now  changing  their  hair,  and  the  pelt  becomes  bad, 
follow  them  to  enjoy  themselves  along  the  open  shores  of  the 
lakes,  and  share  in  the  good  things  that  may  fall  to  their  lot, 
either  from  the  traders  at  their  places  of  outfit,  from  presents 
issued  by  the  British  or  American  governments  at  their  chief 
posts,  or  from  merchants  in  the  towns,  to  whom  a  few  concealed 
skins  are  still  reserved  to  trade.  An  Indian's  time  appears  to  be 
worth  but  little  to  him  at  this  season,  if  at  any  season.  He  lives 
most  precariously  on  small  things,  such  as  he  can  pick  up  as  he 
travels  loitering  along  the  lake  shores,  or  strolls,  with  easy  foot 
steps,  about  the  forest  precincts  of  his  lodge.  A  single  fish,  or  a 
bird  or  squirrel,  now  and  then,  serves  to  mitigate,  if  it  does  not 
satisfy,  hunger.  He  has  but  little,  I  am  told,  at  the  best  estate ; 


96  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

but,  to  make  amends  for  this,  he  is  satisfied  and  even  happy  with 
little.  This  is  certainly  a  philosophic  way  of  taking  life,  but  it  is, 
if  I  do  not  mistake  it,  stoic  philosophy,  and  has  been  learned,  by 
painful  lessons  of  want,  from  early  youth  and  childhood.  Where 
want  is  the  common  lot,  the  power  of  endurance  which  the  race 
have  must  be  a  common  attainment. 

9th.  This  day  I  hired  an  interpreter  for  the  government,  to  at 
tend  at  the  office  daily,  a  burly-faced,  large  man  of  some  five-and- 
forty,  by  the  name  of  Yarns.  He  tells  me  that  he  was  born  at 
Fort  Niagara,  of  Irish  parentage,  to  which  an  originally  fair  skin, 
blue  eyes,  and  sandy  hair,  bear  testimony.  He  has  spent  life,  it 
seems,  knocking  about  trading  posts,  in  the  Indian  country,  being 
married,  has  metif  children,  and  speaks  the  Chippewa  tongue 
fluently — I  do  not  know  how  accurately. 

The  day  which  has  closed  has  been  a  busy  day,  having  been 
signalized  as  the  date  of  my  first  public  council  with  the  Indians. 
It  has  ushered  in  my  first  diplomatic  effort.  For  this  purpose,  all 
the  bands  present  were  invited  to  repair  to  camp,  where  Colonel 
Brady,  at  the  appointed  hour,  ordered  his  men  under  arms,  in  full 
dress.  They  were  formed  in  a  hollow  square  in  front  of  his 
marque.  The  American  flag  waved  from  a  lofty  staff.  The  day 
was  bright  and  fine,  and  everything  was  well  arranged  to  have  the 
best  effect  upon  the  minds  of  the  Indians.  As  the  throng  of  both 
resident  and  foreign  bands  approached,  headed  by  their  chiefs, 
they  were  seated  in  the  square.  It  was  noticed  that  the  chiefs 
were  generally  tall  and  striking-looking  persons,  of  dignified  man 
ners,  and  well  and  even  richly  dressed.  One  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
home  band,  called  Sassaba,  who  was  generally  known  by  the 
sobriquet  of  the  Count,  appeared  in  a  scarlet  uniform,  with  epau 
lets  and  a  sword.  The  other  chiefs  observed  their  native  costume, 
which  is,  with  this  tribe,  a  toga  of  blue  broad-cloth,  folded  and 
held  by  one  hand  on  the  breast,  over  a  light-figured  calico  shirt, 
red  cloth  leggins  and  beaded  moccasons,  a  belt  or  baldric  about 
the  waist,  sustaining  a  knife-sheath  and  pouch,  and  a  frontlet  of 
skin  or  something  of  the  sort,  around  the  forehead,  environed 
generally  with  eagles'  feathers. 

When  the  whole  were  seated,  the  colonel  informed  them  that  I 
had  been  sent  by  their  great  father  the  President  to  reside  among 
them,  that  respect  was  due  me  in  that  capacity,  and  that  I  would 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  97 

now  address  them.  I  had  directed  a  quantity  of  tobacco  to  be 
laid  before  them ;  and  offered  them  the  pipe  with  the  customary 
ceremonies.  Being  a  novice  in  addresses  of  this  kind,  I  had  sat 
down  early  in  the  morning,  in  my  crowded  log  hut,  and  written  an 
address,  couched  in  such  a  manner,  and  with  such  allusions  and 
appeals,  as  I  supposed  would  be  most  appropriate.  I  was  not 
mistaken,  if  I  could  judge  by  the  responses  made  at  the  close  of 
each  sentence,  as  it  was  interpreted.  The  whole  address  was  evi 
dently  well  received,  and  responded  to  in  a  friendly  manner,  by 
the  ruling  chief,  a  tall,  majestic,  and  graceful  person  named  Shin- 
gabawossin,  or  the  Image  Stone,  and  by  all  who  spoke  except  the 
Count.  He  made  use  of  some  intemperate,  or  ill-timed  expressions, 
which  were  not  interpreted,  but  which  brought  out  a  strong  rebuke 
from  Mr.  Johnston,  who,  being  familiar  with  the  Indian  language, 
gave  vent  in  their  tongue  to  his  quick  and  high-toned  feelings  of 
propriety  on  the  occasion.  Colonel  Brady  then  made  some  re 
marks  to  the  chiefs,  dictated  by  the  position  he  occupied  as  being 
about  to  take  post,  permanently,  in  their  country.  He  referred 
to  the  treaty  of  purchase  made  at  these  falls  two  years  before  by 
Governor  Cass.  He  told  the  Indians  that  he  should  not  occupy 
their  ancient  encamping  and  burial-ground  on  the  hill,  but  would 
select  the  next  best  site  for  his  troops.  This  announcement  was 
received  with  great  satisfaction,  as  denoted  by  a  heavy  response 
of  approbation  on  the  part  of  the  Indians;  and  the  council  closed 
to  the  apparent  mutual  satisfaction  of  all.  I  augured  well  from  all 
I  heard  respecting  it,  as  coming  from  the  Indians,  and  was  resolved 
to  follow  it  up  zealously,  by  cultivating  the  best  understanding 
with  this  powerful  and  hitherto  hostile  tribe,  namely  the  Chippewas, 
or,  as  they  call  themselves,  Od-jib-wa.*  To  this  end,  as  well  as 
for  my  amusement,  I  commenced  a  vocabulary,  and  resolved  to 
study  their  language,  manners,  customs,  &c. 

10£A.  On  examining  the  topography  and  advantages  of  the 
ground,  Colonel  Brady  determined  to  take  possession  of  a  lot  en 
closed  and  dwelling,  originally  the  property  of  the  North  West 
Company,  and  known  as  the  Nolin  House,  but  now  the  property 
of  Mr.  C.  0.  Ermatinger.f  To  this  place  the  troops  were 

*  This  word  has  its  pluraling  thus,  Od-jib-waig. 

t  For  the  property  thus  taken  possession  of,  the  United  States  Govern- 

7 


US  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

marched,  soon  after  the  close  of  the  Indian  council  mentioned,  and 
encamped  within  the  area.  This  area  was  enclosed  with  cedar 
pickets.  The  dwelling-house,  which  occupied  an  eminence  some 
eighth  of  a  mile  below  the  falls,  was  in  old  times  regarded  as  a 
princely  chateau  of  the  once  powerful  lords  of  the  North  West 
Fur  Trade,  but  is  now  in  a  decayed  and  ruinous  state.  It  was 
nick-named  "  Hotel  Flanagan."  Dilapidated  as  it  was,  there 
was  a  good  deal  of  room  under  its  roof,  and  it  afforded  quarters 
for  most  of  the  officers'  families,  who  must  otherwise  have  remain 
ed  in  open  tents.  The  enclosure  had  also  one  or  two  stone 
houses,  wrhich  furnished  accommodations  to  the  quartermaster's 
and  subsistence  and  medical  departments.  Every  nerve  was  now 
directed  to  fit  up  the  place,  complete  the  enclosure,  and  furnish  it 
with  gates ;  to  build  a  temporary  guard-house,  and  complete  other 
military  fixtures  of  the  new  cantonment.  The  edifice  also  un 
derwent  such  repairs  as  served  to  fence  out,  as  much  as 'possi 
ble,  the  winds  and  snows  of  a  severe  winter — a  winter  which  every 
one  dreads  the  approach  of,  and  the  severity  of  which  was  per 
haps  magnified  in  proportion  as  it  was  unknown. 

11th.  What  my  eyes  have  seen  and  my  ears  have  heard,  I  must 
believe ;  and  what  is  their  testimony  respecting  the  condition  of 
the  Indian  on  the  frontiers?  He  is  not,  like  FalstafFs  men,  afood 
for  powder,"  but  he  is  food  for  whisky.  Whisky  is  the  great 
means  of  drawing  from  him  his  furs  and  skins.  To  obtain  it,  he 
makes  a  beast  of  himself,  and  allows  his  family  to  go  hungry  and 
half  naked.  And  how  feeble  is  the  force  of  law,  where  all  are 
leagued  in  the  golden  bonds  of  interest  to  break  it !  He  is  indeed 

"Like  some  neglected  shrub  at  random  cast 
That  shades  the  steep  and  sighs  at  every  blast." 

12th.  I  received  by  to-day's  mail  a  note  from  De  Witt  Clin 
ton,  Governor  of  New  York.  America  has  produced  few  men  who 
have  united  civic  and  literary  tastes  and  talents  of  a  high  order 
more  fully  than  he  does.  He  early  and  ably  investigated  the 
history  and  antiquities  of  Western  New  York.  He  views  with  a 
comprehensive  judgment  the  great  area  of  the  West,  and  knows 
that  its  fertility  and  resources  must  render  it,  at  no  distant  day, 

ment,  through  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  paid  the  claimant  the  just 
and  full  amount  awarded  by  appraisers. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  99 

the  home  of  future  millions.  He  was  among  the  earliest  to  appre 
ciate  the  mineralogical  and  geographical  researches  which  I  made 
in  that  field.  He  renewed  the  interest,  which,  as  a  New  Yorker, 
he  felt  in  my  history  and  fortunes,  after  my  return  from  the  head 
of  the  Mississippi  in  1820.  He  opened  his  library  and  house  to 
me  freely ;  and  I  have  to  notice  his  continued  interest  since  my 
coming  here.  In  the  letter  which  has  just  reached  me,  he  encloses 
a  favorable  notice  of  my  recent  Narrative  of  the  ^Expedition  to 
the  Sources  of  the  Mississippi,  from  Sir  Humphrey  Davy.  If 
there  were  nothing  else,  in  such  a  notice  from  such  a  source  but 
the  stimulus  it  gives  to  exertion,  that  alone  is  worth  to  a  man  in 
my  position  "pearls  and  diamonds." 

Colonel  Brady,  who  is  active  in  daily  perambulating  the  woods, 
to  make  himself  acquainted  with  the  environs,  seeking,  at  the 
same  time,  the  best  places  of  finding  wood  and  timber,  for  the  pur 
poses  of  his  command,  brought  me  a  twig  of  the  Sorbus  Americana, 
a  new  species  of  tree  to  him,  in  the  American  forest,  of  which  he 
asked  me  the  name.  This  tree  is  found  in  occasional  groups  ex 
tensively  in  the  region  of  the  upper  Lake  latitudes,  where  it  is 
called  the  mountain  ash.  In  the  expedition  to  the  sources  of  the 
Mississippi  in  1820,  it  was  observed  on  the  southern  shores  of 
Lake  Superior,  which  are  on  the  average  a  little  north  of  latitude 
36°  30'.  This  tree  does  not  in  these  straits  attain  much  size  ;  a 
trunk  of  six  to  eight  inches  diameter  is  large.  Its  leaves,  flowers, 
and  fruit  all  tend  to  make  it  a  very  attractive  species  for  shade 
and  ornament.  It  must  have  a  rich  soil,  but,  this  requisite 
granted,  it  delights  in  wet  moist  lands,  and  will  thrive  with  its 
roots  in  springy  grounds. 

15th.  One  of  the  curious  superstitions  of  the  Chippewas,  re 
specting  the  location  of  spiritual  existences,  revealed  itself  to-day. 
There  is  quite  an  eminence  nearly  a  mile  back  of  the  new  canton 
ment,  which  is  called  La  Butte  de  Terre  by  the  French,  and 
Wudjuwong,*  or  Place  of  the  Mountain,  by  the  natives.  This 
eminence  is  covered  with  a  fine  growth  of  forest  trees,  and  lies  in 
the  track  of  an  ancient  Indian  hunting  path.  About  half  way 
between  the  brow  of  the  hill  and  the  cantonment,  there  formerly 
stood  a  large  tree  of  this  species,  partly  hollow,  from  the  recesses 

*   Wudijoo,  a  mountain — ong  denotes  locality. 


100  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

of  which,  Indian  tradition  says,  there  issued,  on  a  calm  day,  a 
sound  like  the  voice  of  a  spirit  or  monedo.  It  resembled  the  sounds 
of  their  own  drum.  It  was  therefore  considered  as  the  residence 
of  some  powerful  spirit,  and  deemed  sacred.  To  mark  their  regard 
for  the  place,  they  began  to  deposit  at  its  foot  bows  and  twigs  of 
the  same  species  of  tree,  as  they  passed  it,  from  year  to  year,  to  and 
from  their  hunting-grounds.  These  offerings  began  long  before  the 
French  came  to  the  country,  and  were  continued  up  to  this  time. 
Some  years  ago,  the  tree  had  become  so  much  decayed  that  it  blew 
clown  during  a  storm,  but  young  shoots  came  up  from  its  roots,  and 
the  natives  continued  to  make  these  offerings  of  twigs,  long  after 
the  original  trunk  had  wholly  decayed.  A  few  days  ago,  Colonel 
Brady  directed  a  road  to  be  cut  from  the  cantonment  to  the  hill,  sixty 
feet  wide,  in  order  to  procure  wood  from  the  hill  for  the  garrison. 
This  road  passed  over  the  site  of  the  sacred  tree,  and  the  men, 
without  knowing  it,  removed  the  consecrated  pile  of  offerings. 
It  may  serve  to  show  a  curious  coincidence  in  the  superstitions  of 
nations,  between  whom,  however,  there  is  not  the  slightest  proba 
bility  of  national  affiliation,  or  even  intercourse,  to  remark  that 
this  sacred  manito  tree  was  a  very  large  species  of  the  Scottish 
rowan  or  mountain  ash. 

16^/4.  I  this  day  left  the  mess-table  of  my  kind  friends,  the 
officers  of  the  second  infantry,  and  went  to  the  hospitable  domicil 
of  Mr.  Johnston,  who  has  the  warm-hearted  frankness  of  the  Irish 
character,  and  offers  the  civilities  of  life  with  the  air  and  manner 
of  a  prince.  I  flatter  myself  with  the  opportunity  of  profiting 
greatly  while  under  his  roof,  in  the  polished  circle  of  his  house 
hold,  and  in  his  ripe  experience  and  knowledge  of  the  Indian 
character,  manners,  and  customs,  and  in  the  curious  philosophical 
traits  of  the  Indian  language.  It  is  refreshing  to  find  a  person 
who,  in  reference  to  this  language,  knows  the  difference  between 
the  conjugation  of  a  verb  and  the  declension  of  a  noun.  There  is 
a  prospect,  at  least,  of  getting  at  the  grammatical  principles,  by 
which  they  conjoin  and  build  up  words.  It  has  been  intolerable 
to  me  to  converse  with  Indian  traders  and  interpreters  here,  who 
have,  for  half  their  lives,  been  using  a  language  without  being  able 
to  identify  with  precision  person,  mood,  tense,  or  any  of  the  first 
laws  of  grammatical  utterance. 

Vlth.  It  is  customary  with  the  Chippewas  at  this  place,  when 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  101 

an  inmate  of  the  lodge  is  sick,  to  procure  a  thin  sapling  some 
twenty  to  thirty  feet  long,  from  which,  after  it  has  been  trimmed, 
the  bark  is  peeled.  Native  paints  are  then  smeared  over  it  as 
caprice  dictates.  To  the  slender  top  are  then  tied  bits  of  scarlet, 
blue  cloth,  beads,  or  some  other  objects  which  are  deemed  acceptable 
to  the  manito  or  spirit,  who  has,  it  is  believed,  sent  sickness  to  the 
lodge  as  a  mark  of  his  displeasure.  The  pole  is  then  raised  in 
front  of  the  lodge  and  firmly  adjusted  in  the  ground.  The  sight 
of  these  manito  poles  gives  quite  a  peculiar  air  to  an  Indian  en 
campment.  Not  knowing,  however,  the  value  attached  to  them, 
one  of  the  officers,  a  few  days  after  our  arrival,  having  occasion 
for  tent  poles,  sent  one  of  his  men  for  one  of  these  poles  of  sacri 
fice  ;  but  its  loss  was  soon  observed  by  the  Indians,  who  promptly 
reclaimed  it,  and  restored  it  to  the  exact  position  which  it  occupied 
before.  There  is,  in  fact,  such  a  subtle  and  universal  belief  in 
the  doctrine  and  agency  of  minor  spirits  of  malign  or  benignant 
influence  among  the  Indians  who  surround  the  cantonment,  or 
visit  the  agency,  and  who  are  encamped  at  this  season  in  great 
numbers  in  the  open  spaces  of  the  village  or  its  vicinity,  that  we 
are  in  constant  danger  of  trespassing  against  some  Indian  custom, 
and  of  giving  offence  where  it  was  least  intended.  It  is  said  that 
one  cause  of  the  preference  which  the  Indians  have  ever  mani 
fested  for  the  French,  is  the  respect  which  they  are  accustomed 
to  pay  to  all  their  religious  or  superstitious  observances,  whereas 
an  Englishman  or  an  American  is  apt,  either  to  take  no  pains  to 
conceal  his  disgust  for  their  superstitions,  or  to  speak  out  bluntly 
aainst  them. 


Sulphuret  of  Copper.  —  I  received  a  specimen  of  this 
mineral,  which  is  represented  to  have  been  obtained  on  the  Island 
of  Saint  Joseph's,  in  these  straits  (Saint  Mary's).  It  has  the 
usual  brass  yellow  color  of  the  sulphurets  of  this  metal,  and  fur 
nishes  a  hint  for  seeking  that  hitherto  undiscovered,  but  valuable 
species  of  the  ore  in  this  vicinity.  Hitherto,  we  have  found  the 
metal  chiefly  in  the  native  form,  or  in  the  condition  of  a  carbonate, 
the  first  being  a  form  of  it  which  has  not  in  Europe  been  found  in 
large  quantities,  and  the  second  not  containing  a  sufficient  per 
centage  to  repay  well  the  cost  of  smelting. 


102  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

20th.  Superstitious  regard  for  Woman.  —  Some  of  the  rites 
and  notions  of  these  northern  barbarians  are  curious.  The  fol 
lowing  custom  is  stated  to  me  to  have  been  formerly  prevalent 
among  the  Chippewas  :  After  their  corn-planting,  a  labor  which 
falls  to  the  share  of  the  women,  and  as  soon  as  the  young  blades 
began  to  shoot  up  from  the  hills,  it  was  customary  for  the  female 
head  of  the  family  to  perform  a  circuit  around  the  field  in  a  state 
of  nudity.  For  this  purpose,  she  chose  a  dark  evening,  and  after 
divesting  herself  of  her  machecota,  held  it  in  her  hands  dragging 
it  behind  her  as  she  ran,  and  in  this  way  compassed  the  field. 
This  singular  rite  was  believed  to  protect  the  corn  from  blight  and 
the  ravages  of  worms  and  vermin,  and  to  insure  a  good  crop.  It 
was  believed  that  neither  worms  nor  vermin  could  cross  the  mystic 
or  enchanted  ring  made  by  the  nocturnal  footsteps  of  the  wife, 
nor  any  mildew  or  canker  affect  the  growing  stalks  and  ears. 

21st.  G-rand  Island,  in  Lake  Superior,  lies  transversely  in 
the  lake,  just  beyond  the  termination  of  the  precipitous  coast  of 
the  Pictured  Rocks.  Its  southern  end  is  crescent-shaped,  and 
forms  a  singularly  fine  harbor  for  vessels,  which  will  one  day  be 
appreciated.  The  Indian  band  occupying  it  was  formerly  nume 
rous.  There  are  many  stories  still  current  of  their  former  prowess 
and  traits  of  hospitality  and  generosity,  and  of  the  skill  of  their 
old  seers,  and  divining-men,  i.  e.  JossaJceeds.  Its  present  Indian 
population  is  reduced  to  forty-six  souls,  of  whom  ten  are  men, 
sixteen  women,  and  twenty  children.  Of  the  men,  nine  are 
married,  one  of  whom  has  two  wives,  and  there  are  two  widows. 

Of  this  band  the  Star  family,  so  called,  have  long  possessed  the 
chieftainship,  and  are  remarkable  on  several  accounts.  There  are 
eleven  children  of  them  now  living,  five  of  whom  are  males,  all 
by  one  mother,  who  is  still  living.  Sabboo  is  the  principal  man. 
The  South  Bird,  his  elder,  and  the  ruling  chief,  has  removed  to 
Bay  de  Nocquet.  At  this  island,  story  says,  formerly  lived  the 
noted  warrior  and  meta,  Sagima;  and  it  was  also,  according  to 
Indian  mythology,  the  residence  of  Mishosha,  who  owned  a 
magic  canoe,  that  would  shoot  through  the  water  by  uttering  a 
charmed  word. 

22d.  I  have  heard  much  of  the  ancient  Chippewa  capital  of 
La  Pointe,  as  the  French  call  it,  or  Chegoimegon,  in  Lake  Superior, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  103 

situated  near  its  west  end,  or  head.  The  Chippewas  and  their 
friends,  the  old  traders  and  Boislrules,  and  Canadians,  are  never 
tired  of  telling  of  it.  All  their  great  men  of  old  times  are  locat 
ed  there.  It  was  there  that  their  Mudjekewis,  king  or  chief  ruler, 
lived,  and,  as  some  relate,  that  an  eternal  fire  was  kept  up  with  a 
sort  of  rude  temple  service.  At  that  place  lived,  in  comparatively 
modern  times,  Wabojeeg  and  Andaigweos,  and  there  still  lives  one 
of  their  descendants  in  Gitchee  Waishkee,  the  Great  First-born, 
or,  as  he  is  familiarly  called,  Pezhickee,  or  the  Buffalo,  a  chief 
decorated  with  British  insignia.  His  band  is  estimated  at  one 
hundred  and  eighteen  souls,  of  whom  thirty-four  are  adult  males, 
forty-one  females,  and  forty-three  children.  Mizi,  the  Catfish, 
one  of  the  heads  of  families  of  this  band,  who  has  figured  about 
here  this  summer,  is  not  a  chief,  but  a  speaker,  which  gives  him 
some  eclat.  He  is  a  sort  of  petty  trader  too,  being  credited  with 
little  adventures  of  goods  by  a  dealer  on  the  opposite,  or  British 
shores. 

23dL  There  are  few  animals  which  the  Indians  reject  as  food. 
On  this  subject  they  literally  fulfil  the  declaration  of  Paul,  "  that 
every  creature  of  God  is  good,  and  nothing  to  be  refused;"  but  I 
fear  the  poor  creatures,  in  these  straits,  do  anything  but  show  the 
true  spirit  of  thanksgiving  in  which  the  admonition  is  given.  There 
is  nothing  apparently  in  the  assertion  respecting  Indians  distin 
guishing  between  clean  and  unclean  beasts;  I  have  heard,  how 
ever,  that  crows  and  vultures  are  not  eaten,  but,  when  they  are 
pushed  by  hunger,  whatever  can  sustain  life  is  taken. 

The  truth  is,  the  calls  of  hunger  are  often  so  pressing  to  these 
northern  Indians,  that  anything  in  the  shape  of  animal  fibre,  that 
will  keep  soul  and  body  together,  is  eaten  in  times  of  their  greatest 
want.  A  striking  instance  of  this  kind  has  just  occurred,  in  the 
case  of  a  horse  killed  in  the  public  service.  The  animal  had,  to 
use  the  teamster's  phrase,  been  snagged,  and  was  obliged  to  be 
shot.  To  prevent  unpleasant  effects  in  hot  summer  weather,  the 
carcass  was  buried  in  the  sand;  but  as  soon  as  the  numerous  bands 
of  Indians,  who  are  encamped  here,  learned  the  fact,  they  dug  up 
the  animal,  which  was,  however,  nowise  diseased,  and  took  it  to 
their  camp  for  food. 


104  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS, 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Murder  of  Soan-ga-ge-zhick,  a  Chippewa,  at  the  head  of  the  falls — Indian  mode 
of  interment — Indian  prophetess — Topic  of  interpreters  and  interpreta 
tion — Mode  of  studying  the  Indian  language — The  Johnston  family — Visits 
— Katewabeda,  chief  of  Sandy  Lake — Indian  mythology,  and  oral  tales  and 
legends — Literary  opinion — Political  opinion — Visit  of  the  chief  Little 
Pine — Visit  of  Wabishkepenais — A  despairing  Indian— Geography. 

1822.  July  26th.  A  TRAGIC  occurrence  took  place  last  night, 
at  the  head  of  the  portage,  resulting  in  the  death  of  a  Chippewa, 
which  is  believed  to  be  wholly  attributable  to  the  use  of  ardent 
spirits  in  the  Indian  camps.  As  soon  as  I  heard  the  facts,  and 
not  knowing  to  what  lengths  the  spirit  of  retaliation  might  go,  I 
requested  of  Colonel  Brady  a  few  men,  with  a  non-commissioned 
officer,  and  proceeded,  taking  my  interpreter  along,  to  the  spot. 
The  portage  road  winds  along  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile,  near 
the  rapids,  and  all  the  way,  within  the  full  sound  of  the  roaring 
water,  when  it  opens  on  a  green,  which  is  the  ancient  camping 
ground,  at  the  head  of  the  falls.  A  footpath  leads  still  higher,  by 
clumps  of  bushes  and  copsewood,  to  the  borders  of  a  shallow  bay, 
where  in  a  small  opening  I  somewhat  abruptly  came  to  the  body 
of  the  murdered  man.  He  was  a  Chippewa  from  the  interior  called 
Soan-ga-ge-zhick,  or  the  Strong  Sky.  He  had  been  laid  out,  by 
his  relatives,  and  dressed  in  his  best  apparel,  with  a  kind  of  cap 
of  blue  cloth  and  a  fillet  round  his  head.  His  lodge,  occupied  by 
his  widow  and  three  small  children,  stood  near.  On  examination, 
he  had  been  stabbed  in  several  places,  deeply  in  both  thighs. 
These  wounds  might  not  have  proved  fatal ;  but  there  was  a  sub 
sequent  blow,  with  a  small  tomahawk,  upon  his  forehead,  above 
the  left  eye.  He  was  entirely  dead,  and  had  been  found  so,  on 
searching  for  him  at  night,  by  his  wife.  It  appeared  that  he  had 
been  drinking  during  the  evening  and  night,  with  an  Indian  half- 
breed  of  the  Chippewa  River,  of  the  name  of  Gaulthier.  This 
fellow,  finding  he  had  killed  him,  had  taken  his  canoe  and  fled. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  105 

Botli  had  been  intoxicated.  I  directed  the  body  to  be  interred, 
at  the  public  charge,  on  the  ancient  burial  hill  of  the  Chippewas, 
near  the  cantonment.  The  usual  shroud,  on  such  occasions,  is  a 
new  blanket ;  a  grave  was  dug,  and  the  body  very  carefully  dressed, 
laid  in  the  coffin,  beside  the  grave.  Before  the  lid  was  fastened, 
an  aged  Indian  came  forward,  and  pronounced  a  funeral  oration. 
He  recited  the  traits  of  his  character.  He  addressed  the  dead 
man  direct.  He  told  him  that  he  had  reached  the  end  of  his  jour 
ney  first,  that  they  should  all  follow  him  soon  to  the  land  of  the 
dead,  and  again  meet.  He  gave  him  directions  for  his  journey. 
He  offered  a  brief  admonition  of  dangers.  He  bid  him  adieu. 
The  brother  of  the  deceased  then  stept  forward,  and,  having  re 
moved  the  head-dress  of  the  slain  man,  pulled  out  some  locks  of 
hair  as  a  memento.  The  head-dress  was  then  carefully  replaced, 
the  lid  of  the  coffin  fastened,  and  the  corpse  let  down  into  the 
ground.  Two  stout  poles  were  then  laid  over  the  open  grave. 
The  brother  approached  the  widow  and  stood  still.  The  orator 
then  addressed  a  few  words  to  both,  telling. the  survivor  to  perform 
a  brother's  part  by  the  widow.  He  then  took  her  by  the  hand, 
and  led  her  carefully  across  the  open  ^grave,  over  the  two  poles. 
This  closed  the  ceremony,  and  the  grave  was  then  filled,  and  the 
crowd  of  white  and  red  men  dispersed.  At  night  a  small  flicker 
ing  fire  was  built  by  the  Indian  relatives  of  the  murdered  man,  at 
the  head  of  the  grave. 

27th.  Making  inquiries  respecting  the  family  of  Soan-ga-ge-zhick, 
in  order  to  direct  some  provisions  to  be  issued  to  them,  I  learned 
that  the  widow  is  a  prophetess  among  her  people,  or  in  other 
words  a  female  Jossakeed,  and  is  supposed  to  have  much  influence 
in  this  way.  This  denotes  that  the  prophetic  office  is  not,  as  has 
been  supposed,  confined  to  males.  I  cannot  better  indicate  the 
meaning  of  the  word  Jossakeed  than  to  say  that  it  is  a  person 
who  makes  oracular  responses  from  a  close  lodge  of  peculiar  con 
struction,  where  the  inmate  is  supposed  to  be  surrounded  by  su 
perhuman  influences,  which  impart  the  power  of  looking  into 
futurity.  It  is,  manifestly,  the  ancient  office  of  a  seer,  and  after 
making  interrogatories  about  it,  from  persons  supposed  to  be  best 
acquainted  with  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people,  the  exist 
ence  of  such  an  order  of  persons  among  them  offers  a  curious 
coincidence  with  one  of  the  earliest  superstitions  of  mankind.  I 


106  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

further  learn  that  there  is  nothing  hereditary  in  the  descent  of 
such  priestly  functions  ;  that  any  one,  who  acquires  a  character 
for  sanctity  or  skill  therein  among  the  bands,  may  assume  the 
duties,  and  will  secure  a  rank  and  respect  in  proportion  to  his 
supposed  skill  therein.  Having  spoken  of  descent,  it  is  added,  by 
my  informants,  that  the  widow  of  Strong  Sky,  is  a  granddaugh 
ter  of  the  noted  war-chief  Wabodjeeg,*  of  Chegoimegon,  Lake 
Superior,  who,  some  half  a  century  ago,  had  obtained  a  high  repu 
tation  with  his  people  for  his  military  skill  and  bravery,  in  the 
war  against  the  Ottogamies  and  Sioux.  They  talk  of  him  as 
having  been  a  sort  of  Rajah,  who  could  at  any  time  get  men  to 
follow  him. 

28th.  I  have  had  an  interview  to-day  with  Ka-ba-konse  (Lit 
tle  Hawk),  brother  of  the  murdered  Strong  Sky. 

It  does  not  seem  possible  to  obtain  much  information  respecting 
their  secret  beliefs  and  superstitions  direct  from  the  Indians.  The 
attempts  I  have  made  thus  far  have,  at  least,  been  unsuccessful, 
partly,  perhaps,  because  the  topic  was  not  properly  apprehended 
by  them,  or  by  my  ordinary  office  interpreter,  who,  I  find,  is  soon 
run  a-muck  by  anything  but  the  plainest  and  most  ordinary  line 
of  inquiry.  A  man  of  the  Indian  frontiers,  who  has  lived  all  his 
life  to  eat  and  drink,  to  buy  and  sell,  and  has  grown  old  in  this 
devotion  to  the  means  necessary  to  secure  the  material  necessaries 
of  life  is  not  easily  roused  up  to  intellectual  ardor.  I  find  this 
to  be  the  case  with  my  present  interpreter,  and  he  is,  perhaps,  not 
inferior  to  the  general  run  of  paid  interpreters.  But  as  I  find,  in 
my  intercourse,  the  growing  difficulties  of  verbal  communication 
with  the  Indians  on  topics  at  all  out  of  the  ordinary  routine  of 
business,  I  begin  to  feel  less  surprised  at  the  numerous  misappre 
hensions  of  the  actual  character,  manners,  and  customs  of  the 
Indians,  which  are  found  in  books.  I  speak  as  to  the  communi 
cation  of  exact  ideas  of  their  beliefs.  As  to  literal  exactitude  in 
such  communications,  my  inquiries  have  already  convinced  me 
that  there  must  be  other  and  higher  standards  than  a  hap-hazard 
I-au-ne-Tcun-o-tau-gade,  or  trade  interpreter,  before  the  thing  can 
be  attempted.  Fortunately,  I  have,  in  my  kind  and  polite  friend 

*  White  Fisher.  The  fisher  is  a  small  furred  animal  resembling  the  mus- 
tela. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  107 

Mr.  Johnston,  who  has  given  me  temporary  quarters  at  his  house, 
and  the  several  intelligent  members  of  his  family,  the  means  of 
looking  deeper  into  the  powers  and  structure  of  the  language,  and 
am  pressing  these  advantages,  amidst  the  pauses  of  business,  with 
all  my  ardor  and  assiduity. 

The  study  of  the  language,  and  the  formation  of  a  vocabulary  and 
grammar  have  almost  imperceptibly  become  an  absorbing  object, 
although  I  have  been  but  a  short  time  at  the  place,  and  the  plan 
interests  me  so  much,  that  I  actually  regret  the  time  that  is  lost 
from  it,  in  the  ordinary  visits  of  comity  and  ceremony,  which  are, 
however,  necessary.  My  method  is  to  interrogate  all  persons 
visiting  the  office,  white  and  red,  who  promise  to  be  useful  subjects 
of  information  during  the  day,  and  to  test  my  inquiries  in  the 
evening  by  reference  to  the  Johnstons,  who,  being  educated,  and 
speaking  at  once  both  the  English  and  Odjibwa  correctly,  offer 
a  higher  and  more  reliable  standard  than  usual. 

Mr.  Johnston's  family  consists  of  ten  persons,  though  all  are 
not  constantly  present.  He  is  himself  a  native  of  the  county  of 
Antrim,  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  his  father  having  possessed  an 
estate  at  Craige,  near  the  Giant's  Causeway.  He  came  to  Ame 
rica  in  the  last  presidential  term  of  General  Washington,  having  a 
brother  at  that  time  settled  at  Albany,  and  after  visiting  Montreal 
and  Quebec,  he  fell  into  company  with  the  sort  of  half-baronial 
class  of  north-west  fur  traders,  who  struck  his  fancy.  By  their 
advice,  he  went  to  Michilimackinack  and  Lake  Superior,  where  he 
became  attached  to,  and  subsequently  married  the  younger  daugh 
ter  of  Wabojeeg,  a  northern  Powhatan,  who  has  been  before  men 
tioned.  There  are  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  to  the  education 
of  all  of  whom  he  has  paid  the  utmost  attention.  His  eldest 
son  was  first  placed  in  the  English  navy,  and  is  now  a  lieutenant 
in  the  land  service,  having  been  badly  wounded  and  cut  in  the 
memorable  battle  with  Commodore  Perry  on  Lake  Erie,  in  1813. 
The  next  eldest  is  engaged  in  commerce.  The  eldest  daughter 
was  educated  in  Ireland,  and  the  two  next  at  Sandwich,  near 
Detroit.  These  constituted  the  adults  ;  there  are  two  sons  and  a 
daughter,  still  in  their  school-days.  All  possess  agreeable,  easy 
manners  and  refinement.  Mrs.  Johnston  is  a  woman  of  excellent 
judgment  and  good  sense  ;  she  is  referred  to  on  abstruse  points  of 
the  Indian  ceremonies  and  usages,  so  that  I  have  in  fact  stumbled, 


108  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

as  it  were,  on  the  only  family  in  North  West  America  who  could, 
in  Indian  lore,  have  acted  as  my  "guide,  philosopher  and  friend." 

SOth.  I  received  yesterday  a  second  visit  from  Ka-ta-wa-be-da, 
or  the  Broken  Tooth  chief  of  Sandy  Lake,  on  the  Upper  Missis 
sippi,  who  is  generally  known  by  his  French  name  of  Breshieu, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  interview  gave  him  a  requisition  on  the 
commissary  for  some  provisions  to  enable  him  to  return  to  his 
home.  The  Indians  must  be  led  by  a  very  plain  path  and  a  friendly 
hand.  Feeling  and  preference  are  subsequent  manifestations.  I 
took  this  occasion  to  state  to  him  the  objects  and  policy  of  the 
government  by  the  establishment  at  these  falls  of  a  post  and 
agency,  placing  it  upon  its  true  basis,  namely,  the  preservation  of 
peace  upon  the  frontiers,  and  the  due  observance,  by  all  parties, 
of  the  laws  respecting  trade  and  intercourse  with  the  tribes,  and 
securing  justice  both  to  them  and  to  our  citizens,  particularly  by 
the  act  for  the  exclusion  of  ardent  spirits  from  the  Indian  country. 
By  the  agency,  a  door  was  opened  through  which  they  could  com 
municate  their  wishes  to  the  President,  and  he  was  also  enabled 
to  state  his  mind  to  them.  All  who  opened  their  ears  truly  to  the 
voice  of  their  American  father  would  be  included  among  the  re 
cipients  of  his  favors.  He  felt  kindly  to  all,  but  those  only  who 
hearkened  to  his  council  would  be  allowed,  as  he  had  been,  to 
share  in  the  usual  privileges  which  the  agency  at  this  place 
secured  to  them.  Having  drawn  his  provisions,  and  duly  reflected 
on  what  was  said  by  me,  he  returned  to-day  to  bid  me  adieu,  on 
his  setting  out  to  go  home,  and  to  express  his  thanks  for  my  kind 
ness  and  advice.  The  old  chief,  who  has  long  exercised  his 
sway  in  the  region  of  Sandy  Lake,  made  a  well-considered  speech 
in  reply  to  mine  of  yesterday,  in  which  he  took  the  ground  of 
neutrality  as  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  and 
averred  that  he  had  ever  been  the  friend  of  the  white  race  and  of 
traders  who  came  into  the  country,  and  declared  himself  the 
friend  of  peace. 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  interview,  I  gave  him  a  small  sea-shell 
from  my  cabinet,  as  a  mark  of  my  respect,  and  a  token  which 
would  remind  him  of  my  advice.  I  remembered  that  the  Indians 
of  the  continent  have  always  set  a  high  value  on  wampum,  which 
is  made  solely  from  sea-shells,  and  have  attributed  a  kind  of 
gacredness  for  this  class  of  productions. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  109 

Slst.  Indian  Mythology. — Nothing  has  surprised  me  more  in 
the  conversations  which  I  have  had  with  persons  acquainted  with 
the  Indian  customs  and  character,  than  to  find  that  the  Chippe- 
was  amuse  themselves  with  oral  tales  of  a  mythological  or  alle 
gorical  character.  Some  of  these  tales,  which  I  have  heard,  are 
quite  fanciful,  and  the  wildest  of  them  are  very  characteristic  of 
their  notions  and  customs.  They  often  take  the  form  of  allegory, 
and  in  this  shape  appear  designed  to  teach  some  truth  or  illustrate 
some  maxim.  The  fact,  indeed,  of  such  a  fund  of  fictitious 
legendary  matter  is  quite  a  discovery,  and  speaks  more  for  the 
intellect  of  the  race  than  any  trait  I  have  heard.  Who  would 
have  imagined  that  these  wandering  foresters  should  have  pos 
sessed  such  a  resource  ?  What  have  all  the  voyagers  and  re- 
markers  from  the  days  of  Cabot  and  Raleigh  been  about,  not  to 
have  discovered  this  curious  trait,  which  lifts  up  indeed  a  curtain, 
as  it  were,  upon  the  Indian  mind,  and  exhibits  it  in  an  entirely 
new  character  ? 

August  1st.  Every  day  increases  the  interest  which  the  ques 
tion  of  the  investigation  of  the  Indian  languages  and  customs 
assumes  in  my  mind.  My  facilities  for  pursuing  these  inquiries 
and  for  the  general  transaction  of  the  official  business  has  been  in 
creased  this  day  by  my  removing  into  a  new  and  more  convenient 
office,  situated  some  ninety  or  a  hundred  yards  west  of  my  former 
position,  but  on  a  line  with  it,  and  fronting,  like  the  former  room, 
on  an  ancient  green  on  the  river's  banks.  The  St.  Mary's  River 
is  here  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  wide,  and  the  green  in  front 
of  my  office  is  covered  with  Indian  lodges,  and  presents  a  noble 
expanse.  I  have  now  a  building  some  thirty-six  feet  square,  built 
of  squared  timber,  jointed  with  mortar  and  whitewashed,  so  as  to 
give  it  a  neat  appearance.  The  interior  is  divided  into  a  room 
some  twenty  feet  by  thirty-six,  with  two  small  ante-rooms.  A 
large  cast  iron  Montreal  stove,  which  will  take  in  three  feet  wood, 
occupies  the  centre.  The  walls  are  plastered,  and  the  room  mode 
rately  lighted.  The  rear  of  the  lot  has  a  blacksmith  shop.  The 
interpreter  has  quarters  near  by.  The  gate  of  the  new  canton 
ment  is  some  three  hundred  yards  west  of  my  door,  and  there  is 
thus  brought  within  a  small  compass  the  means  of  transacting 
the  affairs  of  the  agency  during  the  approaching  and  expected 


110  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

severe  winter.    These  are  the  best  arrangements  that  can  be  made, 
better  indeed  than  I  had  reason  to  expect  on  first  landing  here. 

3d.  I  wrote  to-day  to  Dr.  Hosack,  expressing  my  thanks  for  the 
extract  of  a  letter,  which  he  had  enclosed  me  from  Sir  Humphrey 
Davy,  dated  London,  March  24th,  1822,  in  which  this  eminent 
philosopher  expresses  his  opinion  on  my  Narrative  Journal,  a 
copy  of  which  Dr.  Hosack  had  sent  him.  "  Schoolcraft's  Narra 
tive  is  admirable,"  observes  Sir  Humphrey  Davy,  "both  for  the 
facts  it  develops,  and  for  the  simplicity  and  clearness  of  the  de 
tails.  He  has  accomplished  great  things  by  such  means,  and  offers 
a  good  model  for  a  traveler  in  a  new  country.  I  lent  his  book  to 
our  veteran  philosophical  geographer,  Major  Rennel,  who  was 
highly  pleased  with  it.  Copies  of  it  would  sell  well  in  England." 

A  friend  sends  me  a  prospectus  for  a  paper  under  the  title  of 
"  Washington  Republican"  which  has  just  been  established  at  the 
seat  of  government,  earnestly  advocating  the  election  of  John  C. 
Calhoun  for  the  presidency  in  1824. 

4th.  A  chief  of  a  shrewd  and  grave  countenance,  and  more 
than  the  ordinary  cast  of  thought,  visited  me  this  morning,  and 
gave  me  his  hand,  with  the  ordinary  salutation  of  Nosa  (my  father). 
The  interpreter  introduced  him  by  the  name  of  Little  Pine,  or 
Shingwalkonee,  and  as  a  person  of  some  consequence  among  the 
Indians,  being  a  meta,  a  wabeno,  a  counselor,  a  war  chief,  and  an 
orator  or  speaker.  He  had  a  tuft  of  beard  on  his  chin,  wore  a  hat,  and 
had  some  other  traits  in  his  dress  and  gear  which  smacked  of  civil 
ization.  His  residence  is  stated  to  be,  for  the  most  part,  on  the 
British  side  of  the  river,  but  he  traces  his  lineage  from  the  old 
Crane  band  here.  I  thought  him  to  be  a  man  of  more  than  the 
ordinary  Indian  forecast.  He  appeared  to  be  a  person  who,  hav 
ing  seen  all  the  military  developments  on  these  shores  during  the 
last  month,  thought  he  would  cross  over  the  channel  with  a  retinue, 
to  see  what  the  Chemoquemon*  was  about.  He  had  also,  per 
haps,  a  shrewd  Indian  inkling  that  some  presents  might  be  dis 
tributed  here  during  the  season. 

~LQth.  A  strange-looking  Indian  came  in  from  the  forest  wearing 
an  American  silver  medal.  He  looked  haggard  and  forsaken. 
It  will  be  recollected  by  those  who  have  read  my  Narrative  Journal 

*  Chemoquemon,  an  American  ;  from  Gltchee  great,  moguemon  a  knife. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  Ill 

of  the  expedition  of  1820,  that  Governor  Cass  became  lost  and 
entangled  among  the  sharp  mountainous  passes  of  the  River  On- 
tonagon,  in  his  attempts  to  reach  the  party  who  had,  at  an  early 
part  of  the  day,  gone  forward  to  the  site  of  the  Copper  Rock ;  and 
that  he  bestowed  a  medal  on  a  young  Chippewa,  who  had  ren 
dered  his  party  and  himself  services  during  its  stay  on  that  river. 
This  individual  was  among  the  earlier  visitors  who  presented  him 
self  at  my  office.  He  recognized  me  as  one  of  the  party  on  that 
occasion.  He  was  introduced  to  me  by  the  name  of  Wabish-ke-pe- 
nace,  or  the  White  Bird,  and  seemed  to  rouse  up  from  a  settled 
look  of  melancholy  when  referring  to  those  events.  It  appears  that 
his  conduct  as  a  guide  on  that  occasion  had  made  him  unpopular 
with  the  band,  who  told  him  he  had  received  an  honor  for  that  which 
should  be  condemned.  That  it  was  a  crime  to  show  the  Americans 
their  wealth,  and  the  Great  Spirit  did  not  approve  it.  His  dress 
had  something  wild  and  forlorn,  as  well  as  his  countenance. 

17 th.  A  week  or  two  ago,  an  Indian,  called  Sa-ne-baw,  or  the 
Ribbon,  who  encamped  on  the  green  in  front  of  my  office,  fell  sick. 
I  requested  Dr.  Wheaton  to  visit  him,  but  it  did  not  appear  that 
there  was  any  disease  of  either  an  acute  or  chronic  character  which 
could  be  ascertained.  The  man  seemed  to  be  in  a  low  desponding 
state.  Some  small  medicines  were  administered,  but  he  evinced 
no  symptoms  of  restoration.  He  rather  appeared  to  be  pining 
away,  with  some  secret  mental  canker.  The  very  spirit  of  despair 
was  depicted  in  his  visage.  Young  Wheaton,  a  brother  of  the 
Doctor,  and  Lieutenant  C.  Morton,  United  States  Army,  visited 
him  daily  in  company,  with  much  solicitude ;  but  no  effort  to  rally 
him,  physically  or  mentally,  was  successful,  and  he  died  this  morn 
ing.  "  He  died,"  said  the  former  to  me,  "  because  he  would  die." 
The  Indians  seem  to  me  a  people  who  are  prone  to  despond,  and 
easily  sink  into  frames  of  despair. 

I  received  a  letter  to-day  from  the  veteran  geographer,  Mr.  W. 
Darby,  of  Philadelphia,  brought  by  the  hands  of  a  friend,  a  Mr. 
Toosey,  through  whom  he  submitted  to  me  a  list  of  geographical 
and  statistical  queries  relating  to  some  generic  points,  which  he  is 
investigating  in  connection  with  his  forthcoming  Gazetteer  of  the 
United  States. 


112  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A  pic-nic  party  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior — Canoe — Scenery — Descent  of 
St.  Mary's  Falls — Etymology  of  the  Indian  names  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and 
Lake  Superior— The  wild  rice  plant — Indian  trade — American  Fur  Com 
pany — Distribution  of  presents  —  Death  of  Sassaba  —  Epitaph  —  Indian 
capacity  to  count — Oral  literature — Research — Self-reliance. 

1822.  August  20th.  I  WENT  with  a  pic-nic  to  Gross  Cape,  a 
romantic  promontory  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior.  This  elevation 
stands  on  the  north  shore  of  the  straits,  and  consequently  in  Canada. 
It  overlooks  a  noble  expanse  of  waters  and  islands,  constituting  one 
of  the  most  magnificent  series  of  views  of  American  scenery.  Imme 
diately  opposite  stands  the  scarcely  less  elevated,  and  not  less  cele 
brated  promontory  of  Point  Iroquois,  the  Na-do-wa-we-gon-ing,  or 
Place  of  Iroquois  Bones,  of  the  Chippewas.  These  two  promontories 
stand  like  the  pillars  of  Hercules  which  guard  the  entrance  into 
the  Mediterranean,  and  their  office  is  to  mark  the  foot  of  the 
mighty  Superior,  a  lake  which  may  not,  inaptly,  be  deemed  another 
Mediterranean  Sea.  The  morning  chosen  to  visit  this  scene  was 
fine ;  the  means  of  conveyance  chosen  was  the  novel  and  fairy- 
like  barque  of  the  Chippewas,  which  they  denominate  Che-maun, 
but  which  we,  from  a  corruption  of  a  Charib  term  as  old  as  the 
days  of  Columbus,  call  Qanoe.  It  is  made  of  the  rind  of  the 
betula  papyracea,  or  white  birch,  sewed  together  with  the  fine 
fibrous  roots  of  the  cedaror  sprue  e,  and  is  made  water-tight 
by  covering  the  seams  with  boiled  pine  rosin,  the  whole  being  dis 
tended  over  and  supported  by  very  thin  ribs  and  cross-bars  of 
cedar,  curiously  carved  and  framed  together.  It  is  turned  up,  at 
either  end,  like  a  gondola,  and  the  sides  and  gunwales  fancifully 
painted.  The  whole  structure  is  light,  and  was  easily  carried  by 
two  men  on  their  shoulders  ;  yet  will  bear  a  weight  of  more  than 
a  ton  on  the  water.  It  is  moved  with  cedar  paddles,  and  the  Ca 
nadians  who  managed  it,  kept  time  in  their  strokes,  and  regulated 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  113 

them  to  the  sonorous  cadence  of  some  of  their  simple  boat  songs. 
Our  party  consisted  of  several  ladies  and  gentlemen.     We  carried 
the  elements  of  a  picnic.     We  moved  rapidly.     The  views  on  all 
sides  were  novel  and  delightful.     The  water  in  which  the  men 
struck  their  paddles  was  pure  as  crystal.     The  air  was  perfectly 
exhilarating  from  its  purity.     The  distance  about  three  leagues. 
We  landed  a  few  moments  at  Point  aux  Pins,  to  range  along  the 
clean  sandy  shore,  and  sandy  plains,  now  abounding  in  fine  whor 
tleberries.     Directly  on  putting   out  from  this,  the  broad  view  of 
the  entrance  into  the  lake  burst  upon  us.     It  is  magnificent.     A 
line  of  blue  water  stretched  like  a  thread  on  the  horizon,  between 
cape  and  cape,  say  five  miles.     Beyond  it  is  what  the  Chippewas 
call  Bub-eesh-ko-be,  meaning  the  far  off,  indistinct  prospect  of  a 
water  scene,  till  the  reality,  in  the  feeble  power  of  human  vision, 
loses  itself  in  the  clouds  and  sky.     The  two  prominences  of  Point 
Iroquois  and  Gross  Cape   are  very  different  in  character.     The 
former  is  a  bold  eminence  covered  with  trees,  and  having  all  the 
appearance  of  youth  and  verdure.     The  latter  is  but  the  end,  so 
to  say,  of  a  towering  ridge   of  dark  primary  rocks  with   a  few 
stunted  cedars.     The  first   exhibits,  on   inspection,  a  formation  of 
sandstone  and  reproduced  rocks,  piled  stratum  super  stratum,  and 
covered  with  boulder  drifts  and  alluvion.     The  second  is  a  massive 
mountain  ridge  of  the  northern  sienite,  abounding  in  black  crys- 
taline  hornblende,  and  flanked  at  lower  altitudes,  in  front,  in  some 
places,  by  a  sort  of  trachyte.     We  clambered  up  and  over  the 
bold  undulations  of  the  latter,  till  we  were   fatigued.     We  stood 
on  the  highest  pinnacle,  and  gazed  on  the  "  blue  profound"  of  Su 
perior,  the  great  water  or  Gitchegomee  of  the  Indians.     We  looked 
down  far  below  at  the  clean  ridges  of  pebbles,  and  the  transparent 
water.     After  gazing,  and  looking,  and  reveling  in  the  wild  mag 
nificence  of  views,  we  picked  our  way,  crag  by  crag,  to  the  shore, 
and  sat  down  on  the  shining  banks  of  black,  white,  and  mottled 
pebbles,  and  did  ample  justice  to  the  contents  of  our  baskets  of 
good  things.     This  always  restores  one's  spirits.     We  forget  the 
toil  in  the  present  enjoyment.     And  having  done  this,  and  giving 
our  last  looks  at  what  has  been  poetically  called  the  Father  of 
Lakes,  we  put  out,  with  paddles  and  song,  and  every  heart  beating 
in  unison  with  the  scene,  for  our  starting-point  at  Ba-wa-teeg,  or 
Pa-wa-teeg,  alias  Sault    Ste.  Marie.     But  the  half  of  my  story 
8 


114  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

would  not  be  told,  if  I  did  not  add  that,  as  we  gained  the  brink  of 
the  rapids,  and  began  to  feel  the  suction  of  the  wide  current  that 
leaps,  jump  after  jump,  over  that  foaming  bed,  our  inclinations 
and  our  courage  rose  together  to  go  down  the  formidable  pass ;  and 
having  full  faith  in  the  long-tried  pilotage  of  our  guide,  Tom  Shaw, 
down  we  went,  rushing  at  times  like  a  thunderbolt,  then  turned 
by  a  dab  of  the  pole  of  our  guide,  on  a  rock,  shooting  off  in 
eschelon,  and  then  careering  down  another  schute  or  water  bolt, 
till  we  thus  dodged  every  rock,  and  came  out  below  with  a  full 
roaring  chorus  of  our  Canadians,  who,  as  they  cleared  the  last 
danger,  hoisted  our  starry  flag  at  the  same  moment  that  they 
struck  up  one  of  their  wild  and  joyous  songs. 

22d.  I  have  questioned  the  Indians  closely  for  the  names  of 
Sault  Ste.  Marie  and  Lake  Superior.  They  are  destined  to  hold 
an  important  rank  in  our  future  geography.  But  the  result  is 
not  agreeable  to  preconceived  poetic  notions.  When  the  French 
first  came  to  these  falls,  they  found  the  Chippewas,  the  falls  signi 
fying,  descriptively,  Shallow  water  pitching  over  rocks,  or  by  a 
prepositional  form  of  the  term,  at  the  place  of  shallow  water, 
pitching  over  rocks.  Such  is  the  meaning  of  the  words  Pa-wa-teeg 
and  Pa-wa-ting.  The  terms  cover  more  precisely  the  idea  which 
we  express  by  the  word  cascade.  The  French  call  a  cascade  a 
Leap  or  Sault ;  but  Sault  alone  would  not  be  distinctive,  as  they  had 
already  applied  the  term  to  some  striking  passes  on  the  St.  Law 
rence  and  other  places.  They  therefore,  in  conformity  with  their 
general  usage,  added  the  name  of  a  patron  saint  to  the  term  by  call 
ing  it  Sault  de  Ste.  Marie,  i.  e.  Leap  of  Saint  Mary,  to  distinguish 
it  from  other  Leaps,  or  Saults.  Now  as  the  word  Sainte,  as  here 
used,  is  feminine,  it  must,  in  its  abbreviated  form,  be  written  Ste. 
The  preposition  de  (the)  is  usually  dropped.  Use  has  further 
now  dropped  the  sound  of  the  letter  I  from  Sault.  But  as,  in  the 
reforms  of  the  French  dictionary,  the  ancient  geographical  names 
of  places  remain  unaifected,  the  true  phraseology  is  SAULT  STE. 
MARIE. 

Having  named  the  falls  a  Sault,  they  went  a  step  further,  and 
called  the  Odjibwa  Indians  who  lived  at  it,  Saulteurs,  or  People  of 
the  Sault.  Hence  this  has  ever  remained  the  French  name  for 
Chippewas. 

In  the  term  Gitchegomee,  the  name  for   Superior,  we  have  a 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  115 

specimen  of  their  mode  of  making  compounds.  G-itche  signifies 
something  great,  or  possessing  the  property  of  positive  magnitude. 
G-omee  is  itself  a  compound  phrase,  denoting,  when  so  conjoined, 
a  large  body  of  water.  It  is  the  objective  member  of  their  term 
for  the  sea  ;  but  is  governed  by  its  antecedent,  and  may  be  used 
in  describing  other  and  minor,  even  the  most  minute  liquid  bodies, 
as  we  hear  it,  in  the  compound  term  mushkuagomee,  i.  e.  strong 
drink.  Under  the  government  of  the  term  gitchee,  it  appears  to 
express  simply  the  sense  of  great  water,  but  conveys  the  idea,  to 
the  Indian  mind,  of  sea-water.  I  have  cast  about,  to  find  a  sono 
rous  form  of  elision,  in  which  it  may  come  into  popular  use,  but 
find  nothing  more  eligible  than  I-go-mee,  or  Igoma.  A  more 
practical  word,  in  the  shape  of  a  new  compound,  may  be  made  in 
Algoma,  a  term  in  which  the  first  syllable  of  the  generic  name  of 
this  tribe  of  the  Algonquin  stock,  harmonizes  very  well  with  the 
Indian  idea  of  goma  (sea),  giving  us,  Sea  of  the  Algonquins.  The 
term  may  be  objected  to,  as  the  result  of  a  grammatical  abbrevia 
tion,  but  if  not  adopted  practically,  it  may  do  as  a  poetical  synonym 
for  this  great  lake.  Such  is,  at  least,  the  result  of  a  full  discus 
sion  of  these  names,  with  the  very  best  speakers  of  the  language. 

30^.  The  Wild  Rice  Plant. — Having  received  a  request  for 
some  of  this  native  grain  to  send  abroad,  and  knowing  that  the 
smoked  rice,  such  as  the  Indians  usually  bring  in,  will  not  germi 
nate,  I  this  day  dispatched  my  interpreter  in  a  canoe,  with  some 
Indians,  to  the  northern  shores  of  the  straits  to  gather  some  of  it 
for  seed  ;  the  result  was  successful.  This  plant  may  be  deemed 
a  precious  gift  of  nature  to  the  natives,  who  spread  over  many 
degrees  of  northern  latitude.  They  call  it  mon-6-min,  a  compound 
descriptive  phrase,  which  differs  only  from  their  name  for  the  zea 
maize  in  putting  an  o — the  third  syllable — for  the  imperative  future 
in  dau. 

Sept.  1st  Indian  Trade. — Congress  has  provided  a  code  of  laws 
to  regulate  this,  the  object  of  which  is  a  good  one,  and  the  provisions 
of  the  various  enactments  appear  to  be  founded  on  the  highest  prin 
ciples  of  justice  and  benevolence.  It  is  still  a  question,  it  appears  to 
me,  whether  some  of  these  provisions  do  not  merely  sanction  by  the 
forms  of  law  what  was  formerly  done,  not  always  well,  without  it, 


116  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

and  whether  the  measure  of  protection  which  they  afford  to  the 
tribes  against  the  cupidity  of  the  whites  is  very  efficacious.  It 
was  heretofore  pretended  by  the  British  traders  that  all  this 
country  belonged  to  Great  Britain,  and  they  told  the  Indians 
that  the  war  of  1812  would  settle  all  this.  It  clid  so ;  but,  contrary 
to  their  wishes  and  the  predictions  to  the  Indians,  it  settled  it 
precisely  on  the  basis  of  the  treaty  of  1783,  which  ran  the  boun 
dary  line  through  the  straits  of  Saint  Mary's  and  Lake  Superior 
to  the  Lake  of  the  Woods.  As  soon  as  the  smoke  of  the  war 
cleared  off,  namely,  in  1816,  Congress  enacted  that  British  traders 
and  capital  should  be  excluded  from  the  American  lines,  that  no 
British  subjects  should  receive  licenses  to  trade,  and  that  all  such 
persons  who  went  inland  in  subordinate  capacities  should  be  bonded 
for  by  the  American  traders  who  employed  them.  This  law  seemed 
to  bear  particularly  on  this  section  of  country,  and  is  generally 
understood  to  have  been  passed  to  throw  the  old  North  West  Com 
pany,  and  other  British  traders,  trading  on  their  own  account,  out 
of  this  hitherto  very  lucrative  branch  of  trade.  John  Jacob  Astor, 
of  New  York,  went  immediately  to  Montreal  and  bought  out  all 
the  posts  and  factories  of  that  company,  situated  in  the  north 
west,  which  were  south  of  the  lines.  With  these  posts,  the  factors, 
trading  clerks,  and  men  were,  as  a  matter  of  course,  cast  on  the 
patronage  and  employment  of  that  eminent  German  furrier.  That 
he  might  cover  their  employment,  he  sent  an  agent  from  Montreal 
into  Vermont  to  engage  enterprising  young  men,  in  whose  names 
the  licenses  could  be  taken  out.  He  furnished  the  entire  capital 
for  the  trade,  and  sent  agents,  in  the  persons  of  two  enterprising 
young  Scotch  gentlemen,  from  Montreal  and  New  York  to  Michili- 
mackinack,  to  manage  the  business.  This  new  arrangement  took 
the  popular  name  of  the  American  Fur  Company.  In  other  re 
spects,  except  those  related,  the  mode  of  transacting  the  trade,  and 
the  real  actors  therein,  remained  very  much  as  they  were.  Ameri 
can  lads,  whose  names  were  inscribed  in  the  licenses  at  Michili- 
mackinack,  as  principals,  went  inland  in  reality  to  learn  the  busi 
ness  and  the  language  ;  the  engagees,  or  boatmen,  who  were  chiefly 
Canadians  or  metifs,  were  bonded  for,  in  five  hundred  dollars 
each.  In  this  condition,  I  found  things  on  my  arrival  here.  The 
very  thin  diffusion  of  American  feeling  or  principle  in  both  the 
traders  and  the  Indians,  so  far  as  I  have  seen  them,  renders  it  a 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  117 

matter  of  no  little  difficulty  to  supervise  this  business,  and  it  has 
required  perpetual  activity  in  examining  the  boats  and  outfits  of 
the  traders  who  have  received  their  licenses  at  Mackinack,  to  search 
their  packages,  to  detect  contraband  goods,  i.  e.  ardent  spirits, 
and  grant  licenses,  passports,  and  permits  to  those  who  have  ap 
plied  to  me.  To  me  it  seems  that  the  whole  old  resident  popula 
tion  of  the  frontiers,  together  with  the  new  accessions  to  it,  in  the 
shape  of  petty  dealers  of  all  sorts,  are  determined  to  have  the 
Indians'  furs,  at  any  rate,  whether  these  poor  red  men  live  or  die ; 
and  many  of  the  dealers  who  profess  to  obey  the  laws  wish  to 
get  legally  inland  only  that  they  may  do  as  they  please,  law  or 
no  law,  after  they  have  passed  the  flag-staff  of  Sainte  Marie's. 
There  may  be,  and  I  trust  there  are,  higher  motives  in  some 
persons,  but  they  have  not  passed  this  way,  to  my  knowledge,  the 
present  season.  I  detected  one  scamp,  a  fellow  named  Gaul- 
thier,  who  had  carried  by,  and  secreted  above  the  portage,  no 
less  than  five  large  kegs  of  whisky  and  high  wines  on  a  small 
invoice,  but  a  few  days  after  my  arrival.  It  will  require  vigilance 
and  firmness,  and  yet  mildness,  to  secure  anything  like  a  faithful 
performance  of  the  duties  committed  to  me  on  a  remote  frontier, 
and  with  very  little  means  of  action  beyond  the  precincts  of  the 
post,  and  this  depends  much  on  the  moral  influence  on  the  Indian 
mind  of  the  military  element  of  power. 

6th.  First  Distribution  of  Presents. — In  fulfilment  of  a  general 
declaration  of  friendly  purposes,  made  on  my  opening  speech  to 
the  Chippewas  in  July  last,  the  entire  home  band  of  St.  Mary's, 
men,  women,  and  children,  were  assembled  on  the  green  in  front  of 
my  office,  this  morning,  to  receive  a  small  invoice  of  goods  and 
merchandise,  which  were  distributed  amongst  them  as  presents. 
These  goods  were  the  best  that  could  be  purchased  in  the  Detroit 
market,  and  were  all  of  the  best  description  ;  and  they  were  re 
ceived  with  a  lively  satisfaction,  which  betokened  well  for  my  future 
influence.  Prominent  among  the  pleased  recipients  were  the  chiefs 
of  the  village,  Shin-ga-ba-was-sin,  the  Image  Stone,  She-wa-be- 
ke-tone,  the  Man  of  Jingling  Metals,  Kau-ga-osh,  or  the  Bird  in 
Eternal  Flight,  Way-ish-kee,  or  The  First  Born  Son,  and  two  or 
three  others  of  minor  note.  Behind  them  were  the  warriors  and 
young  men,  the  matrons  and  maids ;  and  peppered  in,  as  it  were, 


118  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  children  of  all  ages.  All  were  in  their  best  attire.  The  cere 
mony  began  by  lighting  the  pipe,  and  having  it  passed  by  suitable 
officials  to  the  chiefs  and  warriors  in  due  order,  and  by  placing  a 
pile  of  tobacco  before  them,  for  general  use,  which  the  chiefs  with 
great  care  divided  and  distributed,  not  forgetting  the  lowest  claim 
ant.  I  then  stated  the  principles  by  which  the  agency  would  be 
guided  in  its  intercourse  with  them,  the  benevolence  and  justice 
of  the  views  entertained  by  their  great  father,  the  President,  and 
his  wishes  to  keep  improper  traders  out  of  their  country,  to  ex 
clude  ardent  spirits,  and  to  secure  their  peace  and  happiness  in 
every  practicable  way.  Each  sentence,  as  it  was  rendered  into 
Indian,  was  received  with  the  response  of  Hoh !  an  exclamation  of 
approbation,  which  is  uttered  feebly  or  loud,  in  proportion  as  the 
matter  is  warmly  or  coldly  approved.  The  chiefs  responded.  All 
looked  pleased ;  the  presents  were  divided,  and  the  assembly  broke 
up  in  harmony  and  good  will.  It  does  seem  that,  according  to  the 
oriental  maxim,*  a  present  is  the  readiest  door  to  an  Indian's 
heart. 

25th.  The  Indian  mind  appears  to  lack  the  mathematical  ele 
ment.  It  is  doubtful  how  far  they  can  compute  numbers.  The 
Chippewas  count  decimally,  and  after  ten,  add  the  names  of  the 
digits  to  the  word  ten,  up  to  twenty ;  then  take  the  word  for  twenty, 
and  add  them  as  before,  to  thirty;  and  so  on  to  a  hundred.  They 
then  add  them  to  the  term  for  a  hundred,  up  to  a  thousand. 

They  cannot  be  made  to  understand  the  value  of  an  American 
dollar,  without  reducing  it  to  the  standard  of  skins.  A  striking 
instance  of  this  kind  happened  among  the  Potowattomies  at  Chi 
cago  last  year  (1821).  The  commanding  officer  had  offered  a  re 
ward  of  thirty  dollars  for  the  apprehension  of  a  deserter.  The 
Potowattomies  pursued  and  caught  him,  and  received  a  certificate 
for  the  reward.  The  question  with  them  now  was,  how  much  they 
had  got.  They  wished  to  sell  the  certificate  to  a  trader,  and  there 
were  five  claimants.  They  sat  down  and  counted  off  as  many 
racoon  skins.  They  then  made  thirty  equal  heaps,  substituting 
symbols  for  skins.  Taking  the  store  price  of  a  racoon  at  five 
skins  to  the  dollar,  they  then  found  they  had  received  the  equiva- 

*  "Let  thy  present  go  before  thee." — Proverbs  of  Solomon. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  119 

lent  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  racoons,  and  at  this  price  they  sold 
the  order  or  certificate. 

26th.  Death  of  Sassaba,*  or  the  Count. — This  chief,  who  has 
from  the  day  of  our  first  landing  here,  rendered  himself  noted  for 
his  sentiments  of  opposition  to  the  Americans,  met  with  a  melan 
choly  fate  yesterday.  He  was  in  the  habit  of  using  ardent  spirits, 
and  frequently  rose  from  a  debauch  of  this  kind  of  two  or  three 
days'  continuance.  Latterly  he  has  exhibited  a  singular  figure, 
walking  through  the  village,  being  divested  of  every  particle  of 
clothing  except  a  large  gray  wolf's  skin,  which  he  had  drawn  over 
his  body  in  such  a  manner  as  to  let  its  tail  dangle  down  behind. 
It  was  in  this  unique  costume  that  I  last  saw  him,  and  as  he  was 
a  tall  man,  with  rather  prominent  features,  the  spectacle  was  the 
more  striking.  From  this  freak  of  dress  he  has  been  commonly 
called,  for  some  time,  My-een-gun,  or  the  Wolf.  He  had  been 
drinking  at  Point  aux  Pins,  six  miles  above  the  rapids,  with 
Odabit  and  some  other  boon  companions,  and  in  this  predica 
ment  embarked  in  his  canoe,  to  come  to  the  head  of  the  portage. 
Before  reaching  it,  and  while  still  in  the  strong  tide  or  suck  of  the 
current,  he  rose  in  his  canoe  for  some  purpose  connected  with  the 
sail,  arid  tipped  it  over.  Odabit  succeeded  in  making  land,  but  the 
Count,  his  wife  and  child,  and  Odabit's  wife,  went  over  the  rapids, 
which  was  the  last  ever  seen  of  them.  Sassaba  appeared  to  me  to 
be  a  man  of  strong  feelings  and  an  independent  mind,  not  regard 
ing  consequences.  He  had  taken  a  deep  prejudice  against  the 
Americans,  from  his  brother  having  been  shot  by  his  side  in  the 
battle  under  Tecumseh  on  the  Thames.  This  appeared  to  be  the 
burden  of  his  complaints.  He  was  fond  of  European  dress,  and 
articles  of  furniture.  It  was  found  that  he  had  in  his  tent,  which 
was  of  duck,  a  set  of  silver  tea  and  tablespoons,  knives,  forks, 
cups  and  saucers,  and  a  tea  tray.  Besides  his  military  coat,  sword, 
and  epaulets,  and  sash,  which  were  presented  to  him,  he  had  some 
ruffled  linen  shirts,  gloves,  shoes  and  stockings,  and  an  umbrella, 
all  of  which  were  kept,  however,  in  the  spirit  of  a  virtuoso,  and 
he  took  a  pride  in  displaying  these  articles  to  visitors. 

Many  a  more  worthless  man  than  Sassaba  has  had  his  epitaph, 

*  The  word  means  finery. 


120  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

or  elegiac  wreath,  which  may  serve  as  an  apology  for  the  following 
lines  : — 

The  Falls  were  thy  grave,  as  they  leapt  mad  along, 

And  the  roar  of  their  waters  thy  funeral  song : 

So  wildly,  so  madly,  thy  people  for  aye, 

Are  rapidly,  ceaselessly,  passing  away. 

They  are  seen  but  a  moment,  then  fade  and  are  past, 

Like  a  cloud  in  the  sky,  or  a  leaf  in  the  blast ; 

The  path  thou  hast  trodden,  thy  nation  shall  tread, 

Chief,  warrior,  and  kin,  to  the  Land  of  the  Dead  ; 

And  soon  on  the  lake,  or  the  shore,  or  the  green, 

Not  a  war  drum  shall  sound,  not  a  smoke  shall  be  seen. 

27th.  Oral  Literature  of  the  Indians. — "I  am  extremely 
anxious,"  writes  a  friend,  "  that  Mr.  Johnston  and  his  family  should 
furnish  full  and  detailed  answers  to  my  queries,  more  particularly 
upon  all  subjects  connected  with  the  language,  and,  if  I  may  so 
speak,  the  polite  literature  of  the  Chippewas  (I  write  the  word  in 
this  way  because  I  am  apprehensive  that  the  orthography  is  inve- 
terately  fixed,  and  not  because  I  suppose  it  is  correct).*  There 
is  no  quarter  from  which  I  can  expect  such  full  information  upon 
these  topics  as  from  this.  I  must  beg  you  to  aid  me  in  the  pursuit. 
Urge  them  during  the  long  winter  evenings  to  the  task.  The  time 
cannot  be  more  profitably  or  pleasantly  spent,  and,  as  I  am  told 
you  are  somewhat  of  an  aboriginal  scholar,  you  can  assist  them 
with  your  advice  and  judgment.  A  perfect  analysis  of  the  lan 
guage  is  a  great  desideratum.  I  pray  you,  in  the  spring,  to  let 
me  have  the  fruits  of  their  exertions.'' 

With  a  strong  predisposition  to  these  inquiries,  with  such  addi 
tional  excitement  to  the  work,  and  with  the  very  highest  advantages 
of  interpretation  and  no  little  fixity  of  application  from  boyhood, 
it  must  go  hard  with  me  this  winter  if  I  do  not  fish  up  something 
from  the  well  of  Indian  researches  and  traditionary  lore. 

Go,  student,  search,  and  if  thou  nothing  find, 
Go  search  again;  success  is  in  the  mind. — ALGON. 

28th.   The  right  spirit,  humble  yet  manful.  —  A  young  man 

*  I  had  written,  announcing  the  word  Od-jib-iva  to  be  the  true  Indian  pro 
nunciation,  and  recommending  its  adoption. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  121 

of  purpose  and  some  talent,  with  considerable  ambition,  who  is 
diligently  seeking  a  place  in  the  world,  writes  me  from  Detroit  to 
day,  in  this  strain:  "True  it  is,  I  have  determined  to  pass  the 
winter  either  in  New  York  or  Washington,  probably  the  latter  place. 
But,  my  dear  sir,  my  hope  of  doing  anything  for  myself  in  this 
world  is  the  faintest  possible,  and-I  begin  to  fatigue  with  the  exer 
tion.  If  I  do  not  succeed  this  winter  in  obtaining  something  perma 
nent,*  I  shall  probably  settle  down,  either  in  this  place  or  some 
where  in  New  York,  a  poor  devil! — from  all  which,  and  many 
other  things, i  good  Lord  deliver  us  !'  Farewell;  my  best  wishes  be 
with  you  this  winter,  to  keep  you  warm.  I  shall  expect  next 
spring  to  see  you  an  accomplished  mchee'-f  [Ne-je], 

*  He  did  succeed  at  W. 

f  A  term  signifying,  in  the  Chippewa,  my  friend,  but  popularly  used  at  th$ 
time  to  some  extent  at  Detroit  to  denote  an  Indian, 


122  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

My  first  winter  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior — Copper  mines — White  fish — 
A  poetic  name  for  a  fish — Indian  tale — Polygamy — A  reminiscence — Tak 
ing  of  Fort  Niagara — Mythological  and  allegorical  tales  among  the  abo 
rigines — Chippewa  language — Indian  vowels — A  polite  and  a  vulgar  way 
of  speaking  the  language — Public  worship — Seclusion  from  the  world. 

1822.  Oct.  ~Lst.  Copper  Mines  of  Lake  Superior. — On  the  8th 
of  May  last,  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  passed  a  resolution 
in  these  words  : — 

"  Resolved,  that  the  President  of  the  United  States  be  requested 
to  communicate  to  the  Senate,  at  the  commencement  of  the  next 
session  of  Congress,  any  information  which  may  be  in  the  posses 
sion  of  the  government,  derived  from  special  agents  or  otherwise, 
showing  the  number,  value,  and  position  of  the  copper  mines  on 
the  south  shore  of  Lake  Superior ;  the  names  of  the  Indian  tribes 
who  claim  them  ;  the  practicability  of  extinguishing  their  title, 
and  the  probable  advantage  which  may  result  to  the  Republic 
from  the  acquisition  and  working  these  mines." 

The  resolution  having  been  referred  to  me  by  the  Secretary  of 
War,  I,  this  day,  completed  and  transmitted  a  report  on  the  subject, 
embracing  the  principal  facts  known  respecting  them,  insisting  on 
their  value  and  importance,  and  warmly  recommending  their  fur 
ther  exploration  and  working.* 

4th.  White  fish  fishery. — No  place  in  America  has  been  so 
highly  celebrated  as  a  locality  for  taking  this  really  fine  and  deli 
cious  fish,  as  Saint  Mary's  Falls,  or  the  Sault^  as  it  is  more  gene 
rally  and  appropriately  called.  This  fish  resorts  here  in  vast 

*  See  Public  Doc.  No.  365,  2d  Sess.,  17th  Congress, 
f  This  word  is  pronounced  as  if  written  so,  not  soo.     It  is  a  derivative, 
through  the  French,  from  the  Latin  saltus. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  123 

numbers,  and  is  in  season  after  the  autumnal  equinox,  and  con 
tinues  so  till  the  ice  begins  to  run.  It  is  worthy  the  attention 
of  ichthyologists.  It  is  a  remarkable,  but  not  singular  fact  in  its 
natural  history,  that  it  is  perpetually  found  in  the  attitude  of 
ascent  at  these  falls.  It  is  taken  only  in  the  swift  water  at  the 
foot  of  the  last  leap  or  descent.  Into  this  swift  water  the  Indians 
push  their  canoes.  It  requires  great  skill  and  dexterity  for  this. 
The  fishing  canoe  is  of  small  size.  It  is  steered  by  a  man  in  the 
stern.  The  fisherman  takes  his  stand  in  the  bows,  sometimes 
bestriding  the  light  and  frail  vessel  from  gunwale  to  gunwale, 
having  a  scoop-net  in  his  hands.  This  net  has  a  long  slender 
handle,  ten  feet  or  more  in  length.  The  net  is  made  of  strong 
twine,  open  at  the  top,  like  an  entomologist's.  When  the  canoe 
has  been  run  into  the  uppermost  rapids,  and  a  school  of  fish  is 
seen  below  or  alongside,  he  dexterously  puts  down  his  net,  and 
having,  swooped  up  a  number  of  the  fish,  instantly  reverses  it  in 
water,  whips  it  up,  and  discharges  its  contents  into  the  canoe. 
This  he  repeats  till  his  canoe  is  loaded,  when  he  shoots  out  of  the 
tail  of  the  rapids,  and  makes  for  shore.  The  fish  will  average 
three  pounds,  but  individuals  are  sometimes  two  and  three  times 
that  weight.  It  is  shad-shaped,  with  well-developed  scales,  easily 
removed,  but  has  the  mouth  of  the  sucker,  very  small.  The  flesh 
is  perfectly  white  and  firm,  with  very  few  bones.  It  is  boiled  by 
the  Indians  in  pure  water,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  the  kettle  hung 
high  above  a  small  blaze  ;  and  thus  cooked,  it  is  eaten  with  the 
liquid  for  a  gravy,  and  is  delicate  and  delicious.  If  boiled  in  the 
ordinary  way,  by  a  low  hung  pot  and  quick  fire,  it  is  soft  and 
comparatively  flabby.  It  is  also  broiled  by  the  inhabitants,  on  a 
gridiron,  after  cutting  it  open  on  the  back,  and  brought  on  the 
table  slightly  browned.  This  must  be  done,  like  a  steak,  quickly. 
It  is  the  most  delicious  when  immediately  taken  from  the 
water,  and  connoisseurs  will  tell  you,  by  its  taste  at  the  table, 
whether  it  is  immediately  from  the  water,  or  has  lain  any  time 
before  cooking.  It  is  sometimes  made  into  small  ovate  masses, 
dipped  into  batter,  and  fried  in  butter,  and  in  this  shape,  it  is 
called  petite  pdte.  It  is  also  chowdered  or  baked  in  a  pie. 
It  is  the  great  resource  of  the  Indians  and  the  French,  and  of  the 
poor  generally  at  these  falls,  who  eat  it  with  potatoes,  which  are 
abundantly  raised  here.  It  is  also  a  standing  dish  with  all. 


124  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

A  Poetic  Name  for  a  Fish. — The  Chippewas,  who  are  ready  to 
give  every 'object  in  creation,  whose  existence  they  cannot  otherwise 
account  for,  an  allegorical  origin,  call  the  white  fish  attiJcumaig,  a 
very  curious  or  very  fanciful  name,  for  it  appears  to  be  compounded 
of  attik,  a  reindeer,  and  the  general  compound  gumee,  or  guma, 
before  noticed,  as  meaning  water,  or  a  liquid.  To  this  the  addi 
tion  of  the  letter  g  makes  a  plural  in  the  animate  form,  so  that  the 
translation  is  deer  of  the  ivater,  an  evident  acknowledgment  of 
its  importance  as  an  item  in  their  means  of  subsistence.  Who  can 
say,  after  this,  that  the  Chippewas  have  not  some  imagination? 

Indian  Tale. — They  have  a  legend  about  the  origin  of  the  white 
fish,  which  is  founded  on  the  observation  of  a  minute  trait  in  its 
habits.  This  fish,  when  opened,  is  found  to  have  in  its  stomach 
very  small  white  particles  which  look  like  roe  or  particles  of  brain, 
but  are,  perhaps,  microscopic  shells.  They  say  the  fish  itself 
sprang  from  the  brain  of  a  female,  whose  skull  fell  into  these 
rapids,  and  was  dashed  out  among  the  rocks.  A  tale  of  domestic 
infidelity  is  woven  with  this,  and  the  denouement  is  made  to  turn 
on  the  premonition  of  a  venerable  crane,  the  leading  Totem  of  the 
band,  who,  having  consented  to  carry  the  ghost  of  a  female  across 
the  falls  on  his  back,  threw  her  into  the  boiling  and  foaming  flood 
to  accomplish  the  poetic  justice  of  the  tale. 

Ulth.  Polygamy. — This  practice  appears  to  be  less  common 
among  the  Chippewas  than  the  more  westerly  tribes.  An  in 
stance  of  it  came  to  my  notice  to-day,  in  a  complaint  made  by 
an  Indian  named  Me-ta-koos-se-ga,  i.  e.  Smoking- Weed,  or  Pure 
Tobacco,  who  was  living  with  two  wives,  a  mother  and  her  daughter. 
He  complained  that  a  young  woman  whom  he  had  brought  up  had 
left  his  lodge,  and  taken  shelter  with  the  family  of  the  widow  of  a 
Canadian.  It  appears  that  the  old  fellow  had  been  making  ad 
vances  to  this  girl  to  become  his  third  wife,  and  that  she  had  fled 
from  his  lodge  to  avoid  his  importunities. 

~L8th.  Historical  Reminiscences. — This  day  sixty-three  years 
ago,  General  Wolf  took  Quebec,  an  event  upon  which  hinged  the 
fall  of  Canada.  That  was  a  great  historical  era,  and  it  is  from 
this  date,  1759,  that  we  may  begin  to  date  a  change  in  the  Indian 
policy  of  the  country.  Before  that  time,  the  French,  who  had 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  125 

discovered  this  region  of  country  and  established  trade  and  inter 
course  with  the  Indian  tribes,  were  acknowledged  supreme  by  the 
natives.  Since  this  event,  the  English  rule  has  been  growing,  and 
the  allegiance  of  the  tribes  has  been  gradually  strengthened  and 
fixed.  It  is  not  a  light  task  to  change  habits  of  political  affiance, 
cemented  by  so  many  years.  The  object  which  is  only  sought  so 
far  as  the  tribes  fall  within  the  American  lines,  may,  however,  be 
attained  by  a  mild,  consistent,  and  persevering  course  of.  policy. 
Time  is  a  slow  but  sure  innovator.  A  few  years  will  carry  the 
more  aged  men,  whose  prejudices  are  strongest,  to  their  graves. 
The  young  are  more  pliant,  and  will  see  their  interests  in  strength 
ening  their  intercourse  with  the  Americans,  who  can  do  so  much 
to  advance  them,  and  probably  long  before  half  another  period  of 
sixty-three  years  is  repeated,  the  Indians  of  the  region  will  be  as 
firmly  attached  to  us  as  they  ever  were  to  the  French  or  the 
English. 

Never  to  doubt,  and  never  to  despair, 

Is  to  make  acts  what  once  but  wishes  were.          ALGON. 

26th.  Allegorical  and  Mythological  Tales.  —  "I  shall  be  re 
joiced,"  observed  Governor  C.,  in  a  letter  of  this  day,  in  reply 
to  my  announcement  of  having  detected  fanciful  traditionary 
stories  among  the  Chippewas,  "to  receive  any  mythological  stories 
to  which  you  allude,  even  if  they  are  enough  to  rival  old  Tooke  in 
his  Pantheon."  He  had  put  into  my  hands,  at  Detroit,  a  list  of 
printed  queries  respecting  the  Indians,  and  calls  me  to  remember 
them,  during  my  winter  seclusion  here,  with  the  knowledge  of  the 
advantages  I  possess  in  the  well-informed  circle  of  the  Johnston 
family. 

25th.  Chippewa  Language. — There  is  clearly  a  polite  and  a 
vulgar  way  of  speaking  the  language.  Tradition  says  that  great 
changes  have  taken  place,  and  that  these  changes  keep  pace  with 
the  decline  of  the  tribe  from  their  ancient  standard  of  forest 
morals  and  their  departure  from  their  ancient  customs.  How 
ever  this  may  be,  their  actual  vocabulary  is  pretty  full.  Difficul 
ties  exist  in  writing  it,  from  the  want  of  an  exact  and  uniform 
system  of  notation.  The  vowels  assume  their  short  and  slender 
as  well  as  broad  sounds.  The  language  appears  to  want  entirely 


126  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  consonant  sounds  of  f,  1,  r,  v,  and  x.  In  conjugating  their 
verbs,  the  three  primary  tenses  are  well  made  out,  but  it  is  doubtful 
how  much  exactitude  exists  in  the  forms  given  for  the  oblique  and 
conditional  tenses.  If  it  be  true  that  the  language  is  more  corrupt 
now  than  at  a  former  age,  it  is  important  to  inquire  in  what  this 
corruption  consists,  and  how  it  came  about.  "To  rescue  it,"  I 
observe  at  the  close  of  a  letter  now  on  my  table  to  his  Excellency 
Governor  C.,  transmitting  him  a  vocabulary  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  words,  "  To  rescue  it  from  that  oblivion  to  which  the  tribe 
itself  is  rapidly  hastening,  while  yet  it  may  be  attempted,  with  a 
prospect  of  success,  will  constitute  a  novel  and  pleasing  species  of 
amusement  during  the  long  evenings  of  that  dreary  cold  winter  of 
which  we  have  already  had  a  foretaste." 


.  Public  Worship.  —  As  Colonel  Brady  is  about  to  leave 
the  post  for  the  season,  some  conversation  has  been  had  about 
authorizing  him  to  get  a  clergyman  to  come  to  the  post.  It  is 
thought  that  if  such  a  person  would  devote  a  part  of  his  time  as 
an  instructor,  a  voluntary  subscription  could  be  got  among  the 
citizens  to  supply  the  sum  requisite  for  his  support.  I  drew  up  a 
paper  with  this  view  this  morning,  and  after  handing  it  round, 
found  the  sum  of  ninety-seven  dollars  subscribed  —  seventy-five 
dollars  of  which  are  by  four  persons.  This  is  not  half  the  stipend 
of  "forty  pounds  a  year''  that  poor  Goldsmith's  brother  thought 
himself  rich  upon  ;  and  it  is  apprehended  the  colonel  will  hardly 
find  the  inducement  sufficient  to  elicit  attention  to  so  very  remote 
a  quarter. 

Nov.  1st.  We  have  snow,  cold,  and  chilly  winds.  On  looking 
to  the  north,  there  are  huge  piles  of  clouds  hanging  over  Lake 
Superior.  We  may  say,  with  Burns, 

"  The  wintry  wind  is  gathering  fast." 

This  is  a  holiday  with  the  Canadian  French  —  "All  Saints.  They 
appear  as  lively  and  thoughtless  as  if  all  the  saints  in  the  calen 
dar  were  to  join  them  in  a  dance.  Well  may  it  be  said  of  them, 
"Where  ignorance  is  bliss,  'tis  folly  to  be  wise." 

20th.  Seclusion  from  the  World  realized.  —  We  are  now  shut 
out  from  the  world.  The  season  of  navigation  has  closed,  the  last 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  127 

vessel  lias  departed.  Philosophers  may  write,  and  poets  may  sing 
of  the  charms  of  solitude,  but  when  the  experiment  comes  to  be 
tried,  on  a  practical  scale,  such  as  we  are  now,  one  and  all,  about 
to  realize,  theories  and  fancies  sink  wonderfully  in  the  scale.  For 
some  weeks  past,  everything  with  the  power  of  motion  or  locomo 
tion  has  been  exerting  itself  to  quit  the  place  and  the  region,  and 
hie  to  more  kindly  latitudes  for  the  winter.  Nature  has  also  become 
imperceptibly  sour  tempered,  and  shows  her  teeth  in  ice  and  snows. 
Man-kind  and  bird-kind  have  concurred  in  the  effort  to  go.  We 
have  witnessed  the  long-drawn  flight  of  swans,  brant,  and  cranes, 
towards  the  south.  Singing  birds  have  long  since  gone.  Ducks, 
all  but  a  very  few,  have  also  silently  disappeared,  and  have  pro 
bably  gone  to  pick  up  spicy  roots  in  the  Susquehannah  or  Alta- 
maha. 

Prescient  in  the  changes  of  the  season,  they  have  been  the  first 
to  go.  Men,  who  can  endure  greater  changes  and  vicissitudes 
than  all  the  animal  creation  put  together,  have  lingered  longer ; 
but  at  last  one  after  another  has  left  Pa-wa-teeg,  till  all  who  can 
go  have  gone.  Col.  Brady  did  not  leave  his  command  till  after 
the  snow  fell,  and  he  saw  them  tolerably  "cantoned."  The  last 
vessel  for  the  season  has  departed — the  last  mail  has  been  sent. 
Our  population  has  been  thinned  off  by  the  departure  of  every  tem 
porary  dweller,  and  lingering  trader,  and  belated  visitor,  till  no 
one  is  left  but  the  doomed  and  fated  number  whose  duty  is  here, 
who  came  here  to  abide  the  winter  in  all  its  regions,  and  who  can 
not,  on  any  fair  principle  or  excuse,  get  away.  They,  and  they 
alone,  are  left  to  winter  here.  Of  this  number  I  am  a  resigned 
and  willing  unit,  and  I  have  endeavored  to  prepare  for  the  intel 
lectual  exigencies  of  it,  by  a  systematic  study  and  analysis  of  the 
Indian  language,  customs,  and  history,  and  character.  My  teachers 
and  appliances  are  the  best.  I  have  furnished  myself  with  vocabu 
laries  and  hand-books,  collected  and  written  down,  during  the  sea 
son.  I  have  the  post  library  in  my  room,  in  addition  to  my  own, 
with  a  free  access  to  that  of  "  mine  host"  of  the  Emerald  Isle,  Mr. 
Johnston,  to  while  away  the  time.  My  huge  Montreal  stove  will 
take  long  billets  of  wood,  which,  to  use  the  phraseology  of  Burns, 
"  would  mend  a  mill."  The  society  of  the  officers  and  their  fami 
lies  of  the  garrison  is  at  hand.  The  amusements  of  a  winter,  in 
this  latitude,  are  said  to  be  rather  novel,  with  their  dog  trains 


128  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

and  Creole  sleighs.  There  are  some  noble  fellows  of  the  old 
"  North  West "  order  in  the  vicinity.  There  are  thus  the  elements, 
at  least,  of  study,  society,  and  amusement.  Whatever  else  betide, 
I  have  good  health,  and  good  spirits,  and  bright  hopes,  and  I  feel 
very  much  in  the  humor  of  enjoying  the  wildest  kind  of  tempests 
which  Providence  may  send  to  howl  around  my  dwelling. 

We  have,  as  the  means  of  exchanging  sentiment,  one  English 
family  of  refinement  and  education,  on  the  American  side  of  the 
river,  and  two  others,  an  English  family  and  the  Hudson  Bay 
House  in  charge  of  a  Scotch  gentleman,  on  the  Canada  shore. 
We  have  the  officers  attached  to  a  battalion  of  infantry,  most  of 
them  married  and  having  their  ladies  and  families  with  them,  and 
about  a  dozen  American  citizens  besides,  engaged  in  traffic  and 
other  affairs.  These,  with  the  resident  metif  population  of  above 
300  souls,  and  the  adjacent  Indian  tribes,  constitute  the  world — 
the  little  isolated  world — in  which  we  must  move  for  six  months  to 
come.  About  fifty  miles  off,  S.  E.,  is  the  British  post  of  Drum- 
mond  Island,  and  about  forty  west  of  the  latter,  the  ancient  posi 
tion  and  island  settlement  of  Michilimackinack,  that  bugbear  to 
children  in  all  our  earlier  editions  of  Webster's  Spelling  Book. 

All  the  rest  of  the  United  States  is  a  far-off  land  to  us.  For 
one,  I  draw  around  my  fire,  get  my  table  and  chair  properly  locat 
ed,  and  resort  to  my  books,  and  my  Indian  ia-ne-kun-o-tau-gaid 
let  the  storm  whistle  as  it  may. 

25th.  Zimmerman  may  write  as  much  as  he  pleases  about  soli 
tude.  It  is  all  very  well  in  one's  study,  by  his  stove,  if  it  is  winter, 
with  a  good  feather  bed,  and  all  comforts  at  hand ;  but  he  who 
would  test  his  theories  should  come  here.  It  is  a  capital  place,  in 
the  dead  of  winter,  for  stripping  poetic  theories  of  their  covering. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  129 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Amusements  during  the  winter  months,  when  the  temperature  is  at  the  lowest 
point — Etymology  of  the  word  Chippewa — A  meteor — The  Indian  "  fire 
proof" — Temperature  and  weather — Chippewa  interchangeables — Indian 
names  for  the  seasons — An  incident  in  conjugating  verbs — Visiting — Gos 
sip — The  fur  trade — Todd,  McGillvray,  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie — Wide 
dissimilarity  of  the  English  and  Odjibwa  syntax — Close  of  the  year. 

1822.  December  1st.  We  have  now  plunged  into  the  depths  of 
a  boreal  winter.  The  blustering  of  tempests,  the  whistling  of 
winds,  and  the  careering  of  snow  drifts  form  the  daily  topics 
of  remark.  We  must  make  shift  to  be  happy,  with  the  most  scanty 
means  of  amusement.  Books  and  studies  must  supply  the  most 
important  item  in  this — at  least,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned. 

It  is  observed  by  Dr.  Johnson  "  that  nothing  can  supply  the 
want  of  prudence,  and  that  negligence  and  irregularity,  long  con 
tinued,  will  render  knowledge  useless,  wit  ridiculous,  and  genius 
contemptible."  This  sententious  apothegm  is  thrown  out  in  con 
templating  the  life  of  Savage,  one  of  the  English  poets  who  united 
some  of  the  highest  requisites  of  genius  with  the  lowest  personal 
habits.  But  how  much  instruction  does  it  convey  to  all !  It  does 
not  fall  to  the  lot  of  all  to  have  wit  or  genius,  or  to  be  eminent  in 
knowledge.  None,  however,  who  are  not  absolute  idiots  are  with 
out  some  share  of  the  one  or  the  other.  And  in  proportion  as  these 
gifts  are  possessed,  how  fruitless,  and  comparatively  useless  do  they 
become,  if  not  governed  by  prudence,  assiduity,  and  regularity ! 

3d.  The  Indian  tribes  in  this  vicinity  call  themselves  Ojibwag. 
This  expression  is  in  the  plural  number.  It  is  rendered  singular 
by  taking  off  the  g.  The  letter  a,  in  this  word,  is  pronounced  like 
a  in  hate,  or  ey  in  obey.  Chippewa — often  written  with  a  useless 
terminal  y — is  the  Anglicized  pronunciation.  The  meaning  of  this 
seems  obscure.  The  final  syllable  wa,  in  compound  words,  stands 
for  voice.  In  the  ancient  Massachusetts  language,  as  preserved 


130  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS, 

by  Eliot,  in  his  translation  of  the  Bible,  as  in  Isaiah  xi.  14,  Chep- 
woieu  means  the  east. 

What  a  curious  subject  for  speculation  the  Indian  language 
presents  !  Since  I  began  to  dip  into  this  topic,  I  have  found  my 
self  irresistibly  carried  forward  in  the  inquiry,  and  been  led  to 
resume  it,  whenever  the  calls  of  business  or  society  have  been  in 
termitted.  I  have  generally  felt,  however,  while  pursuing  it,  like 
a  mechanist  who  is  required  to  execute  a  delicate  and  difficult  work 
without  suitable  implements.  Technical  words  may  be  considered 
as  the  working  tools  of  inquiry,  and  there  seems  to  be  a  paucity 
of  terms,  in  our  common  systems,  to  describe  such  a  many-sylla 
bled,  aggregated  language  as  the  Indian.  I  have  been  sometimes 
half  inclined  to  put  my  manuscripts  in  the  fire,  and  to  exclaim  with 
Dryden,  respecting  some  metaphysical  subject — 

"  I  cannot  bolt  this  matter  to  the  bran." 

It  is  not,  however,  the  habitual  temper  of  my  mind  to  give  up, 
"The  spider,"  it  is  said,  "taketh  hold  with  her  hands,  and  is  in 
king's  palaces;"  and  should  a  man  have  less  perseverance  than  a 
spider? 

4th.  A  meteor,  or  fire-ball,  passed  through  the  village  at  twilight 
this  evening.  The  weather,  which  has  been  intensely  cold  for  the 
last  three  days,  indicates  a  change  this  evening.  Meteoric  phe 
nomena  of  a  luminous  character  were  universally  referred  to  elec 
tricity,  after  Franklin's  day.  Chemistry  has  since  put  forth  reasons 
why  several  of  these  phenomena  should  be  attributed  to  phosphorus 
or  hydrogen  liberated  by  decomposition. 

5th.  The  Chippewa  jugglers,  or  Jassakeeds,  as  they  are  called, 
have  an  art  of  rendering  their  flesh  insensible,  probably  for  a  short 
time,  to  the  effects  of  a  blaze  of  fire.  Robert  Dickson  told  me 
that  he  had  seen  several  of  them  strip  themselves  of  their  garments, 
and  jump  into  a  bonfire.  Voltaire  says,  in  his  Essay  on  History, 
that  rubbing  the  hand  for  a  long  time  with  spirit  of  vitriol  and 
alum,  with  the  juice  of  an  onion,  is  stated  to  render  it  capable  of 
enduring  hot  water  without  injury. 

1th.  Acting  as  librarian  for  the  garrison  during  the  season,  I 
am  privileged  to  fill  up  many  of  the  leisure  hours  of  my  mornings 
and  evenings  by  reading.  The  difficulty  appears  to  be,  to  read 
with  such  reference  to  system  as  to  render  it  profitable.  History, 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  131 

novels,  voyages  and  travels,  and  various  specific  treatises  of  fancy 
or  fact,  invite  perusal,  and  like  a  common  acquaintance,  it  requires 
some  moral  effort  to  negative  their  claims.  "Judgment,"  says  a 
celebrated  critic,  "is  forced  upon  us  by  experience.  He  that  reads 
many  books  must  compare  one  opinion,  or  one  style  with  another, 
and  when  he  compares  must  necessarily  distinguish,  reject,  prefer." 
Sunday  8th.  Quintilian  says,  "  We  palliate  our  sloth  by  the 
specious  pretext  of  difficulty."  Nothing,  in  fact,  is  too  difficult  to 
accomplish,  which  we  set  about,  with  a  proper  consideration  of 
those  difficulties,  and  pursue  with  perseverance.  The  Indian  lan 
guage  cannot  be  acquired  so  easily  as  the  Greek  or  Hebrew,  but 
it  can  be  mastered  by  perseverance.  Our  Indian  policy  cannot  be 
understood  without  looking  at  the  Indian  history.  The  taking 
of  Fort  Niagara  was  the  first  decisive  blow  at  French  power.  Less 
than  three  months  afterwards,  that  is,  on  the  18th  of  October  of 
that  year,  General  Wolf  took  Quebec.  Goldsmith  wrote  some 
stanzas  on  this  event,  eulogizing  the  heroism  of  the  exploit. 
England's  consolation  for  the  loss  of  Wolf  is  found  in  his  heroic 
example,  which  the  poet  refers  to  in  his  closing  line, 

"  Since  from  thy  tomb  a  thousand  heroes  rise." 

l~Lth.  Names  are  the  pegs  of  history.  Velasco,  it  is  said,  on  visiting 
the  gulf  which  receives  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  finding  the  country  cold 
and  inhospitable,  cried  out  aca  nada — "there  is  nothing  here."  This 
is  said  to  be  the  origin  of  the  word  Canada.  Nothing  could  be  more 
improbable:  Did  the  Indians  of  Canada  hear  him,  and,  if  so,  did 
they  understand  or  respect  the  language  of  a  foreigner  hovering  on 
their  coast?  We  must  look  to  the  Iroquois  for  the  origin  of  this 
word.  Jacques  Cartier,  in  1534,  evidently  mistook  the  Indian  word 
Canada,  signifying  a  town,  for  the  whole  country.  The  Indians 
have  no  geographical  terms  for  districts.  They  name  a  hill,  a 
river,  or  a  fall,  but  do  not  deal  in  generics.  Some  a  priori  reason 
ing  seems  constrained,  where  the  facts  are  granted,  as  this :  All 
animals  at  Nova  Zembla,  it  is  said,  are  carnivorous,  because  there  is 
no  grass. 

12f/i.  Snow  covers  everything.  We  are  shut  out  from  the  civi 
lized  world,  and  thrown  entirely  on  our  own  resources.  I  doubt, 


132  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

if  we  were  in  Siberia,  or  Kamschatka,  if  we  could  be  so  completely 
isolated. 

13th.  Ellis,  in  one  of  his  northern  voyages,  asserts  the  opinion 
that  the  northern  lights  kindle  and  disperse  the  vapors  requisite 
to  the  formation  of  lightning.  Hence  there  is  no  thunder  in  high 
northern  latitudes.  We  admit  the  fact,  but  doubt  the  reasoning. 
Vapor  is  but  water  in  a  gaseous  state.  It  is  a  fine  medium  for 
the  exhibition  of  electricity,  and  we  cannot  say  that  electricity 
exists  without  it. 

~L4th.  When  Lucas  Fox  sailed  to  discover  the  north-west  passage 
to  India,  in  1631,  he  carried  a  letter  from  Charges  the  First  to  the 
Emperor  of  Japan.  Such  was  public  information,  in  Europe, 
twenty-two  years  after  the  discovery  of , the  River  Hudson,  and  the 
settlement  of  New  England,  eleven  years  later. 

~L5th.  The  state  of  the  weather,  during  this  month,  has  exhibited 
some  striking  changes.  The  first  three  or  four  days  were  quite 
severe.  On  the  fifth  it  became  mild,  and  continued  so  for  eight 
or  nine  days.  During  this  time,  nearly  all  the  snow  which  had 
previously  fallen  was  carried  off  by  rains,  or  the  heat  of  the  sun. 
The  weather  was  so  mild  that  I  sat  in  my  office,  on  the  13th, 
without  fire,  for  about  two  hours.  Two  evenings  previous,  the 
snow  fell  from  the  roofs  of  buildings  at  nine  o'clock,  and  it  con 
tinued  thawing  through  the  night.  To  day,  the  wind  has  veered 
round  to  a  northerly  point,  and  the  weather  has  resumed  its  wintry 
temperature. 

22d.  The  River  St.  Mary's  froze  over  during  the  night  of  this 
day.  The  stream  had  been  closed  below,  for  about  a  week  pre 
vious. 

24:th.  The  Tartars  cannot  pronounce  the  letter  b.  Those  of 
Bulgaria  pronounce  the  word  blacks  as  if  written  Iliacs.  The 
Chippewas  in  this  quarter  usually  transpose  the  b  and  p  in  English 
words.  They  substitute  n  for  ?,  pronouncing  Louis  as  if  written 
Nouis.  The  letter  r  is  dropped,  or  sounded  au.  P  is  often  sub 
stituted  for/,  b  for  v,  and  ch  for  j.  In  words  of  their  own  lan 
guage,  the  letters  /,  /,  r,  v,  and  x,  do  not  occur.  The  following 
are  their  names  for  the  seasons. 

Pe-boan,  Winter. 

Se-gwurj,  Spring. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  133 

Ne-bin,  Summer. 

Ta-gwa-ge,  Autumn. 

Years  are  counted  by  winters,  months  by  moons,  and  days  by 
nights.  There  are  terms  for  morning,  mid-day,  and  evening. 
The  year  consists  of  thirteen  moons,  each  moon  being  designated 
by  a  descriptive  name,  as  the  moon  of  flowers  (May),  the  moon  of 
strawberries  (June),  the  moon  of  berries  (July),  &c.  Canoe  and 
tomahawk  are  not  terms  belonging  to  the  Chippewa  language. 
From  inquiries  I  think  the  former  is  of  Carib  origin,  and  the  latter 
Mohegan.  The  Chippewa  equivalents  are  in  the  order  stated, 
Chcman  and  Agakwut. 

26th.  In  going  out  to  dinner  at  3  o'clock,  a  sheet  of  paper  con 
taining  conjugations  of  verbs,  which  had  cost  me  much  time  and 
questioning,  had  fallen  from  my  table.  On  returning  in  the  even 
ing,  I  found  my  dog,  Ponty,  a  young  pet,  had  torn  my  care-bought 
conjugations  into  small  pieces.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  It  was 
useless  to  whip  the  dog,  and  I  scarcely  had  the  courage  to  com 
mence  the  labor  anew.  I  consequently  did  neither ;  but  gathering 
up  the  fragments,  carefully  soaked  the  gnawed  and  mutilated  parts 
in  warm  water,  and  re-arranged  and  sealed  them  together.  And 
before  bedtime  I  had  restored  the  manuscript  so  as  to  be  intelli 
gibly  read.  I  imposed  this  task  upon  myself,  but,  had  it  been 
imposed  by  another,  I  would  have  been  ready  to  pronounce  him  a 
madman. 

2 72 k.  I  devoted  the  day  and  evening  in  transcribing  words  into 
my  "  Ojibwa  Vocabulary."  This  is  a  labor  requiring  great  caution. 
The  language  is  so  concrete,  that  often,  when  I  have  supposed  a 
word  had  been  dissected  and  traced  to  its  ro(^t,  subsequent  atten 
tion  has  proved  it  to  be  a  compound.  Thus  verbs  have  been  in 
serted  with  pronouns,  or  with  particles,  indicating  negation,  or  the 
past  or  future  tense,  when  it  has  been  supposed  they  had  been 
divested  of  these  appendages.  I  am  now  going  over  the  work  the 
third  time.  The  simplest  forms  of  the  verb  seem  to  be  the  first 
and  third  persons  singular  of  the  imperative  mood. 

Ennui,  in  situations  like  the  present,  being  isolated  and  shut  up 
as  it  were  from  the  world,  requires  to  be  guarded  against.  The 
surest  preventive  of  it  is  employment,  and  diversity  in  employment. 
It  has  been  determined  to-day  to  get  up  a  periodical  sheet,  or  jeu 
d' esprit  newspaper,  to  be  circulated  from  family  to  family,  com- 


134  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

raencing  on  the  first  of  January.  Mrs.  Thompson  asked  me  for 
a  name.  I  suggested  the  "Northern  Light."  It  was  finally  de 
termined  to  put  this  into  Latin,  and  call  it  Aurora  Borealis. 

28th.  Visits  make  up  a  part  of  the  winter's  amusements.  We 
owe  this  duty  to  society ;  but,  like  other  duties,  which  are  largely 
connected  with  enjoyment,  there  is  a  constant  danger  that  more 
time  be  given  up  to  it  than  is  profitable.  Conversation  is  the  true 
index  of  feeling.  "We  read  wise  and  grave  books,  but  are  not  a 
whit  better  by  them,  than  as  they  introduce  and  fix  in  our  minds 
such  principles  as  shall  shine  out  in  conversation  or  acts.  Now 
were  an  ordinary  social  winter  evening  party  tested  by  such  prin 
ciples,  what  would  a  candid  spectator  judge  to  have  been  the  prin 
cipal  topics  of  reading  or  study  ?  I  remember  once,  in  my  earlier 
years,  to  have  passed  an  evening  in  a  room  where  a  number  of  my 
intimate  friends  were  engaged  in  playing  at  cards.  As  I  did  not 
play,  I  took  my  seat  at  an  office-table,  and  hastily  sketched  the 
conversation  which  I  afterwards  read  for  their  amusement.  But 
the  whole  was  in  reality  a  bitter  satire  on  their  language  and  sen 
timents,  although  it  was  not  so  designed  by  me,  nor  received  by 
them.  I  several  years  afterwards  saw  the  sketch  of  this  conver 
sation  among  my  papers,  and  was  forcibly  struck  with  this  reflec 
tion. 

Let  me  revert  to  some  of  the  topics  of  conversation  introduced 
in  the  circles  where  I  have  visited  this  day,  or  in  my  own  room. 
It  is  Goldsmith,  I  think,  who  says  that  our  thoughts  take  their 
tinge  from  contiguous  objects.  A  man  standing  near  a  volcano 
would  naturally  speak  of  burning  mountains.  A  person  traversing 
a  field  of  snow  would  feel  his  thoughts  occupied  with  polar  scenes. 
Thus  are  we  here  thrown  together.  Ice,  snow,  winds,  a  high  range 
of  the  thermometer,  or  a  driving  tempest,  are  the  almost  ever  pre 
sent  topics  of  remark :  and  these  came  in  for  a  due  share  of  the 
conversation  to-day.  The  probability  of  the  ice  in  the  river's 
breaking  up  the  latter  part  of  April,  and  the  arrival  of  a  vessel  at 
the  post  early  in  May  ! — the  dissolution  of  the  seventeenth  Con 
gress,  which  must  take  place  on  the  4th  of  March,  the  character 
and  administration  of  Governor  Clinton  (which  were  eulogized), 
were  adverted  to. 

In  the  evening  I  went,  by  invitation,  to  Mr.  Siveright's  at  the 
North  West  House.  The  party  was  numerous,  embracing  most 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  135 

of  the  officers  of  the  American  garrison,  John  Johnston,  Esq.,  Mr. 
C.  0.  Ermatinger,  a  resident  who  has  accumulated  a  considerable 
property  in  trade,  and  others.  Conversation  turned,  as  might  have 
been  expected,  upon  the  topic  of  the  Fur  Trade,  and  the  enter 
prising  men  who  established,  or  led  to  the  establishment  of,  the 
North  West  Company.  Todd,  Mackenzie,  and  M'Gillvray  were 
respectively  described.  Todd  was  a  merchant  of  Montreal,  an 
Irishman  by  birth,  who  possessed  enterprise,  courage,  address, 
and  general  information.  He  paved  the  way  for  the  establishment 
of  the  Company,  and  was  one  of  the  first  partners,  but  died  un 
timely.  He  possessed  great  powers  of  memory.  His  cousin,  Don 
Andrew  Todd,  had  the  monopoly  of  the  fur  trade  of  Louisiana. 

M'Gillvray  possessed  equal  capacity  for  the  trade  with  Todd, 
united  to  engaging,  gentlemanly  manners.  He  introduced  that 
feature  in  the  Company  which  makes  every  clerk,  at  a  certain 
time,  a  partner.  This  first  enabled  them  successfully  to  combat  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company.  His  passions,  however,  carried  him  too 
far,  and  he  was  sometimes  unjust. 

Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie  was  at  variance  with  M'Gillvray,  and 
they  never  spoke  in  each  other's  praise.  Mackenzie  commanded 
great  respect  from  all  classes,  and  possessed  a  dignity  of  manners 
and  firmness  of  purpose  which  fitted  him  for  great  undertakings. 
He  established  the  X.  Y.  Company,  in  opposition  to  the  North 
West. 

29th.  The  days  are  still  very  short,  the  sun  having  but  just 
passed  the  winter  solstice.  We  do  not  -dine  till  four  ;  Mr.  Johnston, 
with  whom  I  take  my  meals,  observing  this  custom,  and  it  is  dark 
within  the  coming  hour.  I  remained  to  family  worship  in  the 
evening. 

30£A.  Read  the  articles  in  the  "  Edinburgh  Review"  on  Accum's 
work  on  the  adulteration  of  food,  and  Curran's  Life  by  his  Son. 
Accum,  it  is  said,  came  to  England  as  an  adventurer.  By  assidu 
ity  and  attention,  he  became  eminent  as  an  operative  chemist,  and 
accumulated  a  fortune.  Curran  was  also  of  undistinguished  pa 
rentage.  His  mother,  in  youth,  seems  to  have  judged  rightly  of 
his  future  talents. 

Mr.  Johnston  returned  me  "Walsh's  Appeal,"  which  he  had 
read  at  my  request,  and  expressed  himself  gratified  at  the  ability 
with  which  the  subject  is  handled.  Captain  Clarke,  an  industrious 


136  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

reader  on  local  and  general  subjects,  had  come  in  a  short  time  be 
fore.  Conversation  became  general  and  animated.  European 
politics,  Greece,  Turkey,  and  Russia,  the  state  of  Ireland,  radical 
ism  in  England,  the  unhappy  variance  between  the  king  and  queen, 
Charles  Fox,  &c.,  were  successively  the  subjects  of  remark.  We 
adjourned  to  Mr.  Johnston's. 

In  the  evening  I  went  into  my  office  and  wrote  to  Mr.  Calhoun, 
the  Secretary  of  War,  recommending  Captain  H.'s  son  William, 
for  the  appointment  of  a  cadet  in  the  Military  Academy.* 

31s£.  Devoted  the  day  to  the  Indian  language.  It  scarcely 
seems  possible  that  any  two  languages  should  be  more  unlike,  or 
have  fewer  points  of  resemblance,  than  the  English  and  Ojibwa. 
If  an  individual  from  one  of  the  nomadic  tribes  of  farther  Asia 
were  suddenly  set  down  in  London,  he  could  hardly  be  more  struck 
with  the  difference  in  buildings,  dress,  manners,  and  customs,  than 
with  the  utter  discrepance  in  the  sounds  of  words,  and  the  gramma 
tical  structure  of  sentences.  The  Ojibwa  has  this  advantage,  con 
sidered  as  the  material  of  future  improvement;  it  is  entirely  homo 
geneous,  and  admits  of  philosophical  principles  being  carried  out, 
with  very  few,  if  any,  of  those  exceptions  which  so  disfigure  En 
glish  grammar,  and  present  such  appalling  obstacles  to  foreigners 
in  learning  the  language. 

On  going  to  dine  at  the  usual  hour,  I  found  company  invited, 
among  whom  were  some  gentlemen  from  Upper  Canada.  Con 
versation  rolled  on  smoothly,  and  embraced  a  wide  range  of  topics. 
Some  of  the  dark  doings  of  the  North  West  Company,  in  their  strug 
gle  for  exclusive  power  in  the  Indian  country,  were  mentioned. 
Nobody  appeared  to  utter  a  word  in  malice  or  ill  will.  Dark  and 
bright  traits  of  individual  character  and  conduct  floated  along  the 
stream  of  conversation,  without  being  ruffled  with  a  breeze.  In 
the  evening  I  attended  a  party  at  the  quarters  of  one  of  the  of 
ficers  in  the  fort.  Dancing  was  introduced.  The  evening  passed 
off  agreeably  till  the  hour  of  separation,  which  was  a  few  minutes 
before  twelve.  And  thus  closed  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and 
twenty-two. 

*  The  appointment  was  made. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  137 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Xew  Year's  day  among  the  descendants  of  the  Norman  French— Anti-philo 
sophic  speculations  of  Brydone— Schlegel  on  language— A  peculiar  na 
tive  expression  evincing  delicacy — Graywacke  in  the  basin  of  Lake  Su 
perior — Temperature — Snow  shoes — Translation  of  Gen.  i.  3 — Historical 
reminiscences — Morals  of  visiting — Ojibwa  numerals — Harmon's  travels — 
Mackenzie's  vocabularies — Criticism — Mungo  Park. 

January  1st.  This  is  a  day  of  hilarity  here,  as  in  New  York. 
Gayety  and  good  humor  appear  on  every  countenance.  Visiting 
from  house  to  house  is  the  order.  The  humblest  individual  is 
expected  to  make  his  appearance  in  the  routine,  and  "  has  his 
claims  allowed."  The  French  custom  of  salutation  prevails.  The 
Indians  are  not  the  last  to  remember  the  day.  To  them,  it  is  a 
season  of  privileges,  although,  alas  !  it  is  only  the  privilege  to  beg. 
Standing  in  an  official  relation  to  them,  I  was  occupied  in  receiving 
their  visits  from  eight  o'clock  till  three.  I  read,  however,  at  inter 
vals,  Dr.  Johnson's  Lives  of  Rochester,  Roscommon,  Otway, 
Phillips,  and  Walsh. 

2J.  Brydone,  the  traveler,  says,  on  the  authority  of  Recu- 
pero,  a  priest,  that  in  sinking  a  pit  near  laci  in  the  region  of  Mount 
Etna,  they  pierced  through  seven  distinct  formations  of  lava,  with 
parallel  beds  of  earth  interposed  between  each  stratum.  He  esti 
mates  that  two  thousand  years  were  required  to  decompose  the 
lava  and  form  it  into  soil,  and  consequently  that  fourteen  thousand 
years  were  needed  for  the  whole  series  of  formations.  A  little 
further  on,  he  however  furnishes  data,  showing  to  every  candid 
mind  on  what  very  vague  estimates  he  had  before  relied.  He 
says  the  fertile  district  of  Hybla  was  suddenly  turned  to  barren 
ness  by  an  eruption  of  lava,  and  soon  after  restored  to  fertility  by 
a  shower  of  ashes.  The  change  which  he  had  required  two  thou 
sand  years  to  produce  was  here  accomplished  suddenly,  and  the 
whole  argument  by  which  he  had  arrayed  himself  against  the 


138  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Mosaical  chronology  overturned.  Of  such  materials  is  a  good 
deal  of  modern  pseudo-philosophy  constructed. 

I  received,  this  morning,  a  number  of  mineralogical  specimens 
from  Mr.  Johnston,  which  had  been  collected  by  him  at  various 
times  in  the  vicinity.  Among  them  were  specimens  of  copper 
pyrites  in  quartz,  sulphate  of  strontian,  foliated  gypsum,  and  nu 
merous  calcareous  petrifactions.  He  also  presented  me  a  fine 
antler  of  the  Caribo,  or  American  reindeer,  a  species  which  is 
found  to  inhabit  this  region.  This  animal  is  called  Addik  by  the 
Ojibwas.  Ik  is  a  termination  in  the  Ojibwa  denoting  some  hard 
substance. 

3d.  Forster,  in  his  "  History  of  Northern  Voyages,"  mentions 
some  facts  which  appear  to  be  adverse  to  Mr.  Hayden's  theory  of  a 
north-western  current.  The  height  of  islands  observed  by  Fox,  in 
the  arctic  regions,  was  found  to  be  greatest  on  their  eastern  sides, 
and  they  were  depressed  towards  the  west.  "  This  observation," 
he  says,  "  seems  to  me  to  prove  that,  when  the  sea  burst  impetu 
ously  into  Hudson's  Bay,  and  tore  away  these  islands  from  the 
main  land,  it  must  have  come  rushing  from  the  east  and  south-east, 
and  have  washed  away  the  earth  towards  the  west— a  circumstance 
which  has  occasioned  their  present  low  position.'7 

4th.  I  read  the  review  of  Schlegel's  "  Treatise  on  the  Sanscrit 
Language.''  How  far  the  languages  of  America  may  furnish  coin 
cidences  in  their  grammatical  forms,  is  a  deeply  interesting  inquiry. 
But  thus  insulated,  as  I  am,  without  books,  the  labor  of  compar 
ison  is,  indeed,  almost  hopeless  !  I  must  content  myself,  for  the 
present,  with  furnishing  examples  for  others. 

The  Indians  still  continue  their  New  Year's  visits.  Fresh  par 
ties  or  families,  who  come  in  from  the  woods,  and  were  not  able 
to  come  on  the  day,  consider  themselves  privileged  to  present 
their  claims.  It  should  not  be  an  object  of  disappointment  to  find 
that  the  Indians  do  not,  in  their  ordinary  intercourse,  evince  those 
striking  traits  of  exalted  and  disinterested  character  which  we 
are  naturally  accustomed  to  expect  from  reading  books.  Books 
are,  after  all,  but  men's  holiday  opinions.  It  requires  observation 
on  real  life  to  be  able  to  set  a  true  estimate  upon  things.  The 
instances  in  which  an  Indian  is  enabled  to  give  proofs  of  a  noble 
or  heroic  spirit  cannot  be  expected  to  occur  frequently.  In  all 
the  history  of  the  sea-board  tribes  there  was  but  one  Pocahontas, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  139 

one  Uncas,  and  one  Philip.  Whereas,  every  day  is  calling  for  the 
exercise  of  less  splendid,  but  more  generally  useful  virtues.  To 
spare  the  life  of  a  prisoner,  or  to  relieve  a  friend  from  imminent 
peril,  may  give  applause,  and  carry  a  name  down  to  posterity. 
But  it  is  the  constant  practice  of  every  day  virtues  and  duties, 
domestic  diligence,  and  common  sense,  that  renders  life  comforta 
ble,  and  society  prosperous  and  happy.  How  much  of  this  every-day 
stamina  the  Indians  possess,  it  would  be  presumptuous  in  me,  with 
so  short  an  opportunity  of  observation,  to  decide.  But  I  am  in 
clined  to  the  opinion  that  their  defect  of  character  lies  here. 

Our  express  for  Detroit,  via  Michilimackinack,  set  out  at  three 
o'clock  this  morning,  carrying  some  few  short  of  a  hundred  letters. 
This,  with  our  actual  numbers,  is  the  best  commentary  on  our  in 
sulated  situation.  We  divert  ourselves  by  writing,  and  cling  with 
a  death-grasp,  as  it  were,  to  our  friends  and  correspondents. 

5th.  Gritche  ie  nay  gow  ge  ait  che  gdh,  "  they  have  put  the 
sand  over  him"  is  a  common  expression  among  the  Indians  to  indi 
cate  that  a  man  is  dead  and  buried.  Another  mode,  delicate  and 
refined  in  its  character,  is  to  suffix  the  inflection  for  perfect  past 
tense,  bun,  to  a  man's  name.  Thus  Washington  e  bun  would  indicate 
that  Washington  is  no  more. 

I  read  the  Life  of  Pope.  It  is  strange  that  so  great  a  poet 
should  have  been  so  great  a  lover  of  wealth ;  mammon  and  the 
muses  are  not  often  conjointly  worshiped.  Pope  did  not  excel 
in  familiar  conversation,  and  few  sallies  of  wit,  or  pointed  obser 
vation,  are  preserved.  The  following  is  recorded:  "When  an 
objection  raised  against  his  inscription  for  Shakspeare  was  de 
fended  by  the  authority  of  Patrick,  he  replied,  c  horresco  referens,' 
that  he  would  allow  the  publisher  of  a  dictionary  to  know  the 
meaning  of  a  single  word,  but  not  of  two  words  put  together." 

In  the  evening  I  read  a  number  of  the  "  London  Literary 
Gazette,"  a  useful  and  interesting  paper,  which,  in  its  plan,  holds 
an  intermediate  rank  between  a  newspaper  and  a  review.  It  con 
tains  short  condensed  criticisms  on  new  works,  together  with 
original  brief  essays  and  anecdotes,  and  literary  advertisements, 
which  latter  must  render  it  a  valuable  paper  to  booksellers.  I 
think  we  have  nothing  on  this  plan,  at  present,  in  the  United 
States. 

6th.  I  received  a  specimen  of  slaty  graywacke  from  Lake  Supe- 


140  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

rior.  The  structure  is  tabular,  and  very  well  characterized.  If 
there  be  no  mistake  respecting  the  locality,  it  is  therefore  certain 
that  this  rock  is  included  among  the  Lake  Superior  group.*  It 
was  not  noticed  in  the  expedition  of  1820.  I  also  received  a 
specimen  of  iron  sand  from  Point  aux  Pins. 

The  thermometer  has  stood  at  25°  below  zero  a  few  days 
during  the  season.  It  was  noticed  at  10°  below,  this  morning. 
Notwithstanding  the  decidedly  wintry  character  of  the  day,  I  re 
ceived  a  visit  from  Mr.  Siveright,  a  Canadian  gentleman,  who  came 
across  the  expanse  of  ice  on  snow  shoes.  I  loaned  him  Silliman's 
"  Travels  in  England  and  Scotland,"  feeling  a  natural  desire  to  set 
off  our  countrymen,  as  authors  and  travelers,  to  the  best  advantage. 
Mr.  S.,  who  has  spent  several  years  at  the  north,  mentioned  that 
each  of  the  Indian  tribes  has  something  peculiar  in  the  fashion 
of  their  snow  shoes.  The  Chippewas  form  theirs  with  acute  points 
fore  and  aft,  resembling  two  inverted  sections  of  a  circle.  The 
Crees  make  a  square  point  in  front,  tapering  away  gradually  to 
the  heel.  The  Chippewyans  turn  up  the  fore  point,  so  that  it  may 
offer  less  resistance  in  walking.  Females  have  their  snow  shoes 
constructed  different  from  the  men's.  The  difference  consists  in 
the  shape  and  size  of  the  bows.  The  netting  is  more  nicely  wrought 
and  colored,  and  often  ornamented,  particularly  in  those  worn 
by  girls,  with  tassels  of  colored  worsted.  The  word  "shoe,"  as 
applied  to  this  apparatus  of  the  feet,  is  a  complete  misnomer.  It 
consists  of  a  net-work  of  laced  skin,  extended  between  light  wooden 
bows  tied  to  the  feet,  the  whole  object  of  which  is  to  augment  the 
space  pressed  upon,  and  thus  bear  up  the  individual  on  the  sur 
face  of  the  snow. 

I  devoted  the  leisure  hours  of  the  day  to  the  grammatical 
structure  of  the  Indian  language.  There  is  reason  to  suppose  the 
word  moneto  not  very  ancient.  It  is,  properly  speaking,  not  the 
name  for  God,  or  Jehovah,  but  rather  a  generic  term  for  spiritual 
agency  in  their  mythology.  The  word  seems  to  have  been  derived 
from  the  notion  of  the  offerings  left  upon  rocks  and  sacred  places, 
being  supernaturally  taken  aivay.  In  any  comparative  views  of 
the  language,  not  much  stress  should  be  laid  upon  the  word,  as 

*  I  found  graywacke  in  situ  at  Iron  River,  in  Lake  Superior,  in  182G, 
and  subsequently  at  Presquc  Isle  River,  where  it  is  slaty,  and  fine  even 
grained,  and  apparently  suitable  for  some  economical  uses. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  141 

marking  a  difference  from  other  stocks.    Maneton,  in  the  Delaware, 
is  the  verb  "to  make."     OzJieton  is  the  same  verb  in  Chippewa. 

7th.  History  teaches  its  lessons  in  small,  as  well  as  great  things. 
Vessels  from  Albemarle,  in  Virginia,  in  1586,  first  carried  the 
potato  to  Ireland.  Thomas  Harriot  says  the  natives  called  it 
open-awk.  The  Chippewas,  at  this  place,  call  the  potato  open-eeg  ; 
but  the  termination  eeg  is  merely  a  form  of  the  plural.  Open 
(the  e  sounded  like  short  i)  is  the  singular  form.  Thomas  Jeffer 
son  gives  the  word  "  Wha-poos"  as  the  name  of  the  Powhatanic 
tribes  for  hare.  The  Chippewa  term  for  this  animal  is  Wa-bos, 
usually  pronounced  by  white  men  Wa-poos. 

Longinus  remarks  the  sublimity  of  style  of  the  third  verse  of 
Genesis  i.  I  have,  with  competent  aid,  put  it  into  Chippewa, 
and  give  the  re-translation  : — 

Appee  dush  and  then 

Gezha  Monedo  Merciful  Spirit 

Akeedood  He  said 

Tah  Let 

"VVassay-au,  Light  be, 

Appee  dush  And  then 

Wassay-aug  Light  was. 

It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  all  parts  of  the  language  would  ex 
hibit  equal  capacities  to  bear  out  the  original.  Yet  in  this  instance, 
if  the  translation  be  faithful,  it  is  clearly,  but  not,  to  our  apprehen 
sion,  elegantly  done.  I  am  apprehensive  that  the  language  generally 
has  a  strong  tendency  to  repetition  and  redundancy  of  forms,  and 
to  clutter  up,  as  it  were,  general  ideas  with  particular  meanings. 
At  three  o'clock  I  went  to  dine  with  Mr.  Siveright,  at  the 
North  West  Company's  House.  The  party  was  large,  including  the 
officers  from  the  garrison.  Conversation  took  a  political  turn. 
Colonel  Lawrence  defended  the  propriety  of  his  recent  toast, 
"The  Senate  of  the  United  States,  the  guardians  of  a  free 
people,"  by  which  a  Boston  paper  said  "more  was  meant  than 
met  the  eye."  The  evening  was  passed  with  the  ordinary  sources 
of  amusement.  I  have  for  some  time  felt  that  the  time  devoted  to 
these  amusements,  in  which  I  never  made  much  advance,  would  be 
better  given  up  to  reading,  or  some  inquiry  from  which  I  might 
hope  to  derive  advantage.  An  incident  this  evening  impressed 


142  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

me  with  this  truth,  and  I  came  home  with  a  resolution  that  one 
source  of  them  should  no  longer  engross  a  moment  of  my  time. 

Harris,  the  author  of  Hermes,  says,  "It  is  certainly  as  easy  to 
be  a  scholar  as  a  gamester,  or  any  other  character  equally  illiberal 
and  low.  The  same  application,  the  same  quantity  of  habit,  will 
fit  us  for  one  as  completely  as  for  the  other.  And  as  to  those 
who  tell  us,  with  an  air  of  seeming  wisdom,  that  it  is  men,  and 
not  books,  that  we  must  study  to  become  knowing ;  this  I  have 
always  remarked,  from  repeated  experience,  to  be  the  common 
consolation  and  language  of  dunces."  Now  although  I  have  no 
purpose  of  aiming  at  extreme  heights  in  knowledge,  yet  there  are 
some  points  in  which  every  man  should  have  that  precision  of 
knowledge  which  is  a  concomitant  of  scholarship.  And  every 
man,  by  diligence,  may  add  to  the  number  of  these  points,  without 
aiming  at  all  to  put  on  a  character  for  extraordinary  wisdom  or 
profundity. 

9th.  Historical  Reminiscences. — On  the  third  of  April,  1764, 
Sir  William  Johnson  concluded  preliminary  articles  of  peace  and 
friendship  with  eight  deputies  of  the  Seneca  nation,  which  was  the 
only  one  of  the  Iroquois  who  joined  Pontiac.  This  was  done  at 
his  residence  at  Johnson  Hall,  on  the  Mohawk. 

In  August,  1764,  Colonel  Bradstreet  granted  "Terms  of  Peace" 
to  certain  deputies  of  the  Delaware,  Huron,  and  Shawnee  tribes 
at  Presque  Isle,  being  then  on  his  way  to  relieve  Detroit,  which 
was  then  closely  invested  by  the  Indians.  These  deputies  gave 
in  their  adhesion  to  the  English  cause,  and  agreed  to  give  up  all 
the  English  prisoners. 

In  October  of  the  same  year,  Colonel  Bouquet  granted  similar 
terms  to  another  deputation  of  Shawnees,  Delawares,  &c.,  at 
Tuscarawas. 

The  best  account  of  the  general  transactions  of  the  war  of  that 
era,  which  I  have  seen,  is  contained  in  a  "History  of  the  Late 
War  in  North  America,  and  Islands  of  the  West  Indies.  By 
Thomas  Mante,  Assistant  Engineer,  &c.,  and  Major  of  a  Brigade. 
London,  1772  :"  1  vol.  quarto,  552  pages.  I  am  indebted  to  Go 
vernor  Clinton  for  my  acquaintance  with  this  work. 

10th.  I  have  employed  the  last  three  days,  including  this,  very 
diligently  on  my  Indian  vocabulary  and  inquiries,  having  read  but 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  143 

little.  Too  exclusive  a  devotion  to  this  object  is,  however,  an 
error.  I  have  almost  grudged  the  time  I  devoted  to  eating  and 
sleeping.  And  I  should  certainly  be  unwilling  that  my  visitors 
should  know  what  I  thought  of  the  interruptions  created  by  their 
visits.  It  is  true,  however,  that  I  have  gained  but  little  by  these 
visits  in  the  way  of  conversation.  One  of  my  visitors,  a  couple 
of  days  since,  made  me  waste  a  whole  morning  in  talking  of 
trifling  subjects.  Another,  who  is  a  gourmand,  is  only  interested 
in  subjects  connected  with  the  gratification  of  his  palate.  A 
third,  who  is  a  well-informed  man,  has  such  lounging  habits  that 
he  remained  two  hours  and  a  half  with  me  this  morning.  No 
wonder  that  men  in  office  must  be  guarded  by  the  paraphernalia 
of  ante-rooms  and  messengers,  if  a  poor  individual  at  this  cold 
end  of  the  world  feels  it  an  intrusion  on  his  short  winter  days  to 
have  lounging  visitors.  I  will  try  to  recollect,  when  I  go  to  see 
others,  that  although  /may  have  leisure,  perhaps  they  are  engaged 
in  something  of  consequence. 

11th.  History  abounds  in  examples  of  excellence. — Xenophon  says 
of  Jason,  "All  who  have  served  under  Jason  have  learned  this 
lesson,  that  pleasure  is  the  effect  of  toil ;  though  as  to  sensual  plea 
sures,  I  know  no  person  in  the  world  more  temperate  than  Jason. 
They  never  break  in  upon  his  time ;  they  always  leave  him  leisure 
to  do  what  must  be  done." 

Of  Diphridas,  the  same  author  observes,  "No  bodily  indulgence 
ever  gained  the  ascendant  over  him,  but,  on  the  contrary,  he  gave 
all  his  attention  to  the  business  in  hand."  What  admirable 
maxims  for  real  life,  whether  that  life  be  passed  in  courts  or  camps, 
or  a  humble  sphere  ! 

12th.  I  finished  reading  Thiebault's  "Anecdotes  of  Frederick  the 
Great,"  which  I  had  commenced  in  December.  This  is  a  pleasing 
and  instructive  work.  Every  person  should  read  it  who  wishes  to 
understand  the  history  of  Prussia,  particularly  the  most  interesting 
and  important  period  of  it.  We  here  find  Frederick  I.  and  II.,  and 
William  depicted  to  the  life.  We  are  made  acquainted  also  with 
national  traits  of  the  Russian,  English,  German,  and  French  cha 
racter,  which  are  nowhere  else  to  be  found. 

13th.  The  ancient  Thracians  are  thus  described  by  Herodotus  : 
"The  most  honorable  life  with  them  is  a  life  of  indolence;  the 


144  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

most  contemptible  that  of  a  husbandman.  Their  supreme  delight 
is  war  and  plunder."  Who,  if  the  name  and  authority  were  con 
cealed,  but  would  suppose  the  remarks  were  made  of  some  of  the 
tribes  of  the  North  American  Indians  ? 

I  divided  the  day  between  reading  and  writing.  In  the  evening 
I  went  by  invitation  to  a  party  at  Lieutenant  B.'s  in  the  canton 
ment. 

14^.  The  Chippewa  names  of  the  numerals,  from  one  to  ten, 
are — pazhik,  neezh,  niswee,  newin,  nanun,  neen-goodwaswa,  neezh- 
waswa,  swaswa,  shonguswa,  metonna. 

Dined  at  Mr.  Ermatinger's,  a  gentleman  living  on  the  Canada 
shore,  who,  from  small  beginnings,  has  accumulated  a  considerable 
property  by  the  Indian  trade,  and  has  a  numerous  Anglo-Odjibwa 
family. 

~L5th.  Completed  the  perusal  of  Harmon's  Travels,  and  extracted 
the  notes  contained  in  memorandum  book  N.  Mr.  Harmon  was 
nineteen  years  in  the  service  of  the  North  "West  Company,  and 
became  a  partner  after  the  expiration  of  the  first  seven  years. 
The  volume  contains  interesting  data  respecting  the  topography, 
natural  history  (incidental),  and  Indian  tribes  of  a  remote  and 
extensive  region.  The  whole  scope  of  the  journal  is  devoted  to 
the  area  lying  north  of  the  territory  of  the  United  States.  It 
will  be  found  a  valuable  book  of  reference  to  those  who  are  par 
ticularly  directing  their  attention  to  northern  scenes.  The  journal 
was  revised  and  published  by  a  Mr.  Haskell,  who,  it  is  said  here, 
by  persons  acquainted  with  Mr.  Harmon,  has  introduced  into  the 
text  religious  reflections,  not  believed  to  have  been  made  by  the 
author  at  the  time.  No  exceptions  can  be  taken  to  the  reflections; 
but  his  companions  and  co-partners  feel  that  they  should  have  led 
the  individual  to  exemplify  them  in  his  life  and  conversation  while 
inland. 

Mr.  Harmon  says,  of  the  Canadians — "  All  their  chat  is  about 
horses,  dogs,  canoes,  women,  and  strong  men,  who  can  fight  a  good 
battle."  Traders  and  Indians  are  placed  in  a  loose  juxtaposition. 
"Their  friendship,"  he  states,  "is  little  more  than  their  fondness 
for  our  property,  and  our  eagerness  to  obtain  their  furs."  Euro 
pean  manufactures  are  essential  to  the  natives.  "The  Indians 
in  this  quarter  have  been  so  long  accustomed  to  European  goods, 
that  it  would  be  with  difficulty  that  they  could  now  obtain  a  liveli- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  145 

hood  without  them.  Especially  do  they  need  firearms,  axes, 
kettles,  knives,  &c.  They  have  almost  lost  the  use  of  bows  and 
arrows,  and  they  would  find  it  nearly  impossible  to  cut  their  fire 
wood  with  implements  made  of  stone  or  bone.'' 

IG^/i.  Examined  Mackenzie's  Travels,  to  compare  his  vocabulary 
of  Knisteneaux  and  Algonquin,  with  the  Odjibwa,  or  Chippewa. 
There  is  so  close  an  agreement,  in  sense  and  sound,  between  the 
two  latter,  as  to  make  it  manifest  that  the  tribes  could  not  have 
been  separated  at  a  remote  period.  This  agreement  is  more  close 
and  striking  than  it  appears  to  be  by  comparing  the  two  written 
vocabularies.  Mackenzie  has  adopted  the  French  orthography, 
givingthe  vowels,  and  some  of  the  consonants  and  diphthongs,  sounds 
very  different  from  their  English  powers.  Were  the  words  arranged 
on  a  common  plan  of  alphabetical  notation,  they  would  generally 
be  found  to  the  eye,  as  they  are  to  the  ear,  nearly  identical.  The 
discrepancies  would  be  rendered  less  in  cases  in  which  they  appear  to 
be  considerable,  and  the  peculiarities  of  idiom,  as  they  exist,  would 
be  made  more  striking  and  instructive.  I  have  heard  both  idioms 
spoken  by  the  natives,  and  therefore  have  more  confidence  in 
speaking  of  their  nearness  and  affinity,  than  I  could  have  had 
from  mere  book  comparison.  I  am  told  that  Mackenzie  got  his 
vocabulary  from  some  of  the  priests  in  Lower  Canada,  who  are 
versed  in  the  Algonquin.  It  does  not  seem  to  me  at  all  probable 
that  an  Englishman  or  a  Scotchman  should  throw  aside  his  natural 
sounds  of  the  vowels  and  consonants,  and  adopt  sounds  which  are, 
and  must  have  been,  from  infancy,  foreign. 

As  I  intend  to  put  down  things  in  the  order  of  their  occurrence, 
I  will  add  that  I  had  a  visitor  to-day,  a  simple  mechanic,  who  came 
to  talk  to  me  about  nothing  ;  I  could  do  no  less  than  be  civil  to  him. 
in  consequence  of  which  he  pestered  me  with  hems  and  haws  about 
one  hour.  I  think  Job  took  no  interest  in  philology. 

Vlth.  Devoted  the  day  to  the  language.  A  friend  had  loaned 
me  a  file  of  Scottish  papers  called  the  Montrose  Review,  which 
I  took  occasion  to  run  over.  This  paper  is  more  neatly  and  cor 
rectly  printed  than  is  common  with  our  papers  of  this  class  from 
the  country.  The  strain  of  remark  is  free,  bold,  and  inquisitive, 
looking  to  the  measures  of  government,  and  advocating  principles 
of  rational  liberty  throughout  the  world. 

Col.  Lawrence,  Capt.  Thompson,  and  Lieut.  Griswold  called  in 
10 


146  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  course  of  the  day.  I  commenced  reading  Mungo  Parke's 
posthumous  volume. 

18th.  The  mind,  like  the  body,  will  get  tired.  Quintilian 
remarks,  "  Variety  refreshes  and  renovates  the  mind."  Com 
position  and  reading  by  turns,  wear  away  the  weariness  either  may 
create ;  and  though  we  have  done  many  things,  we  in  some  mea 
sure  find  ourselves  fresh  and  recruited  at  entering  on  a  new  thing. 
This  day  has  been  almost  entirely  given  up  to  society.  Visitors 
seemed  to  come  in,  as  if  by  concert.  Col.  Lawrence,  Capts. 
Clarke  and  Beal,  Lieuts.  Smith  and  Griswold.  Mr.  S.  B.  Gris- 
wold,  who  was  one  of  the  American  hostage  officers  at  Quebec,  Dr. 
Foot,  and  Mr.  Johnston  came  in  to  see  me,  at  different  times.  I 
filled  up  the  intervals  in  reading. 

19th,  Sabbath.  A  party  of  Indians  came  to  my  door  singing 
the  begging  dance.  These  people  do  not  respect  the  Sabbath.* 
The  parties  who  came  in,  on  New  Year's  day,  still  linger  about  the 
settlements,  and  appear  to  be  satisfied  to  suffer  hunger  half  the 
time,  if  their  wants  can  be  gratuitously  relieved  the  other  half. 

20th.  I  continued  to  transcribe,  from  loose  papers,  into  my 
Indian  lexicon.  A  large  proportion  of  the  words  are  derivatives. 
All  are,  more  or  less,  compounded  in  their  oral  forms,  and  they 
appear  to  be  glued,  as  it  were,  to  objects  of  sense.  This  is  not, 
however,  peculiar  to  this  language.  The  author  of  "  Hermes" 
says — "  The  first  words  of  men,  like  their  first  ideas,  had  an  im 
mediate  reference  to  sensible  objects,  and  that  in  after  days,  when 
they  began  to  discern  with  their  intellect,  they  took  those  words 
which  they  found  already  made,  and  transferred  them,  by  meta 
phor,  to  intellectual  conceptions.'' 

On  going  to  dinner,  I  found  a  party  of  officers  and  their  ladies. 
"  Mine  host,"  Mr.  Johnston,  with  his  fine  and  frank  Belfast  hospi 
tality,  does  the  honors  of  his  table  with  grace  and  ease.  Nothing 
appears  to  give  him  half  so  much  delight  as  to  see  others  happy 
around  him.  I  read,  in  the  evening,  the  lives  of  Akenside,  Gray, 

'  *  About  eighteen  months  afterwards,  I  interdicted  all  visits  of  Indians  on 
the  Sabbath,  and  adopted  it  as  an  invariable  rule,  that  I  would  not  transact  any 
business,  or  receive  visits,  from  any  Indian  under  the  influence  of  liquor.  I 
directed  my  interpreter  to  tell  them  that  the  President  had  sent  me  to  speak 
to  sober  men  only. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  147 

and  Littleton.    What  a  perfect  crab  old  Dr.  Johnson  was  !    But  is 
there  any  sound  criticism  without  sternness  ? 

21st.  I  finished  the  reading  of  Mungo  Parke,  the  most  enter 
prising  traveler  of  modern  times.  He  appears  to  me  to  have 
committed  two  errors  in  his  last  expedition,  and  I  think  his  death 
is  fairly  attributable  to  impatience  to  reach  the  mouth  of  the  Niger. 
He  should  not  have  attempted  to  pass  from  the  Gambia  to  the 
Niger  during  the  rainy  season.  By  this,  he  lost  thirty-five  out 
of  forty  men.  He  should  not  have  tried  to  force  a  passage  through 
the  kingdom  of  Houssa,  without  making  presents  to  the  local  petty 
chiefs.  By  this,  he  lost  his  life.  When  will  geographers  cease  to  talk 
about  the  mouth  of  the  Niger  ?  England  has  been  as  indefatigable 
in  solving  this  problem  as  she  has  been  in  finding  out  the  North 
West  Passage,  and,  at  present,  as  unsuccessful.  We  see  no  abate 
ment,  however,  in  her  spirit  of  heroic  enterprise.  America  has 
sent  but  one  explorer  to  this  field — Ledyard. 


148  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

Novel  reading — Greenough's  "Geology" — The  cariboo — Spiteful  plunder  of 
private  property  on  a  large  scale — Marshall's  Washington — St.  Glair's 
"Narrative  of  his  Campaign" — Etymology  of  the  word  totem — A  trait  of 
transpositive  languages — Polynesian  languages — A  meteoric  explosion  at 
the  maximum  height  of  the  winter's  temperature — Spafford's  "Gazetteer" — 
Holmes  on  the  Prophecies — Foreign  politics — Mythology — Gnomes — The 
Odjibwa  based  on  monosyllables — No  auxiliary  verbs — Pronouns  declined 
for  tense — Esprella's  letters — Valerius — Gospel  of  St.  Luke — Chippewayan 
group  of  languages — Home  politics — Prospect  of  being  appointed  super 
intendent  of  the  lead  mines  of  Missouri. 

1823.  Jan.  22d.  A  PINCHING  cold  winter  wears  away  slowly. 
The  whole  village  seems  to  me  like  so  many  prescient  beavers,  in 
a  vast  snow-bank,  who  cut  away  the  snow  and  make  paths,  every 
morning,  from  one  lodge  to  another.  In  this  reticulation  of  snow 
paths  the  drum  is  sounded  and  the  flag  raised.  Most  dignified 
bipeds  we  are.  Hurrah  for  progress,  and  the  extension  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race ! 

I  read  the  "Recluse,"  translated  from  D'Arlincourt's  popular 
novel  Le  Solitaire,  and  think  the  commendations  bestowed  upon 
it,  in  the  translator's  preface,  just  in  the  main.  It  is  precisely 
such  a  novel  as  I  should  suppose  would  be  very  popular  in  the 
highest  circles  of  France,  and  consequently,  owing  to  difference  of 
character,  would  be  less  relished  by  the  same  circles  in  England. 
I  suspect  the  author  to  be  a  great  admirer  of  Chateaubriand's 
"  Atala,"  whose  death  is  brought  to  mind  by  the  catastrophe  of 
Elode's.  Here,  however,  the  similitude  ends.  There  is  nothing 
to  be  said  respecting  the  comparative  features  of  Charles  the 
Bold  and  Chactas,  except  that  the  Indian  possessed  those  qualities 
of  the  heart  which  most  ennoble  human  nature. 

To  the  readers  of  Scott's  novels,  however  (for  he  is  certainly 
the  "  Great  Unknown"),  this  pleasing  poetical  romance,  with  all  its 
sparkling  passages,  will  present  one  glaring  defect — it  is  not  suffi- 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  149 

ciently  descriptive.  We  rise  from  the  perusal  of  it  with  no  defi 
nite  ideas  of  the  scenery  of  the  valley  of  Underlach.  We  suppose 
it  to  be  sublime  and  picturesque,  and  are  frequently  told  so  by  the 
author;  but  he  fails  in  the  description  of  particular  scenes.  Scott 
manao-es  otherwise.  When  he  sends  Baillie  Nicoll  Jarvie  into  the 

o 

Highlands,  he  does  not  content  himself  with  generalities,  but  also 
brings  before  the  mind  such  groups  and  scenes  as  make  one  fear 
and  tremble.  To  produce  this  excitement  is  literary  power. 

23d.  I  devoted  the  time  before  breakfast,  which,  with  us,  hap 
pens  at  a  late  hour,  to  the  ^Edinburgh  Review.  I  read  the  articles 
on  Greenough's  "  First  Principles  of  Geology,"  and  a  new  edition  of 
Demosthenes.  When  shall  we  hear  the  last  panegyric  of  the 
Grecian  orator,  who,  in  the  two  characteristics  of  his  eloquence 
which  have  been  most  praised,  simplicity  and  nature,  is  every  day 
equalled,  or  excelled,  by  our  Indian  chiefs  ? 

Greenough's  Essays  are  bold  and  original,  and  evince  no  weak 
powers  of  observation  and  reasoning.  But  he  is  rather  a  leveler 
than  a  builder.  It  seems  better  that  we  should  have  a  poor  house 
over  our  heads  than  none  at  all.  The  facts  mentioned  on  the 
authority  of  a  traveler  in  Spain,  that  the  pebbles  in  the  rivers  of 
that  country  are  not  carried  down  streams  by  the  force  of  the 
current,  are  contradicted  by  all  my  observations  on  the  rivers  of 
the  United  States.  The  very  reverse  is  true.  Those  streams 
which  originate  in,  or  run  through  districts  of  granite,  limestone, 
graywaeke,  &c.,  present  pebbles  of  these  respective  rocks  abund 
antly  along  their  banks,  at  points  below  the  termination  of  the  fixed 
strata.  These  pebbles,  and  even  boulders,  are  found  far  below  the 
termination  of  the  rocky  districts,  and  appear  to  owe  their  trans 
portation  to  the  force  of  existing  currents.  I  have  found  the 
peculiar  pebbles  of  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi  as  low  down  as 
St.  Louis  and  St.  Genevieve. 

I  resumed  the  perusal  of  Marshall's  "  Life  of  Washington," 
which  I  had  laid  by  in  the  fall.  Lieutenants  Barnum  and  Bicker 
and  Mr.  Johnston  came  to  visit  me. 

24^A.  I  made  one  of  a  party  of  sixteen,  who  dined  with  Mr. 
Ermatinger.  I  here  first  tasted  the  flesh  of  the  cariboo,  which  is 
a  fine  flavored  venison.  I  do  not  recollect  any  wise  or  merry  re 
mark  made  during  dinner,  which  is  worth  recording.  As  toasts 
show  the  temper  of  the  times,  and  bespeak  the  sentiments  of  those 


150  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

who  give  them,  a  few  of  them  may  be  mentioned.  After  several 
formal  and  national  toasts,  we  had  Mr.  Calhoun,  Governor  Cass, 
General  Brown,  Mr.  Sibley,  the  representative  of  Michigan, 
Colonel  Brady,  and  Major  Thayer,  superintendent  of  the  military 
academy.  In  coming  home  in  the  cariole,  we  all  missed  the  balizes, 
and  got  completely  upset  and  pitched  into  the  snow. 

25th.  Mr.  John  Johnston  returned  me  Silliman's  Travels,  and 
expressed  himself  highly  pleased  with  them.  Mr.  Johnston  evinces 
by  his  manners  and  conversation  and  liberal  sentiments  that  he 
has  passed  many  of  his  years  in  polished  and  refined  circles.  He 
told  me  he  came  to  America  during  the  presidency  of  General 
Washington,  whom  he  esteems  it  a  privilege  to  have  seen  at  New 
York,  in  1793.  Having  letters  to  Lord  Dorchester,  he  went  into 
Canada,  and  through  a  series  of  vicissitudes,  finally  settled  at 
these  falls  about  thirty  years  ago.  In  1814,  his  property  was 
plundered  by  the  Americans,  through  the  false  representations 
of  some  low-minded  persons,  his  neighbors  and  opponents  in  trade, 
with  no  more  patriotism  than  he;  in  consequence  of  which  he 
returned  to  Europe,  and  sold  his  patrimonial  estate  at  "  Craige," 
in  the  north  of  Ireland,  within  a  short  distance  of  the  Giant's 
Causeway,  and  thus  repaired,  in  part,  his  losses. 

26th.  Devoted  to  reading — a  solid  resource  in  the  wilderness. 

21th.  Finished  the  perusal  of  Marshall's  Washington,  and  took 
the  notes  contained  in  memorandums  P.  and  R.  The  first  volume 
of  this  work  is  intended  as  introductory,  and  contains  the  best 
recital  of  the  political  history  of  the  colonies  which  I  have  read. 
The  other  four  volumes  embrace  a  wide  mass  of  facts,  but  are 
rather  diffuse  and  prolix,  considered  as  biography.  A  good  life 
of  Washington,  which  shall  comprise  within  a  small  compass  all 
his  prominent  public  and  private  acts,  still  remains  a  desideratum. 

28th.  Our  express  returned  this  morning,  bringing  me  New  York 
papers  to  the  llth  of  November.  We  are  more  than  two  months 
and  a  half  behind  the  current  news  of  the  day.  We  have  Wash 
ington  dates  to  the  9th  of  November,  but  of  course  they  convey 
nothing  of  the  proceedings  of  Congress. 

29th.  I  read  St.  Clair's  "  Narrative  of  his  Campaign"  against  the 
Indians  in  1791,  and  extracted  the  notes  contained  in  memorandum 
A.  A.  The  causes  of  its  failure  are  explained  in  a  satisfactory 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  151 

manner,  and  there  is  proof  of  Gen.  St.  Glair's  vigilance  and  intre 
pidity.  Dissensions  in  his  camp  crippled  the  old  general's  power. 

30£/i.  I  took  up  the  subject  of  the  Indian  language,  after  an 
interval  of  eight  or  nine  days,  and  continued  to  transcribe  into 
my  vocabulary  until  after  the  hour  of  midnight.  It  comprises 
now  rising  of  fifteen  hundred  words,  including  some  synonyms. 

31s£.  "  Totem'  is  a  word  frequently  heard  in  this  quarter.  In 
tracing  its  origin,  it  is  found  to  be  a  corruption  of  the  Indian 
"  dodaim"  signifying  family  mark,  or  armorial  bearing.  The 
word  appears  to  be  a  derivative  from  odanah,  a  town  or  village. 
Hence  neen  dodaim,  my  townsman,  or  kindred-mark.  Affinity 
in  families  is  thus  kept  up,  as  in  the  feudal  system,  and  the  insti 
tution  seems  to  be  of  some  importance  to  the  several  bands.  They 
often  appeal  to  their  " totem,"  as  if  it  were  a  surname. 

At  three  o'clock  I  went  to  dine  at  Col.  Lawrence's.  The  party 
consisted  of  Capts.  Thompson  and  Beal,  Lieuts.  Barnum,  Smith, 
Waite,  and  Griswold,  Mr.  Johnston,  Mr.  Ermatinger  and  son,  Dr. 
Foot  and  Mr.  Siveright  of  the  H.  B.  House.  In  the  evening  the 
party  adjourned  to  Mr.  Johnston's. 

February  1st.  Transpositive  languages,  like  the  Indian,  do  not 
appear  to  be  well  adapted  to  convey  familiar,  easy,  flowing  conver 
sation.  There  seems  to  be  something  cumbrous  and  stately  in  the 
utterance  of  their  long  polysyllabic  words,  as  if  they  could  not 
readily  be  brought  down  to  the  minute  distinctions  of  every  day 
family  conversation.  This  may  arise,  however,  from  a  principle 
adverted  to  by  Dr.  Johnson,  in  speaking  of  the  ancient  languages, 
in  which  he  says  "  nothing  is  familiar,"  and  by  the  use  of  which 
"  the  writer  conceals  penury  of  thought  and  want  of  novelty,  often 
from  the  reader,  and  often  from  himself."  The  Indian  certainly 
has  a  very  pompous  way  of  expressing  a  common  thought.  He  sets 
about  it  with  an  array  of  prefix  and  suffix,  and  polysyllabic 
strength,  as  if  he  were  about  to  crush  a  cob-house  with  a  crow 
bar. 

2d.  The  languages  of  New  Zealand,  Tonga,  and  Malay  have  no 
declension  of  nouns,  nor  conjugation  of  verbs.  The  purposes  of 
declension  are  answered  by  particles  and  prepositions.  The  dis 
tinctions  of  person,  tense,  and  mode  are  expressed  by  adverbs, 
pronouns,  and  other  parts  of  speech.  This  rigidity  of  the  verb 
and  noun  is  absolute,  under  every  order  of  arrangement,  in  which 


152  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

their  words  can  be  placed,  and  their  meaning  is  not  helped  out,  by 
either  prefixes  or  suffixes. 

I  read  Plutarch's  "Life  of  Marcellus,"  to  observe  whether  it  bore 
the  points  of  resemblance  to  Washington's  military  character,  sug 
gested  by  Marshall. 

Sd.  Abad  signifies  abode,  in  Persian.  Abid  denotes  where  he 
is,  or  dwells,  in  Chippewa. 

I  refused,  on  an  invitation  of  Mr.  Ermatinger,  to  alter  the  resolu 
tion  formed  on  the  seventh  ultimo,  as  to  one  mode  of  evening's 
amusement. 

4th.  A  loud  meteoric  report,  as  if  from  the  explosion  of  some 
aerial  body,  was  heard  about  noon  this  day.  The  sound  seemed 
to  proceed  from  the  south-west.  It  was  attended  with  a  prolonged, 
or  rumbling  sound,  and  was  generally  heard.  Popular  surmise, 
which  attempts  to  account  for  everything,  has  been  very  busy  in 
assigning  the  cause  of  this  phenomenon. 

A  high  degree  of  cold  has  recently  been  experienced.  The 
thermometer  stood  at  28°  below  zero  at  one  o'clock  this  morning. 
It  had  risen  to  18°  at  day-break — being  the  greatest  observed 
degree  of  cold  during  the  season.  It  did  not  exceed  4°  above  zero 
during  any  part  of  the  day. 

5th.  A  year  ago  to-day,  a  literary  friend  wrote  to  me  to  join 
him  in  preparing  a  Gazetteer  of  the  State  of  NCAV  York,  to  supplant 
Spafford's.  Of  the  latter,  he  expresses  himself  in  the  letter, 
which  is  now  before  me,  in  unreserved  terms  of  disapprobation. 
"  It  is  wholly  unworthy,"  he  says,  "  of  public  patronage,  and  would 
not  stand  in  the  way  of  a  good  work  of  the  kind ;  and  such  a  one, 
I  have  the  vanity  to  believe,  our  joint  efforts  could  produce.  It 
would  be  a  permanent  work,  with  slight  alterations,  as  the  State 
might  undergo  changes.  My  plan  would  be  for  you  to  travel  over 
the  State,  and  make  a  complete  geological,  mineralogical,  and  sta 
tistical  survey  of  it,  which  would  probably  take  you  a  year  or  more. 
In  the  mean  time,  I  would  devote  all  my  leisure  to  the  collection 
and  arrangement  of  such  other  materials  as  we  should  need  in  the 
compilation  of  the  work.  I  doubt  not  we  could  obtain  the  prompt 
assistance  of  the  first  men  in  the  State,  in  furnishing  all  the  in 
formation  required.  Our  State  is  rapidly  increasing  in  wealth  and 
population,  and  I  am  full  in  the  faith  that  such  a  work  would  sell 
well  in  different  parts  of  the  country.'* 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  153 

6th.  I  did  nothing  to-day,  by  which  I  mean  that  it  was  given  up 
to  visiting  and  talking.  It  is  Dr.  Johnson,  I  think,  who  draws  a 
distinction  between  "talk  and  conversation."  It  is  necessary, 
however,  to  assign  a  portion  of  time  in  this  way.  "  A  man  that 
hath  friends  must  show  himself  friendly"  is  a  Bible  maxim. 

7th.  The  garrison  library  was  this  morning  removed  from  my  office, 
where  it  had  been  placed  in  my  charge  on  the  arrival  of  the  troops 
in  July,  the  state  of  preparations  in  the  cantonment  being  now 
sufficiently  advanced  to  admit  its  reception.  A  party  of  gentlemen 
from  the  British  garrison  on  Drummond  Island  came  up  on  a  visit, 
on  snow  shoes.  The  distance  is  about  45  miles. 

8th.  I  commenced  reading  Holmes  on  "  The  Fulfilment  of  the 
Revelation  of  St.  John,"  a  London  work  of  1819.  The  author 
says  "that  his  explanation  of  the  symbols  is  founded  upon  one 
fixed  and  universal  rule — that  the  interpretation  of  a  symbol  is 
ever  maintained;  that  the  chronological  succession  of  the  seals,  trum 
pets,  and  vials  is  strictly  preserved ;  and  that  the  history  contained 
under  them  is  a  uniform  and  homogeneous  history  of  the  Roman 
empire,  at  once  comprehensive  and  complete." — Attended  a  dining- 
party  at  Mr.  Johnston's. 

9th.  Continued  the  reading  of  Holmes,  who  is  an  energetic 
writer,  and  appears  to  have  looked  .closely  into  his  subject.  The 
least  pleasing  trait  in  the  work  is  a  polemic  spirit  which  is  quite  a 
clog  to  the  inquiry,  especially  to  those  who,  like  myself,  have 
never  read  the  authors  Faber,  Cunningham,  and  Frere,  whose 
interpretations  he  combats.  For  a  clergyman,  he  certainly  handles 
them  without  gloves. 

~LQth.  The  principal  Indian  chief  of  the  vicinity,  Shingabawossin, 
sent  to  inquire  of  me  the  cause  of  the  aerial  explosion,  heard  on 
the  4th.  At  four  I  went  to  dine  with  Mr.  Ermatinger  on  the  British 
shore. 

ll£A.  I  did  something,  although,  from  the  round  of  visiting  and 
gayety  which,  in  consequence  of  our  Drurnmond  Isle  visitors,  has 
existed  for  a  few  days,  but  little,  at  my  vocabulary.  At  half-past 
four,  I  went  to  dine  with  Lieutenants  Morton  and  Folger  in  the 
cantonment.  The  party  was  nearly  the  same  which  has  assembled 
for  a  few  days,  in  honor  of  the  foreign  gentlemen  with  us.  In 
the  evening  a  large  party,  with  dancing,  at  Mr.  Johnston's. 

12th.  I  read  Lord  Erskine's  Letter  to  Lord  Liverpool  on  th$ 


154  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

policy  to  be  pursued  by  Great  Britain  in  relation  to  Greece  and 
Turkey.  The  arguments  and  sentiments  do  equal  credit  to  his 
head  and  heart,  and  evince  no  less  his  judgment  as  a  statesman, 
than  they  do  his  taste  and  erudition  as  a  scholar.  This  interesting 
and  valuable  letter  breathes  the  true  sentiments  of  rational  liberty, 
such  as  must  be  felt  by  the  great  body  of  the  English  nation,  and 
such  as  must,  sooner  or  later,  prevail  among  the  enlightened  na 
tions  of  the  earth.  How  painful  to  reflect  that  this  able  appeal 
will  produce  no  favorable  effect  on  the  British  ministry,  whose 
decision,  it  is  to  be  feared,  is  already  made  in  favor  of  the  "  legi 
timacy''  of  the  Turkish  government ! 

At  four  o'clock,  I  laid  by  my  employments,  and  went  to  dine 
at  the  commanding  officer's  quarters,  whence  the  party  adjourned 
to  a  handsomely  arranged  supper  table  at  Capt.  Beal's.  The 
necessity  of  complying  with  times  and  occasions,  by  accepting  the 
current  invitations  of  the  day,  is  an  impediment  to  any  system  of 
intellectual  employment ;  and  whatever  the  world  may  think  of  it, 
the  time  devoted  to  public  dinners  and  suppers,  routs  and  parties, 
is  little  better  than  time  thrown  away. 

"And  yet  the  fate  of  all  extremes  is  such  ; 
Books  may  be  read,  as  well  as  men,  too  much." 

13th.  Ire-perused  Mackenzie's  "History  of  the  Fur  Trade,"  to 
enable  me  more  fully  to  comprehend  the  allusions  in  a  couple  of 
volumes  lately  put  into  my  hands,  on  the  "  Disputes  between  Lord 
Selkirk  and  the  North  West  Company,"  and  the  "  Report  of  Trials" 
for  certain  murders  perpetrated  in  the  course  of  a  strenuous  contest 
for  commercial  mastery  in  the  country  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com 
pany. 

Finding  an  opportunity  of  sending  north,  I  recollected  that 
the  surveyors  of  our  northern  boundary  were  passing  the  winter 
at  Fort  William,  on  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Superior;  and  wrote 
to  one  of  the  gentlemen,  enclosing  him  some  of  our  latest  papers. 

14£A.  The  gentlemen  from  the  neighboring  British  post  left  us 
this  morning.  I  devoted  the  day  to  my  Indian  inquiries. 

~L5th.  I  commenced  a  vocabulary  of  conversation,  in  the  Od- 
jibwa. 

Ylth.    Native   Mythology. — According   to   Indian   mythology, 
Weeng  is  the  God  of  sleep.     He  has  numerous  emissaries,  who 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  155 

are  armed  with  war  clubs,  of  a  tiny  and  unseen  character.  These 
fairy  agents  ascend  the  forehead,  and  knock  the  individual  to  sleep. 
Pope's  creation  of  Gnomes,  in  the  Rape  of  the  Lock,  is  here  pre 
figured. 

18th.  It  has  been  said  that  the  Indian  languages  possess  no 
monosyllables.  This  remark  is  not  borne  out  with  regard  to 
the  Chippewa.  Marked  as  it  is  with  polysyllables,  there  are  a 
considerable  number  of  exceptions.  Koan  is  snow,  ais  a  shell, 
mong  a  loon,  Tcaug  a  porcupine,  &c.  The  number  of  dissyllables 
is  numerous,  and  of  trisyllables  still  more  so.  The  Chippewa 
has  no  auxiliary  verbs.  The  Chippewa  primitive  pronouns  are, 
Neen,  Keen,  and  Ween  (I,  Thou,  He  or  She).  They  are  rendered 
plural  in  wind  and  wau.  They  are  also  declined  for  tense,  and 
thus,  in  the  conjugation  of  verbs,  take  the  place  of  our  auxiliary 
verbs. 

19th.  Resumed  the  perusal  of  Holmes  on  "  Revelations."  He 
establishes  a  dictionary  of  symbols,  which  are  universally  inter 
preted.  In  this  system,  a  day  signifies  a  natural  year ;  a  week 
seven  years;  a  month  thirty  years;  a  year  a  period  of  360  years. 
The  air  means  "church  and  state;"  waters,  "peoples,  multitudes, 
tongues;''  seven,  the  number  of  perfection  ;  twelve,  totality  or  all; 
hail  storms,  armies  of  northern  invaders.  If  the  work  were  di 
vested  of  its  controversial  character,  it  would  produce  more  effect. 
Agreeably  to  this  author,  the  downfall  of  Popery  will  take  place 
about  the  year  1866. 

20th.  I  read  "Esprella's  Letters  on  England,"  a  work  attributed 
to  Southey,  whose  object  appears  to  have  been  to  render  English 
manners  and  customs  familiar  in  Spain,  at  a  time  when  the  in 
tercourse  between  the  two  countries  had  very  much  augmented, 
and  their  sympathies  were  drawn  together  by  the  common  struggle 
against  Napoleon  Bonaparte. 

21st.  I  commenced  "Valerius,  a  Roman  Story."  In  the  evening 
the  commanding  officer  (Col.  L.)  gave  a  party,  in  honor  of 
Washington's  birthday.  That  the  time  might  not  be  wholly 
anticipated,  dancing  was  introduced  to  give  it  wings,  and  con 
tinued  until  two  o'clock  of  the  morning  of  (the  actual  birthday) 
the  twenty-second. 

22d  Finished  "Valerius."  This  is  an  interesting  novel  on  the 
Waverley  plan,  and  must  certainly  be  considered  a  successful  at- 


156  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

tempt  to  familiarize  the  class  of  novel-readers  with  Roman  history 
and  Roman  domestic  manners.  The  story  turns  on  the  persecu 
tion  of  the  Christians  under  Trajan.  The  expression  "of  a  truth,'' 
which  is  so  abundantly  used  in  the  narrative,  is  a  Scripture  phrase, 
and  is  very  properly  put  into  the  mouth  of  a  converted  Roman. 
I  cannot  say  as  much  for  the  word  "alongst"  used  for  along.  There 
are  also  some  false  epithets,  as  "drop,"  for  run  or  flow,  and  "guesses" 
for  conjectures.  The  only  defect  in  the  plot,  which  occurs  to  me, 
is,  that  Valerius,  after  his  escape  with  Athanasia  from  Ostium, 
should  have  been  landed  safely  in  Britain,  and  thus  completed  the 
happiness  of  a  disconsolate  and  affectionate  mother,  whom  he  left 
there,  and  who  is  never  afterwards  mentioned. 

23cZ.  From  the  mention  which  is  made  of  it  in  "Valerius,"  I 
this  day  read  the  Gospel  of  Luke,  and  truly  am  surprised  to  find  it 
so  very  important  a  part  of  the  New  Testament.  Indeed,  were 
all  the  rest  of  the  volume  lost,  this  alone  would  be  sufficient  for  the 
guidance  of  the  Christian.  Divines  tell  us  that  Luke  was  the  most 
learned  of  the  evangelists.  He  is  called  "  the  beloved  physician," 
by  St.  Paul.  His  style  is  more  descriptive  than  the  other  evan 
gelists,  and  his  narrative  more  clear,  methodical,  and  precise,  and 
abounds  equally  with  sublime  conceptions.* 

24£/i.  Mr.  Harman,  from  a  long  residence  in  the  Indian  country, 
in  high  northern  latitudes,  was  qualified  by  his  opportunities  of 
observation,  to  speak  of  the  comparative  character  of  the  Indian 
language  in  that  quarter.  He  considers  them  as  radically  differ 
ent  from  those  of  the  Algonquin  stock.  The  group  which  may 
be  formed  from  his  remarks,  will  embrace  the  Chippewayans,  Beaver 
Indians,  Sicaimies,  Tacullies,  and  Nateotetains.  If  we  may  judge 
of  this  family  of  dialects  by  Mackenzie's  vocabulary  of  the  Chip- 

*  This  opinion  was  thrown  out  from  mere  impulse,  on  a  single  perusal, 
and  so  far  as  it  may  be  regarded  as  a  literary  criticism,  the  only  possible  light 
in  which  it  can  be  considered,  is  vaguely  hazarded,  for  I  had  not,  at  that  time, 
read  the  other  Gospels  with  any  degree  of  care  or  understanding,  so  as  to 
be  capable  thereby  of  judging  of  their  style  or  merits  as  compositions.  Spirit 
ually  considered,  I  did  not  understand  Luke,  or  any  of  the  Evangelists,  for  I 
regarded  the  Gospels  as  mere  human  compositions,  without  the  aid  of  inspira 
tion.  They  were  deemed  to  be  a  true  history  of  events,  interspersed  with  moral 
axioms,  but  derived  no  part  of  their  value,  or  the  admiration  above  expressed, 
as  revealing  the  only  way  of  salvation  through  Christ. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  157 

pewayan,  it  is  very  remote  from  the  Chippewa,  and  abounds  in  those 
consonantal  sounds  which  the  latter  studiously  avoids. 

Harman  says,  "  The  Sicaunies  bury,  while  the  Tacullies  burn 
their  dead."  "  Instances  of  suicide,  by  hanging,  frequently  occur 
among  the  women  of  all  the  tribes,  with  whom  I  have  been  ac 
quainted  ;  but  the  men  are  seldom  known  to  take  away  their  own 
lives." 

These  Indians  entertain  the  same  opinions  respecting  the  dress 
of  the  dead,  with  the  more  southerly  tribes.  "  Nothing,"  he  says, 
"  pleases  an  Indian  better  than  to  see  his  deceased  relative  hand 
somely  attired,  for  he  believes  that  they  will  arrive  in  the  other 
world  in  the  same  dress  with  which  they  are  clad,  when  they  are 
consigned  to  the  grave." 

27£/«.  Our  second  express  arrived  at  dusk,  this  evening,  bringing 
papers  from  the  seaboard  to  the  14th  of  January,  containing  the 
President's  message,  proceedings  of  Congress,  and  foreign  news, 
up  to  that  date.  A  friend  who  is  in  Congress  writes  to  me — "  We 
go  on  slowly,  but  so  far  very  harmoniously,  in  Congress.  The 
Red  Jackets*  are  very  quiet,  and  I  believe  are  very  much  dis 
posed  to  cease  their  warfare  against  Mr.  Monroe,  as  they  find  the 
nation  do  not  relish  it.'' 

Another  friend  at  Washington  writes  (15th  Dec.) :  "  The  mes 
sage  of  the  President  you  will  have  seen  ere  this  reaches  you.  It 
is  thought  very  well  of  here.  He  recommends  the  appointment  of 
a  Superintendent  of  the  Western  Lead  Mines,  skilled  in  mineral 
ogy.  If  Congress  should  make  provision  for  one,  it  is  not  to  be 
doubted  who  will  receive  the  situation.  In  fact,  in  a  conversation 
a  few  days  since  with  Mr.  C.,  he  told  me  he  had  you  particularly 
in  view  when  he  recommended  it  to  the  President." 

2Sth.  Wrote  an  application  to  the  Postmaster  General  for  the 
appointment  of  S.  B.  Griswold  as  postmaster  at  this  place. f 

*  Opponents  of  the  then  existing  administration,  who  looked  to  Gen.  Cocke, 
of  Tennessee,  as  a  leader. 
f  Mr.  G.  was  appointed. 


158  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

Close  of  the  winter  solstice,  and  introduction  of  a  northern  spring — News 
from  the  world — The  Indian  languages— Narrative  Journal — Semi-civiliza 
tion  of  the  ancient  Aztec  tribes — Their  arts  and  languages — Hill's  ironical 
review  of  the  "  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society" — A  test  of  modern  civili 
zation — Sugar  making — Trip  to  one  of  the  camps — Geology  of  Manhattan 
Island — Ontwa,  an  Indian  poem — Northern  ornithology — Dreams — The 
Indian  apowa — Printed  queries  of  General  Cass — Prospect  of  the  mineral 
agency — Exploration  of  the  St.  Peter's — Information  on  that  head. 

1823.  March  \st.  MY  reading  hours,  for  the  last  few  days, 
have  been,  in  great  part,  devoted  to  the  newspapers.  So  long  an 
exclusion  from  the  ordinary  sources  of  information  has  the  effect 
to  increase  the  appetite  for  this  kind  of  intellectual  food,  and  the 
circumstance  probably  leads  us  to  give  up  more  time  to  it  than  we 
should  were  we  not  subject  to  these  periodical  exclusions.  The 
great  point  of  interest  is  the  succession  in  the  Presidential  chair. 
Parties  hinge  upon  this  point.  Economy  and  retrenchment  are 
talismanic  words,  used  to  affect  the  populace,  but  used  in  reality 
only  as  means  of  affecting  the  balance  of  party  power.  Messrs. 
Calhoun,  Crawford,  and  Adams  are  the  prominent  names  which 
fill  the  papers. 

There  is  danger  that  newspapers  in  America  will  too  much 
supersede  and  usurp  the  place  of  books,  and  lead  to  a  superficial 
knowledge  of  things.  Gleaning  the  papers  in  search  of  that 
which  is  really  useful,  candid,  and  fair  seems  too  much  like  hunting 
for  grains  of  wheat  in  a  chaos  of  chaff. 

3d.  Our  third  express  went  off  this  morning,  freighted  with  our 
letters,  and,  of  course,  with  our  reasons,  our  sentiments,  our  thanks, 
o.ur  disappointments,  our  hopes,  and  our  fears. 

6th.  I  resumed  the  subject  of  the  Indian  language. 

Osdnimun  is  the  word  for  vermilion.  This  word  is  compounded 
from  unimun,  or  plant  yielding  a  red  dye,  and  asawa,  yellow. 
The  peculiar  color  of  yellow-red  is  thus  indicated. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  159 

Beizlia  is  the  neuter  verb  "to  come."  This  verb  appears  to 
remain  rigid  in  its  conjugation,  the  tenses  being  indicated  exclu 
sively  by  inflections  of  the  pronoun.  Thus  nim  beizha,  I  come  ; 
ningee  peizha,  I  came ;  ninguh  peizha,  I  will  come.  The  pronoun 
alone  is  declined  for  past  and  future  tense,  namely  gee  and  guTi. 

There  does  not  appear  to  be  any  definite  article  in  the  Chippewa 
language.  PazMk  means  one,  or  an.  It  may  be  doubtful  whether 
the  former  sense  is  not  the  exclusive  one.  Ahow  is  this  person  in 
the  animate  form.  Ihiiv  is  the  corresponding  inanimate  form. 
More  care  than  I  have  devoted  may,  however,  be  required  to  de 
termine  this  matter. 

Verbs,  in  the  Chippewa,  must  agree  in  number  and  tense  with 
the  noun.  They  must  also  agree  in  gender,  that  is,  verbs  animate 
must  have  nouns  animate.  They  must  also  have  animate  pronouns 
and  animate  adjectives.  Vitality,  or  the  want  of  vitality,  seems 
to  be  the  distinction  which  the  inventors  of  the  language,  seized 
upon,  to  set  up  the  great  rules  of  its  syntax. 

Verbs,  in  the  Chippewa  language,  are  converted  into  nouns  by 
adding  the  particle  win. 

Kegido,  to  speak.  Kegido-win,  speech.  This  appears  to  be 
a  general  rule.  The  only  doubt  I  have  felt  is,  whether  the  noun 
formed  is  so  purely  elementary  as  not  to  partake  of  a  participial 
character. 

There  are  two  plurals  to  express  the  word  "  we,"  one  of  which 
includes,  and  the  other  excludes,  the  person  addressed.  Neither  of 
these  forms  is  a  dual. 

Os  signifies  father  ;  nos  is  my  father ;  Jcos,  thy  father ;  osun, 
his  or  her  father.  The  vowel  in  this  word  is  sounded  like  the  0, 
in  note. 

The  language  has  two  relative  pronouns,  which  are  much  used — 
aivanan,  who ;  and  wagonan,  what.  The  vowel  a,  in  these  words, 
is  the  sound  of  a  in  fate. 

There  are  two  classes  of  adjectives,  one  of  which  applies  to  ani 
mate,  the  other  to  inanimate  objects. 

The  Chippewa  word  for  Sabbath  is  animea  geezhig,  and  indicates 
prayer-day.  There  is  no  evidence,  from  inquiry,  that  the  Indians 
divided  their  days  into  weeks.  A  moon  was  the  measure  of  a 
month,  but  it  is  questionable  whether  they  had  acquired  sufficient 
exactitude  in  the  computation  of  time  to  have  numbered  the  days 


160  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

comprehended  in  each  moon.     The  phases  of  the  moon  were  accu 
rately  noted. 

8th.  Professor  S.,  of  Yale  College,  writes  to  me  under  this  date, 
enclosing  opinions  respecting  my  "  Narrative  Journal"  of  travels, 
contained  in  a  familiar  private  letter  from  D.  Wadsworth,  Esq.,  of 
Hartford.  They  terminate  with  this  remark  :  "  All  I  regret  ahout 
it  (the  work)  is,  that  it  was  not  consistent  with  his  plans  to  tell  us 
more  of  what  might  be  considered  the  domestic  part  of  the  expe 
dition — the  character  and  conduct  of  those  who  were  of  the  party, 
their  health,  difficulties,  opinions,  and  treatment  of  each  other,  &c. 
As  his  book  was  a  sort  of  official  work,  I  suppose  he  thought  it 
would  not  do,  and  I  wish  now,  he  would  give  his  friends  (and  let 
us  be  amongst  them)  a  manuscript  of  the  particulars  that  are  not 
for  the  public." 

YltJi.  Semi-civilization  of  the  Mexican  Tribes. — Nothing  is  more 
manifest,  on  reading  the  "  Conquest  of  Mexico"  by  De  Solis,  than 
that  the  character  and  attainments  of  the  ancient  Mexicans  are 
exalted  far  above  the  reality,  to  enhance  the  fame  of  Cortez,  and 
give  an  air  of  splendor  to  the  conquest.  Superior  as  the  Aztecs 
and  some  other  tribes  certainly  were,  in  many  things,  to  the  most 
advanced  of  the  North  American  tribes,  they  resemble  the  latter 
greatly,  in  their  personal  features,  and  mental  traits,  and  in  several 
of  their  arts. 

The  first  presents  sent  by  Montezuma  to  Cortez  were  "  cotton 
cloths,  plumes,  bows,  arrows  and  targets  of  wood,  collars  and  rings 
of  gold,  precious  stones,  ornaments  of  gold  in  the  shape  of  ani 
mals,  and  two  round  plates  of  the  precious  metals  resembling  the 
sun  and  moon." 

The  men  had  "  rings  in  their  ears  and  lips,  which,  though  they 
were  of  gold,  were  a  deformity  instead  of  an  ornament." 

"  Canoes  and  periogues"  of  wood  were  their  usual  means  of 
conveyance  by  water.  The  "  books"  mentioned  at  p.  100,  were 
well-dressed  skins,  dressed  like  parchment,  and,  after  receiving  the 
paintings  observed,  were  accurately  folded  up,  in  squares  or  paral 
lelograms. 

The  cacique  of  Zempoala,  being  the  first  dignitary  who  paid  his 
respects  personally  to  Cortez  on  his  entry  into  the  town,  is  describ 
ed,  in  effect,  as  covered  with  a  cotton  blanket  "  flung  over  his  naked 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  161 

body,  enriched  with  various  jewels  and  pendants,  which  he  also  wore 
in  his  cars  and  lips."  This  chief  sent  200  men  to  carry  the  bag 
gage  of  Cortez. 

By  the  nearest  route  from  St.  Juan  de  Ulloa,  the  point  of  land 
ing  to  Mexico,  it  was  sixty  leagues,  or  about  180  miles.  This 
journey  Montezuma's  runners  performed  to  and  fro  in  seven  days, 
being  thirty-five  to  thirty-six  miles  per  day.  No  great  speed  cer 
tainly  ;  nothing  to  demand  astonishment  or  excite  incredulity. 

Distance  the  Mexicans  reckoned,  like  our  Indians,  by  time.  "  A 
sun"  was  a  day's  journey. 

De  Solis  says,  "  One  of  the  points  of  his  embassy  (alluding  to 
Cortez),  and  the  principal  motive  which  the  king  had  to  offer  his 
friendship  to  Montezuma,  was  the  obligation  Christian  princes  lay 
under  to  oppose  the  errors  of  idolatry,  and  the  desire  he  had  to 
instruct  him  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  to  help  him  to  get 
rid  of  the  slavery  of  the  devil." 

The  empire  of  Mexico,  according  to  this  author,  stretched  "  on 
the  north  as  far  as  Panuco,  including  that  province,  but  wras 
straitened  considerably  by  the  mountains  or  hilly  countries  pos 
sessed  by  the  Chichimecas  and  Ottomies,  a  barbarous  people." 

I  have  thought,  on  reading  this  work,  that  there  is  room  for  a 
literary  essay,  with  something  like  this  title :  "  Strictures  on  the 
Hyperbolical  Accounts  of  the  Ancient  Mexicans  given  by  the  Span 
ish  Historians,"  deduced  from  a  comparison  of  the  condition  of 
those  tribes  with  the  Indians  at  the  period  of  its  settlement. 
Humboldt  states  that  there  are  twenty  languages  at  present  in 
Mexico,  fourteen  of  which  have  grammars  and  dictionaries  tole 
rably  complete.  They  are,  Mexican  or  Aztec,  Otomite,  Tarase, 
Zapatec,  Mistec,  Maye  or  Yucatan,  Tatonac,  Popolauc,  Matlazing, 
Huastec,  Mixed,  Caquiquel,  Tarauma,  Tepehuan,  Cara. 

20£/i.  When  the  wind  blows  high,  and  the  fine  snow  drifts,  as  it 
does  about  the  vernal  equinox,  in  these  latitudes,  the  Indians 
smilingly  say,  "  Ah!  now  Pup-puk-e-wiss  is  gathering  his  harvest," 
or  words  to  this  effect.  There  is  a  mythological  talc  connected 
with  it,  which  I  have  sketched. 

21s£.  I  have  amused  myself  in  reading  a  rare  old  volume,  just 

presented  to  me,  entitled  "A  Keview  of  the  Works  of  the  Royal 

Society  of  London,  &c.,  by  John  Hill,  M.  D.,  London,  1751."     It 

.evinces  an  acute  mind,  ready  wit,  and  a  general  acquaintance  with 

11 


162  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  subjects  of  natural  history,  antiquities,  and  philosophical  re 
search,  adverted  to.  It  is  a  racy  work,  which  all  modern  natural 
ists,  and  modern  discoverers  of  secrets  and  inventions  ought  to 
read.  I  should  think  it  must  have  made  some  of  the  contributors 
to  the  "  Transactions"  of  the  Royal  Society  wince  in  its  day. 

22d.  Knowledge  of  foreign  nations  has  increased  most  wonder 
fully  in  our  day,  and  is  one  of  the  best  tests  of  civilization.  Josa- 
phat  Barbaro  traveled  into  the  East  in  1436.  He  says  of  the 
Georgians,  "  They  have  the  most  horrid  manners,  and  the  wTorst 
customs  of  any  people  I  ever  met  with."  Surely  this  is  vague 
enough  for  even  the  clerk  who  kept  the  log-book  of  Henry  Hudson. 
Such  items  as  the  following  were  deemed  "food"  for  books  of 
travels  in  those  days:  "  The  people  of  Cathay,  in  China,  believe 
that  they  are  the  only  people  in  the  world  who  have  two  eyes.  To 
the  Latins  they  allow  one,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  world  none  at  all." 

Marco  Polo  gives  an  account  of  a  substance  called  "  Andanicmn," 
which  he  states  to  be  an  ore  of  steel.  In  those  days,  when  every 
thing  relating  to  metallurgy  and  medicine  was  considered  a  secret, 
the  populace  did  not  probably  know  that  steel  was  an  artificial 
production.  Or  the  mineral  may  have  been  sparry  iron  ore,  which 
is  readily  converted  into  steel. 

26th.  It  is  now  the  season  of  making  sugar  from  the  rock  maple 
by  the  Indians  and  Canadians  in  this  quarter.  And  it  seems  to  be 
a  business  in  which  almost  every  one  is  more  or  less  interested. 
Winter  has  shown  some  signs  of  relaxing  its  iron  grasp,  although 
the  quantity  of  snow  upon  the  ground  is  still  very  great,  and  the 
streams  appear  to  be  as  fast  locked  in  the  embraces  of  frost  as  if 
it  were  the  slumber  of  ages.  Sleighs  and  dog  trains  have  been 
departing  for  the  maple  forests,  in  our  neighborhood,  since  about 
the  10th  instant,  until  but  few,  comparatively,  of  the  resident 
inhabitants  are  left.  Many  buildings  are  entirely  deserted  and 
closed,  and  all  are  more  or  less  thinned  of  their  inhabitants.  It  is 
also  the  general  season  of  sugar-making  with  the  Indians. 

I  joined  a  party  in  visiting  one  of  the  camps.  We  had  several 
carioles  in  company,  and  went  down  the  river  about  eight  or  nine 
miles  to  Mrs.  Johnston's  camp.  The  party  consisted  of  several 
officers  and  ladies  from  the  fort,  Captain  Thompson*  and  lady, 

*  Killed  in  Florida,  at  the  battle  of  Okechobbee,  as  Lt.  Col.  of  the  Gth  U.  S. 
Infantry. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  163 

Lieutenant  Bicker  and  lady  and  sister,  the  Miss  Johnstons  and 
Lieutenants  Smith*  and  Folger.  We  pursued  the  river  on  the  ice 
the  greater  part  of  the  way,  and  then  proceeded  inland  about  a 
mile.  We  found  a  large  temporary  building,  surrounded  with  piles 
of  ready  split  wood  for  keeping  a  fire  under  the  kettles,  and  large 
ox  hides  arranged  in  such  a  manner  as  to  serve  as  vats  for  col 
lecting  the  sap.  About  twenty  kettles  were  boiling  over  an  elon 
gated  central  fire. 

The  whole  air  of  the  place  resembled  that  of  a  manufactory. 
The  custom  on  these  occasions  is  to  make  up  a  pic-nic,  in  which  each 
one  contributes  something  in  the  way  of  cold  viands  or  refreshments. 

The  principal  amusement  consisted  in  pulling  candy,  and  eating 
the  sugar  in  every  form.  Having  done  this,  and  received  the  hos 
pitalities  of  our  hostess,  we  tackled  up  our  teams,  and  pursued  our 
way  back  to  the  fort,  having  narrowly  escaped  breaking  through 
the  river  at  one  or  two  points. 

27th.  I  received  a  letter  of  this  date  from  G.  W.  Kodgers,  a 
gentleman  of  Bradford  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  behalf  of  himself 
and  associates,  proposing  a  number  of  queries  respecting  the  cop 
per-yielding  region  of  Lake  Superior,  and  the  requisites  and  pros 
pects  of  an  expedition  for  obtaining  the  metal  from  the  Indians. 
Wrote  to  him  adversely  to  the  project  at  this  time.  Doubtless  the 
plan  is  feasible,  but  the  Indians  are  at  present  the  sole  owners 
and  occupants  of  the  metalliferous  region. 

28th.  Dies  natalis. — A  friend  editing  a  paper  on  the  seaboard 
writes  (10  Jan.  1822) — "  I  wish  you  to  give  me  an  article  on  the 
geology  and  mineralogy  of  Manhattan  Island,  in  the  form  of  a 
letter  purporting  to  be  given  by  a  foreign  traveler.  It  is  my  in 
tention  to  give  a  series  of  letters,  partly  by  myself  and  partly  by 
others,  which  shall  take  notice  of  everything  in  and  about  the  city, 
which  may  be  deemed  interesting.  I  wish  to  begin  at  the  founda 
tion,  by  giving  a  geographical  and  geological  sketch  of  the  island,  "f 
He  continues : — 

"  I  have  read  Ontwa,  the  Indian  poem  you  spoke  of  last  summer. 
The  notes  by  Gov.  Cass  are  extremely  interesting,  and  written 
in  a  superior  style.  I  shall  notice  the  work  in  a  few  days." 

*  Died  at  Vera  Cruz,  Mexico,  as  Quarter-Master  U.  S.  A. 
t  Furnished  the  article,  as  desired,  under  the  signature  of  "  Germanicus." 
N.  Y.  Statesman." 


164  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

"I  inform  you,  in  confidence,  that  M.  E.,  of  this  city,  is  pre 
paring  a  notice  of  your  'Journal"  for  the  next  number  of  the  Re 
pository,  which  will  appear  on  the  first  of  next  month." 

29th.  Novelty  has  the  greatest  attraction  for  the  human  mind. 
There  is  such  a  charm  in  novelty,  says  Dr.  John  Mason  Good,  that 
it  often  leads  us  captive  in  spite  of  the  most  glaring  errors,  and 
intoxicates  the  judgment  as  fatally  as  the  cup  of  Circe.  But  is  not 
variety  at  hand  to  contest  the  palm  ? 

"  The  great  source  of  pleasure,"  observes  Dr.  Johnson,  "is 
variety.  Uniformity  must  tire  at  last,  though  it  be  uniformity 
of  excellence." 

April  ls£.  The  ice  and  snow  begin  to  be  burthensome  to  the 
eye.  We  were  reconciled  to  winter,  when  it  was  the  season  of 
winter  ;  but  now  our  longing  eyes  are  cast  to  the  south,  and  we 
are  anxious  for  the  time  when  we  can  say,  "Lo,  the  winter  is  past, 
the  flowers  appear  on  the  earth,  the  time  of  singing  of  birds  is 
come,  and  the  voice  of  the  turtle  is  heard  in  our  land." 

The  Chippewas  have  quite  a  poetic  allegory  of  winter  and  spring, 
personified  by  an  old  and  a  young  man,  who  came  from  opposite 
points  of  the  world,  to  pass  a  night  together  and  boast  of  their  re 
spective  powers.  Winter  blew  his  breath,  and  the  streams  were 
covered  with  ice.  Spring  blew  his  breath,  and  the  land  was  covered 
with  flowers.  The  old  man  is  finally  conquered,  and  vanishes  into 
"thin  air." 

2d.  We  talked  to-day  of  dreams.  Dreams  are  often  talked 
about,  and  have  been  often  written  about.  But  the  subject  is 
usually  left  where  it  was  taken  up.  Herodotus  says,  "Dreams 
in  general  originate  from  those  incidents  which  have  most  occupied 
the  thoughts  during  the  day."  Locke  betters  the  matter  but  little, 
by  saying,  "  The  dreams  of  sleeping  men  are  all  made  up  of 
waking  men's  ideas,  though,  for  the  most  part,  oddly  put  together." 
Solomon's  idea  of  "  the  multitude  of  business"  is  embraced  in 
this. 

Sacred  dreams  were  something  by  themselves.  God  chose 
in  ancient  times  to  communicate'  with  the  prophets  in  dreams 
and  visions.  But  there  is  a  very  strong  and  clear  line  of  dis 
tinction  drawn  on  this  subject  in  the  23d  of  Jeremiah,  from  the 
25th  to  the  28th  verses.  "  He  that  hath  a  dream,  let  him  tell  a 
dream,  and  he  that  hath  my  word  let  him  speak  my  word."  The 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  165 

sacred  and  the  profane,  or  idle  dream,  are  likened  as  "  chaff"  to 
"wheat." 

The  Indians,  in  this  quarter,  are  very  much  besotted  and  spell 
bound,  as  it  were,  by  dreams.  Their  whole  lives  are  rendered  a 
perfect  scene  of  doubts  and  fears  and  terrors  by  them.  Their 
jugglers  are  both  dreamers  and  dream  interpreters.  If  the  "prince 
of  the  power  of  the  air"  has  any  one  hold  upon  them  more  sure 
and  fast  than  another,  it  seems  to  be  in  their  blind  and  implicit 
reliance  upon  dreams.  There  is,  however,  with  them  a  sacred 
dream,  distinct  from  common  dreams.  It  is  called  a-po-wa. 

I  have  had  before  me,  during  a  considerable  part  of  the  season, 
a  pamphlet  of  printed  queries  respecting  the  Indians  and  their 
languages,  put  into  my  hands  by  Gov.  C.  when  passing  through 
Detroit  in  the  summer.  Leaving  to  others  the  subjects  connected 
with  history  and  traditions,  &c.,  I  have  attempted  an  analysis  of 
the  language.  Reading  has  been  resorted  to  as  a  refreshment 
from  study.  I  used  to  read  to  gratify  excitement,  but  I  find  the 
chief  pleasure  of  my  present  reading  is  more  and  more  turning  to 
the  acquisition  and  treasuring  up  of  facts.  This  principle  is  pro 
bably  all  that  sustains  and  renders  pleasurable  the  inquiry  into 
the  Indian  language. 

One  of  the  printed  queries  before  me  is,  "  Do  they  (the  Indians) 
believe  in  ghosts  ?"  I  believe  all  ignorant  and  superstitious  nations 
believe  in  apparitions.  It  seems  to  be  one  of  the  most  natural 
consequences  of  ignorance ;  and  we  have  seen,  in  the  history  of 
wise  and  learned  men,  that  it  requires  a  high  intellectual  effort  to 
shake  this  belief  out  of  the  mind.  If  God  possessed  no  other  way 
of  communicating  with  the  living,  it  is  reasonable  to  believe  that 
he  would  send  dead  men,  or  dead  men's  souls.  And  this  is  the 
precise  situation  of  the  only  well  authenticated  account  we  have, 
namely,  that  of  Saul  at  Endor  [vide  1st  Samuel,  7th  to  15th  verses]. 
The  Chippewas  are  apt  to  connect  all  their  ghost  stories  with  fire. 
A  lighted  fire  on  the  grave  has  a  strong  connection  with  this  idea, 
as  if  they  deemed  some  mysterious  analogy  to  exist  between  spirit 
uality  and  fire.  Their  name  for  ghost  is  Jeebi,  a  word  rendered 
plural  in  ug.  Without  nice  attention,  this  word  will  be  pronounced 
Chebi,  or  Tchebi. 

Another  is  as  follows  :  "  Do  they  use  any  words  equivalent  to 
our  habit  of  swearing?"  Many  things  the  Indians  maybe  ac- 


166  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

cused  of,  but  of  the  practice  of  swearing  they  cannot.  I  have 
made  many  inquiries  into  the  state  of  their  vocabulary,  and  do  not, 
as  yet,  find  any  word  which  is  more  bitter  or  reproachful  than 
matchi  annemoash,  which  indicates  simply,  bad-dog.  Many  of 
their  nouns  have,  however,  adjective  inflections,  by  which  they  are 
rendered  derogative.  They  have  terms  to  indicate  cheat,  liar, 
thief,  murderer,  coward,  fool,  lazy  man,  drunkard,  babbler.  But 
I  have  never  heard  of  an  imprecation  or  oath.  The  genius  of  the 
language  does  not  seem  to  favor  the  formation  of  terms  to  be  used 
in  oaths  or  for  purposes  of  profanity.  It  is  the  result  of  the 
observation  of  others,  as  well  as  my  own,  to  say,  that  an  Indian 
cannot  curse. 

31s£.  The  ornithology  of  the  north  is  very  limited  in  the  winter. 
We  have  the  white  owl,  the  Canada  jay,  and  some  small  species  of 
woodpeckers.  I  have  known  the  white  partridge,  or  ptermigan,  to 
wander  thus  far  south.  This  bird  is  feathered  to  the  toes.  There 
are  days  when  the  snow-bird  appears.  There  is  a  species  of  duck, 
the  shingebis,  that  remains  very  late  in  the  fall,  and  another,  the 
a-a-wa,  that  comes  very  early  in  the  spring. 

The  T.  pofyglottis,  or  buffoon-bird,  is  never  found  north  of  46° 
N.  latitude  in  the  summer.  This  bird  pours  forth  all  sorts  of 
notes  in  a  short  space  of  time,  without  any  apparent  order.  The 
thrush,  the  wren,  the  jay,  and  the  robin  are  imitated  in  as  short  a 
time  as  it  takes  to  write  these  words. 

1th.  During  severe  winters,  in  the  north,  some  species  of  birds 
extend  their  migrations  farther  south  than  usual.  This  appears  to 
have  been  the  case  during  the  present  season.  A  small  bird,  yel 
lowish  and  cinereous,  of  the  grosbec  species,  appeared  this  day  in 
the  neighborhood  of  one  of  the  sugar-camps  on  the  river  below, 
and  was  shot  with  an  arrow  by  an  Indian  boy,  who  brought  it  up 
to  me.  The  Chippewas  call  it  Pashcundamo,  in  allusion  to  the 
stoutness  of  its  bill,  and  consequent  capacity  for  breaking  sur 
faces.* 

8th.  The  ice  on  the  river  still  admits  of  the  passage  of  horse 
trains,  and  the  night  temperature  is  quite  wintry,  although  the 

*  This  specimen  was  sent  to  the  New  York  Lyceum,  where  it  was  deter 
mined  to  be  an  undescribed  species,  and  named  Fringilia  vespertina,  or  eve 
ning  grosbec. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  167 

power  of  the  sun  begins  to  be  sensibly  felt  during  the  middle  and 
after  part  of  the  day. 

9th.  A  friend  recently  at  Washington  writes  from  Detroit  under 
the  date  of  the  12th  March  :  u  A  proposition  was  submitted  to  a 
committee  of  the  Senate,  soon  after  my  arrival  in  the  city,  by  the 
Secretary  of  War,  for  the  establishment  of  the  office  of  Superin 
tendent  of  Mines.  To  this  office,  had  the  project  been  carried  into 
execution,  you  would  have  been  appointed.  But  shortly  before  I 
left  there,  it  was  thought  more  expedient  to  sell  all  the  mines  than 
to  retain  them  in  the  hands  of  the  government.  Of  course,  if  this 
plan  be  adopted,  as  I  think  it  will  be,  the  other  will  be  superseded." 
Here,  then,  drops  a  project,  which  I  had  conceived  at  Potosi,  and 
which  has  been  before  my  mind  for  some  four  years,  and  which  I 
am  still  satisfied  might  have  been  carried  through  Congress,  had 
I  given  my  personal  attention  to  the  subject,  during  the  present 
session.  I  have  supposed  myself  more  peculiarly  qualified  to  fill 
the  station  indicated,  than  the  one  I  now  occupy.  And  I  accepted 
the  present  office  under  the  expectation  that  it  would  be  tempo 
rary.  When  once  a  project  of  this  kind,  however,  is  superseded 
in  the  way  this  has  been,  it  is  like  raising  the  dead  to  bring  it  up 
again  ;  and  it  is  therefore  probable  that  my  destiny  is  now  fixed 
in  the  North- West  instead  of  the  South-West,  for  a  number  of  years. 
I  thought  I  had  read  Franklin's  maxims  to  some  purpose;  but  I  now 
see  that,  although  I  have  observed  one  of  them  in  nine  cases,  I 
missed  it  in  the  tenth: — 

"  He  that  by  the  plough  would  thrive, 
Himself  must  either  hold,  or  drive." 

I  trusted,  in  the  fall,  that  I  could  safely  look  on,  and  see  this  mat 
ter  accomplished. 

As  to  the  mines,  they  will  still  require  a  local  superintendent. 
They  cannot  be  sold  until  there  are  some  persons  to  buy,  and  it  is 
not  probable  such  extensive  tracts  of  barren  lands  can  be  dis 
posed  of  in  years.  Meantime,  the  rents  of  the  mines  are  an  ob 
ject.  The  preservation  of  the  public  timber  is  an  object.  And 
the  duties  connected  with  these  objects  cannot  be  performed,  with 
justice  to  the  government,  and  convenience  to  the  lessees,  without 
a  local  agent.  In  proportion  as  some  of  the  districts  of  mineral 


168  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

lands  are  sold,  others  will  claim  attention  ;  and  it  may  be,  and 
most  probably  will  be,  years  before  the  intention  of  Congress,  if 
expressed  by  law,  can  be  fully  carried  into  effect. 

Life  has  more  than  one  point  of  resemblance  to  a  panorama. 
When  one  object  is  past,  another  is  brought  to  view.  The  same 
correspondent  adds:  "Mr.  Calhoun  has  come  to  the  determina 
tion  to  authorize  you  to  explore  the  River  St.  Peter's  this  season. 
I  think  you  may  safely  make  the  necessary  arrangements,  as  I  feel 
confident  the  instructions  will  reach  you  soon  after  the  opening  of 
the  navigation." 

In  consequence  of  this  intimation,  I  have  been  casting  about 
to  find  some  authors  who  treat  of  the  region  of  country  which 
embraces  the  St.  Peter's,  but  with  little  success.  Hennipin's 
"  Discovery  of  a  large  Country  in  the  Northern  America,  extending 
above  Four  Thousand  Miles/'  I  have  read  with  care.  But  care 
indeed  it  requires  to  separate  truth  from  error,  both  in  his  descrip 
tions  and  opinions.  He  thinks  "Japan  a  part  of  the  American 
Continent;"  and  describes  the  Wisconsin  as  "navigable  for  large 
vessels  above  one  hundred  leagues."  Yet,  notwithstanding  this 
gross  hyberbole,  he  describes  the  portage  between  the  Fox  and 
Wisconsin  at  "  half  a  league,"  which  is  within  the  actual  distance. 
It  may  be  admitted  that  he  was  within  the  Sioux  country,  and 
went  up  the  Mississippi  as  high  as  the  St.  Francis. 

La  Hontan,  whose  travels  were  published  in  London  only  a  few 
years  after  the  translation  of  Hennipin's,  is  entitled,  it  is  believed, 
to  no  credit  whatever,  for  all  he  relates  of  personal  discoveries  on 
the  Mississippi.  His  fiction  of  observations  on  "  River  La  Long,'* 
is  quite  preposterous.  I  once  thought  he  had  been  as  far  as 
Prairie  du  Chien;  but  think  it  more  probable  he  never  went  beyond 
Green  Bay. 

Carver,  who  went  from  Boston  to  the  Mississippi  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  18th  century,  is  not  an  author  to  glean  much  from. 
I,  however,  re-perused  his  volume  carefully,  and  extracted  notes. 
Some  of  the  stories  inserted  in  his  work  have  thrown  an  air  of 
discredit  over  it,  and  caused  the  whole  work  to  be  regarded  in 
rather  an  apocryphal  light.  I  think  there  is  internal  evidence 
enough  in  his  narrative  to  prove  that  he  visited  the  chief  portions 
of  country  described.  But  he  probably  neglected  to  keep  diurnal 
notes.  When  in  London,  starvation  stared  him  in  the  face.  Those 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  169 

in  office  to  whom  he  represented  his  plans  probably  listened  to 
him  awhile,  and  afterwards  lost  sight  of,  or  neglected  him.  He 
naturally  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  booksellers,  who  deemed  him 
a  good  subject  to  get  a  book  from.  But  his  original  journal  did 
not  probably  afford  matter  enough,  in  point  of  bulk.  In  this  exi 
gency,  the  old  French  and  English  authors  appear  to  have  been 
drawn  upon  ;  and  probably  their  works  contributed  by  far  the  larger 
part  of  the  volume  after  the  114th  page  (Philadelphia  ed.  1796), 
which  concludes  the  "  Journal."  I  think  it  questionable  whether 
some  literary  hack  was  not  employed,  by  the  booksellers,  to  draw 
up  the  part  of  the  work  "  On  the  origin,  manners,  customs,  reli 
gion,  and  language  of  the  Indians."  Considerable  portions  of  the 
matter  are  nearly  verbatim  in  the  language  of  Charlevoix,  La 
Hontan,  and  other  authors  of  previous  date.  The  "  vocabulary  of 
Chippewa,"  so  far  as  it  is  Chippewa  at  all,  has  the  French  or  a 
mixed  orthography,  which  it  is  not  probable  that  an  Englishman  or 
an  American  would,  de  novo,  employ, 


170  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

Rapid  advance  of  spring — Troops  commence  a  stockade — Principles  of  the 
Chippewa  tongue — Idea  of  a  new  language  containing  the  native  princi 
ples  of  syntax,  with  a  monosyllabic  method — Indian  standard  of  value — 
Archaeological  evidences  in  growing  trees — Mount  Vernon — Signs  of  spring 
in  the  appearance  of  birds — Expedition  to  St.  Peter's — Lake  Superior  open 
— A  peculiarity  in  the  orthography  of  Jefferson — True  sounds  of  the  conso 
nants — Philology — Advent  of  the  arrival  of  a  vessel. — Editors  and  editorials 
—  Arrival  from  Fort  William — A  hope  fled — Sudden  completion  of  the 
spring,  and  ushering  in  of  summer — Odjibwa  language,  and  transmission  of 
Inquiries. 

1823.  April  12th.  SPRING  is  gradually  advancing.  The  deep 
ened  roar  of  the  rapids  indicates  an  increased  volume  of  water. 
The  state  of  the  ice  is  so  bad  this  day  that  no  persons  have  ven 
tured  to  cross  the  river.  Yesterday,  they  still  crossed.  The  bare 
ground  begins  to  show  itself  in  spots  ;  but  the  body  of  snow  is  still 
deep  in  the  woods. 

14:th.  The  T.  migratorius  or  robin  made  its  appearance.  The 
Indians  have  a  pretty  tale  of  the  origin  of  this  bird  and  its  fond 
ness  for  domestic  scenes. 

~L6th.  Gray  duck  appeared  in  the  rapids. 

Vlth.  Large  portions  of  the  ground  are  now  laid  bare  by  the 
sun. 

18th.  A  friend  at  -New  York,  about  to  sail  for  Europe,  writes  me 
under  this  date  :  "  I  expect  to  sail  for  St.  Petersburg!!.  I  shall 
take  with  me  some  of  our  choicest  specimens,  in  return  for  which 
I  hope  to  procure  something  new  and  interesting.  The  truth  is, 
we  know  very  little  of  the  mineralogy  of  Russia,  and  hence  such 
specimens  as  can  be  procured  will  almost  necessarily  prove  inte 
resting." 

"  The  Lyceum  is  about  to  publish  its  proceedings.  The  mem 
bers  are  increasing  in  numbers  and  activity.  It  has  been  recently 
agreed  that  there  shall  be  at  least  one  paper  read  at  every  meet- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  171 

ing ;  this  will  ensure  attention,  and  much  increase  the  interest  of 
the  meetings.  I  hope  you  may,  before  long,  be  able  to  add  your 
personal  attendance." 

"  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  inform  you  that  the  minerals  intrusted  to 
my  care  are  situated  in  every  respect  as  when  left  by  you ; 
they  are,  of  course,  entirely  dependent  upon  any  order  you  may 
give  concerning  them.  I  do  not  think  it  necessary  that  you  should 
make  any  immediate  provision  for  them,  or  that  there  is  any  cause 
for  uneasiness  on  their  account."* 

~L9th.  The  troops  began  to  set  up  the  pickets  of  a  stockade  or 
fort,  to  which  the  name  of  "Brady"  is  given,  in  allusion  to  Col. 
Hugh  Brady,  U.  S.  A.  The  first  canoe  crossed  the  river  to-day, 
although  the  ice  still  lines  each  shore  of  the  river  for  several 
hundred  yards  in  width. 

20th.  S.  My  sister  Maria  writes  to  me :  "I  fancy,  by  the  de 
scription  you  have  given  of  your  residence  and  society  at  the  Sault, 
that  you  have  enjoyed  yourself,  and  seen  as  much  of  the  refine 
ments  of  civilized  life  as  you  would  have  done  in  many  places 
less  remote.  Who  have  you  at  the  Sault  that  writes  such  pretty 
poetry  ?  The  piece  I  refer  to  is  signed  Alexina,f  and  is  a  death- 
song  of  an  Indian  woman  at  the  grave  of  her  murdered  husband." 

22rf.  One  of  the  principal  objections  to  be  urged  against  the 
Indian  languages,  considered  as  media  of  communication,  is  their 
cumbrousness.  There  is  certainly  a  great  deal  of  verbiage  and 
tautology  about  them.  The  paucity  of  terms  leads  not  only  to 
the  use  of  figures  and  metaphors,  but  is  the  cause  of  circumlocu 
tion.  This  day  we  had  a  snow  storm. 

The  Chippewa  is,  in  its  structure,  what  is  denominated  by  Mr. 
Du  Ponceau  "  polysynthetic."  It  seems  the  farthest  removed 
possible  from  the  monosyllabic  class  of  languages.  I  have  thought 
that,  if  some  of  its  grammatical  principles  could  be  applied  to 
monosyllables,  a  new  language  of  great  brevity,  terseness,  regu 
larity,  and  poetic  expressiveness,  might  be  formed.  It  would  be 
necessary  to  restore  to  its  alphabet  the  consonants/,  Z,  and  r,  and 
v.  Its  primitive  pronouns  might  be  retained,  with  simple  inflec- 

•  Notwithstanding,  the  collection  of  specimens  referred  to  was  afterwards 
most  sadly  dealt  with,  and  pillaged  of  its  choicest  specimens, 
f  Mrs.  Thompson. 


172  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

tions,  instead  of  compound,  for  plural.  It  would  be  necessary  to 
invent  a  pronoun  for  she,  as  there  is,  apparently,  nothing  of  this 
kind  in  the  language.  The  pronouns  might  take  the  following 
form : — 

Ni,  7.          Nid,  We.  Niwin,  Myself.      Niwind,   Ourselves. 

Ki,  Thou.  Kid,  Ye  or  you.  Kiwin,  Thyself.     Kiwind,    Yourselves. 

Wi,  He.     Wid,  They.    Masculiue.  Wiwin,  Yourselves.    (Mas.)    Wiwind. 

Si,    She.     Sid,    They.    Feminine.  Shvin,    Yourselves.     (Fern.)    Siwind. 

DECLENSION  OF  PRONOUNS.  *. 

Ni,  Nin,  Nee — /,  Mine,  Me.  Nid,  Nida,  Nidim — We,  Us,  Ours. 

Ki,  Kin,  Kee — Thou,  Thine,  Thee.        Kid,  Kida,  Kidim — Ye,  You,  Yours. 
Wi,  Win,  Wee— Rim,  His,  His.  Wid,    Wida,    Widim—  They,     Their, 

Theirs.     (Mas.) 
Si,  Sin,  See— Her,  Hers,  Hers.  Sid,  Sida,  Sidim—  They,  Their,  Theirs. 

(Fern.) 

The  full  meaning  of  the  present  class  of  verbs  and  substantives 
of  the  language  could  be  advantageously  transferred  to  the  first, 
or  second,  or  third  syllable  of  the  words,  converting  them  into 
monosyllables.  The  plural  might  be  uniformly  made  in  d,  follow 
ing  a  vowel,  and  if  a  word  terminate  in  a  consonant,  then  in  ad. 
So  the  class  of  plural  terminations  would  be  ad,  ed,  id,  od,  ud. 
Many  generic  nouns  would  require  to  be  invented,  and  could  easily 
be  drawn  from  existing  roots.  In  the  orthography  of  these,  the 
initial  consonant  of  the  corresponding  English  word  might  serve 
as  an  index.  Thus,  from  the  word  aindum,  mind,  might  be  derived, 

Ain,  Mind.  Sain,          Sorrow. 

Tain,          Thought.  Jain,          Joy,  &c. 

Main,         Meditation. 

So  from  taibwawin,  truth,  might  be  drawn  tail,  truth — faib, 
faith — raib9  religion — vaib,  virtue.  A  principle  of  euphony,  or 
affinity  of  syllabication,  might  be  applied  in  the  abbreviation  of  a 
few  of  this  class  of  generic  words :  as  Eo,  God,  from  moncdo. 

THE    ORDINARY    NOUNS   WOULD    RUN    THUS:  — 

In,  Man.  Ind,  Men. 

Ee,  Woman.  Eed,  Women. 

Ab,  Child.  Abad,         Children. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  173 

Kwi,  Boy,  Kwid,  Boys. 

Kwa,  Girl.  Kwad,  Girls. 

Os,  Father.  Osad,  Fathers. 

Gai,  Mother.  Gaid,  Mothers. 

All  the  existing  monosyllables  of  the  language  would  be  retained, 
but  subjected  to  new  laws  of  construction  and  concordance.  Thus 
the  plural  of  Tcoan,  snow,  would  be  koanad ;  of  ais,  shell,  aisad; 
moaz,  moas,  moazad-,  &c.  Variety  in  the  production  of  sounds, 
and  of  proper  cadences  in  composition,  might  dictate  retention  of 
a  certain  class  of  the  dissyllables — as  ossin  a  stone,  opin  a 
potato,  dkki  earth,  mejim  food,  assub  a  net,  aubo  a  liquid,  mittig 
a  tree,  &c.,  the  plurals  of  which  would  be  assinad,  opinad,  akkid, 
mejimad,  assubad,  aubad,  mittigad.  Every  substantive  would  have 
a  diminutive  form  in  is,  and  an  augmentative  in  chi,  the  vowel  of 
the  latter  to  be  dropped  where  a  vowel  begins  the  word.  Thus, 
chab,  a  grandchild ;  chigai,  a  grandmother.  Tnis,  a  little  man ; 
osis,  a  little  father,  &c. 

Adjectives  would  come  under  the  same  rules  of  abbreviation  as 
nouns  and  verbs.  They  would  be  deprived  of  their  present  acci 
dents  of  number  and  gender. 

Min,  Good.  Koona,  Ugly. 

Mon,          Bad.  Soan,  Strong. 

Bish,         Handsome. 

The  colors,  seasons,  cardinal  points,  &c.,  would  consist  of  the 
first  syllable  of  the  present  words. 

The  demonstrative  pronouns,  this,  that,  there,  those,  would 
take  the  following  forms :  Mau,  this ;  aho,  that.  By  adding  the 
common  plural,  the  terms  for  these  and  those  would  be  produced  : 
Maud,  these;  ahod,  those. 

The  prepositions  would  fall  naturally  under  the  rule  of  abbre 
viation  applied  to  nouns,  &c.  Chi,  by;  peen,  in;  kish,  if,  &c.  ; 
li,  of;  ra,  to;  vi,  is;  af,  at. 

leau  is  the  verb  to  be.  The  auxiliary  verbs,  have,  shall,  will,  &c., 
taken  from  the  tensal  particles,  are  ge,  gu,  gei,  go,  ga. 

Pa  may  stand  for  the  definite  article,  being  the  first  syllable 
of  pazliik;  and  a  comma  for  the  indefinite  article. 

le  is  matter.     Ishi,  heaven. 


174  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

EXAMPLES. 

Ni  sa  Eo — I  love  God. 

Eo  vi  min  —  The  Lord  is  good. 

Nin  os  ge  pa  min  in — My  father  was  a  good  man. 

Ishiod  (Isheod) — The  heavens. 

Thus  a  new  language  might  be  formed. 

24th.  The  standard  of  value  with  the  Indians  is  various.  At 
this  place,  a  beaver  skin  is  the  standard  of  computation  in  accounts. 
When  an  Indian  has  made  a  purchase,  he  inquires,  not  how  many 
dollars,  but  how  many  beaver  skins  he  owes.  Farther  south, 
where  racoon  skins  are  plenty,  they  become  the  standard.  Some 
years  ago,  desertion  became  so  frequent  at  Chicago  and  other 
posts,  that  the  commanding  officer  offered  the  customary  reward 
to  the  Indians  of  the  post,  if  they  would  secure  the  deserters. 
Five  persons  went  in  pursuit,  and  brought  in  the  men,  for  which 
they  received  a  certificate  for  the  amount.  They  then  divided 
the  sum  into  five  equal  shares,  and  subdivided  each  share  into  its 
value  in  racoon  skins.  It  was  not  until  this  division  was  completed, 
and  the  number  of  skins  ascertained,  that  they  could,  by  any  fixed 
standard  of  comparison,  determine  the  reward  which  each  had 
received. 

25th.  It  is  stated  in  the  newspapers  that  hacks  of  an  axe  were 
lately  found  in  the  central  and  solid  parts  of  a  large  tree  near 
Buffalo,  which  were  supposed  to  have  been  made  by  La  Salle's 
party.  Other  evidences  of  the  early  footsteps  of  Europeans  on 
this  continent  have  been  mentioned.  A  trammel  was  found  in  the 
solid  substance  of  a  tree  in  Onondaga.  A  gun  barrel  in  a  simi 
lar  position  in  the  Wabash  Valley.*  Growing  wood  soon  closes 
over  articles  left  upon  it,  in  the  wilderness,  where  they  are  long 
undisturbed. 

21th.  Monedo  is  strictly  a  term  belonging  to  the  Indian  mytho 
logy  and  necromancy,  and  is  constantly  used  to  indicate  a  spirit. 
It  has  not  the  regular  termination  of  the  noun  in  win,  and  seems 
rather  verbal  in  its  aspect,  and  so  far  as  we  can  decipher  its 
meaning,  mon  is  a  syllable  having  a  bad  meaning  generally,  as  in 
monaudud,  &c.  Edo  may  possibly  be  a  derivation  from  eJcedo, 
he  speaks. 

28th.  It  is  a  year  ago  to-day  since  I  visited  the  tomb  of  Wash 
ington,  at  Mount  Vernon.  There  were  three  representatives  in 

*  Hon.  H.  W.  Thompson. 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  175 

Congress,  in  company.  We  left  the  city  of  Washington  in  the 
morning,  in  a  private  carriage,  and  drove  down  in  good  season.  I 
looked  about  the  tomb  narrowly  for  some  memento  to  bring  away, 
and  found  some  mineralogical  fragments  on  the  small  mound  over 
the  tomb,  which  would  bear  the  application  of  their  book  names. 
On  coming  back  through  Alexandria,  we  dined  at  a  public  hotel, 
where,  among  other  productions  of  the  season,  we  had  cucumbers. 
What  a  contrast  in  climate  to  my  present  position  !  Here,  as  the 
eyes  search  the  fields,  heaps  of  snow  are  still  seen  in  shaded  situa 
tions,  and  the  ice  still  disfigures  the  bays  and  indentations  of  the 
shore  in  some  places,  as  if  it  were  animated  wTith  a  determination 
to  hold  out  against  the  power  of  the  sun  to  the  utmost.  Nature, 
however,  indicates  its  great  vernal  throe.  White  fish  were  first 
taken  during  the  season,  this  day,  which  is  rare. 

29th.  A  friend  at  Detroit  writes  under  this  date:  "I  had  ex 
pected  that  before  now,  instructions  would  have  reached  here  re 
quiring  you  to  repair  to  the  St.  Peter's.  But  as  the  season  advances, 
and  they  do  not  arrive,  I  begin  to  fear  that  one  of  those  mutations, 
to  which  of  all  governments  upon  this  mundane  sphere  ours  is  the 
most  exposed,  has  changed  the  intended  disposition." 

May  1st.  Winter  still  holds  its  grasp  upon  the  ice  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  river  and  straits. 

The  Claytonia  Virginica  observed  in  flower  in  favorable  spots. 

The  bay  opposite  the  fort  on  the  north-west  shore  cleared  of  ice 
on  the  2d,  being  the  first  day  that  the  river  has  exhibited  the 
appearance  of  being  completely  clear,  a  strong  north-west  wind 
blowing.  It  is  just  four  months  and  ten  days  from  the  period  of 
its  final  closing  on  the  22d  of  December. 

The  yellow  sparrow,  or  boblinkin,  appeared  this  day  in  the 
woods. 

4th.  The  surface  of  the  earth  is  undergoing  a  rapid  transforma 
tion,  although  we  are,  at  the  same  time,  led  to  observe,  that 
"winter  lingering  chills  the  lap  of  May."  Sudden  changes  of 
temperature  are  experienced,  which  are  governed  very  much  by 
the  course  and  changes  of  the  wind.  Nature  appears  suddenly  to 
have  been  awakened  from  her  torpid  state. 

All  eyes  are  now  directed  to  the  east,  not  because  the  sun  rises 
there,  but  it  is  the  course  from  which,  in  our  position,  we  expect 
intelligence  by  vessels.  We  expect  a  deliverance  from  our  winter's 
incarceration. 


176  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

6th.  Lake  Superior  appears  to  be  entirely  open.  A  gentleman 
attached  to  the  Boundary  Survey  at  Fort  William  writes  to  me, 
under  this  date,  that  the  bay  at  that  place  is  free  from  ice,  so  as 
to  permit  them  to  resume  their  operations.  They  had  been  wait 
ing  for  this  occurrence  for  two  weeks  previously. 

8th.  It  is  a  year  since  I  received  from  the  President  (Mr.  Mon 
roe)  a  commission  as  agent  for  these  tribes;  and  it  is  now  more 
probable  than  it  then  was  that  my  residence  here  may  assume  a 
character  of  permanency.  I  do  not,  however,  cease  to  hope  that 
Providence  has  a  more  eligible  situation  in  reserve  for  me. 

9th.  "Little  things,"  says  Dr.  Johnson,  "  are  not  valued,  when 
they  are  done  by  those  who  cannot  do  greater."  Thomas  Jeffer 
son  uniformly  spelled  knowledge  without  a  w9  which  might  not  be 
mentioned,  had  he  not  written  the  Notes  on  Virginia,  and  the 
Declaration  of  Independence. 

10th.  A  trader  proceeded  with  a  boat  into  Lake  Superior,  which 
gives  assurance  that  this  great  inland  sea  is  open  for  navigation. 
White  fish  appeared  in  the  rapids,  which  it  is  said  they  never  do 
while  there  is  running  ice. 

YLth.  Steam  sums  up  the  points  requisite  for  remembrance  by 
posterity,  in  these  four  things — "Plant  a  tree,  write  a  book,  build 
a  house,  and  get  a  child."  Watts  has  a  deeper  tone  of  morality 
when  he  says — 

"We  should  leave  our  names,  our  heirs. 
Old  time  and  waning  moons  sweep  all  the  rest  away." 

12th.  When  last  at  Washington,  Dr.  Thornton,  of  the  Patent 
Office,  detained  me  some  time  talking  of  the  powers  of  the  letters 
of  the  English  alphabet.  lie  drew  a  strong  line  of  distinction 
between  the  names  and  the  sounds  of  the  consonants.  L,  for  in 
stance,  called  el,  was  sounded  /<?,  &c. 

Philology  is  one  of  the  keys  of  knowledge  which,  I  think,  admits  of 
its  being  said  that,  although  it  is  rather  rusty,  the  rust  is,  however,  a 
proof  of  its  antiquity.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  more  true  light 
is  destined  to  be  thrown  on  the  history  of  the  Indians  by  a  study 
of  their  languages  than  of  their  traditions,  or  any  other  feature. 

The  tendency  of  modern  inquiries  into  languages  seems  rather 
to  have  been  to  multiply  than  to  simplify.  I  do  not  believe  we 
have  more  than  three  mother  stocks  of  languages  in  all  the  United 
States  east  of  the  Mississippi,  embracing  also  large  portions  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  177 

territory  west  of  it,  namely,  the  Algonquin,  Iroquois,  and  what 
may  be  called  Apallachian.     Perhaps  a  little  Dakota. 

15th.  Our  first  vessel  for  the  season  arrived  this  day.  If  by  a 
patient  series  of  inquiries,  during  the  winter,  we  had  calculated 
the  appearance  of  a  comet,  and  found  our  data  verified  by  its 
actual  appearance,  it  could  not  be  a  subject  of  deeper  interest 
than  the  bringing  ashore  of  the  ship's  mail.  Had  we  not  gone  to 
so  remote  a  position,  we  could  not  possibly  ever  have  become 
aware  how  deeply  we  are  indebted  to  the  genius  and  discoveries  of 
Cadmus  and  Faust,  whose  true  worshippers  are  the  corps  editorial. 
Now  for  a  carnival  of  letters. 

Reading,  reading,  reading,  "Big  and  small,  scraps  and  all." 

If  editors  of  newspapers  knew  the  avidity  with  which  their 
articles  are  read  by  persons  isolated  as  we  are,  I  have  the  charity 
to  believe  they  would  devote  a  little  more  time,  and  exert  a  little 
more  candor,  in  penning  them.  For,  after  all,  how  large  a  portion 
of  all  that  a  newspaper  contains  is,  at  least  to  remote  readers, 
"flat,  stale,  and  unprofitable."  The  mind  soon  reacts,  and  asks  if 
this  be  valuable  news. 

|,    I  observed  the  ErytJironium  dens  canis,  and  Panax  trifolium 
appeared  in  flower  on  the  25th. 

28th.  The  schooner  "Recovery"  arrived  from  Fort  William  on 
the  north  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  bringing  letters  and  despatches, 
political  and  commercial.  Mr.  Siveright,  the  agent  of  the  H.  B. 
C.,  kindly  sent  over  to  me,  for  my  perusal,  a  letter  of  intelligence 
from  an  American  gentleman  in  the  North. 

29th.  I  have,  for  some  time,  relinquished  the  expectation  of 
being  selected  to  conduct  the  exploring  party,  intended  to  be 
ordered  by  government,  into  the  region  of  the  St.  Peter's,  at  least 
the  present  season.  A  letter  of  this  date  terminates  the  uncer 
tainty.  "Major  Delafield,''  says  a  correspondent,  "informs  me 
that  an  exploring  party  has  been  ordered  under  Major  Long,  to 
make  the  tour  which  was  intended  for  you.  \Yhy  this  arrange 
ment  has  been  made,  and  the  original  plan  abandoned,  I  cannot 
conjecture,  unless  it  resulted  from  the  necessity  of  placing  a  mili 
tary  officer  at  the  head  of  the  party.  I  presume  this  was  the  fact, 
for  I  am  certain  that  the  change  in  the  project  did  not  arise  from 
any  feeling  in  Mr.  C.'s  mind  unfriendly,  or  even  indifferent  to  you. 
Upon  that  subject  I  can  speak  definitely,  and  say  to  you,  that  you 
12 


178  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

have  a  hold  upon  his  esteem,  not  to  be  shaken."  Thus  falls  an 
other  cherished  hope,  namely,  that  of  leading  an  expedition  to  the 
North. 

30th.  Minute  particulars  are  often  indicative  of  general  changes. 
This  is  the  first  day  that  the  mosquito  has  appeared.  The  weather 
for  a  few  days  has  been  warm.  Vegetation  suddenly  put  forth; 
the  wild  cherry,  &c.,  is  now  in  bloom,  and  gardening  has  com 
menced  with  fine  prospects. 


Odjibwa  language.  —  There  are  two  generic  words  in  the 
concrete  forms  of  the  Chippewa  for  water  or  a  liquid,  in  addition  to 
the  common  term  neebi.  They  are  aubo  and  gomee.  Both  are  mani 
festly  compounds,  but,  in  our  present  state  of  knowledge,  they  may 
be  temporarily  considered  as  elements  of  other  compounds.  Thus, 
if  the  letter  n  be  prefixed  to  the  former,  and  the  sound  of  b  suf 
fixed,  the  result  is  the  term  for  soup,  nabob.  If  to  the  same  ele 
ment  of  aubo,  the  word  for  fire,  iscoda,  be  prefixed,  the  result  is 
their  name  for  ardent  spirits,  iscodawdbo,  literally  fire-water.  In 
the  latter  case,  the  letter  w  is  thrown  in  as  a  coalescent  between 
the  sound  of  a,  as  a  in  hate  ;  and  the  a,  as  a  in  fall.  This  is 
out  of  a  mere  regard  to  euphony. 

"If  they  (the  Chippewas)  say  <A  man  loves  me,'  or  'I  love  a 
man,'  is  there  any  variation  in  the  word  man  ?"  They  do  not  use 
the  word  man  in  either  of  these  instances.  The  adjective  white 
takes  the  animate  pronoun  form  in  iz  zi,  by  which  the  object  be 
loved  is  indicated,  waub-isJik-iz-ze  Saugiau. 

"Docs  the  object  precede  or  follow  the  verb?"  Generally,  it 
precedes  the  verb.  Fish,  have  you  any  ?  not,  Have  you  any  fish  ? 

The  substantive  preceded  the  verb  in  the  organization  of  the 
language.  Things  were  before  the  motion  of  things,  or  the  acts 
or  passions  of  men  which  led  to  motion  and  emotion.  Hence,  all 
substances  are  changed  into  and  used  as  verbs. 

I  this  day  completed  and  transmitted  the  results  of  my  philo 
logical  inquiries,  hoping  they  might  prove  acceptable  to  the  dis 
tinguished  individual  to  whom  they  were  addressed,  and  help  to 
advance  the  subject.  This  subject  is  only  laid  aside  by  the  call  of 
business,  and  to  be  effectual  must  be  again  resumed  with  the  re 
currence  of  our  long  winter  evenings. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  179 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

Outlines  of  the  incidents  of  the  summer  of  1823 — Glance  at  the  geography 
of  the  lake  country — Concretion  of  aluminous  earth — General  Wayne's 
body  naturally  embalmed  by  this  property  of  the  soil  of  Erie — Free  and 
easy  manners — Boundary  Survey — An  old  friend — Western  commerce 
— The  Austins  of  Texas  memory — Collision  of  civil  and  military  power — 
Advantages  of  a  visit  to  Europe. 

1823.  June  IQth.  Mr.  Thomas  Tousey,  of  Virginia,  writes  from 
Philadelphia,  after  completing  a  tour  to  the  West :  "The  reading  of 
books  and  looking  at  maps  make  a  fugitive  impression  on  the  mind, 
compared  to  the  ocular  view  and  examination  of  a  country,  which 
make  it  seem  as  though  we  cannot  obtain  valuable  information,  or 
money  to  serve  a  valuable  purpose,  without  great  personal  labor,  fa 
tigue,  and  often  danger.  This  was  much  verified  to  my  satisfaction, 
from  a  view  of  the  great  western  lakes  ;  the  interesting  position 
where  you  are — -Mackinaw,  Green  Bay,  the  fine  country  between 
Green  Bay  and  Chicago,  and  Chicago  itself,  and  the  whole  country 
between  the  latter  place  and  St.  Louis. 

"Without  seeing  that  country,  supposed  by  many  to  be  the  re 
gion  of  cold  and  sterility,  I  could  not  have  believed  there  was  in 
it  such  a  store  of  blessings  yet  to  be  drawn  forth  by  the  labor  and 
enterprise  of  man,  for  succeeding  generations.  As  yet,  there  are 
too  many  objects  to  tempt  and  attract  the  avarice  of  man  to  more 
mild,  but  more  dangerous  climates.  But  the  progress  of  popula 
tion  and  improvement  is  certain  in  many  parts  of  the  country, 
and  with  them  will  be  connected  prosperity  and  happiness. 

"  When  it  is  considered  what  a  small  population  of  civilized 
beings  inhabit  that  part  of  the  world,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
that  so  little  knowledge  about  it  exists.  I  went  from  Green  Bay, 
with  the  Express,  where  but  few  people  ever  travel,  which  was  at 
tended  with  fatigue  and  danger  ;  but  the  journey  produced  this  con 
viction  on  my  mind,  that  the  Michigan  Territory  has  in  it  a  great 
extent  of  fine  country. 


180  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

"  I  regard  Green  Bay,  at  the  mouth  of  Fox  River,  and  Chicago, 
as  two  very  important  positions,  particularly  the  latter.  For  many 
years  I  have  felt  a  most  anxious  desire  to  see  the  country  between 
Chicago  and  the  Illinois  (River),  where  it  has  generally  been,  igno- 
rantly,  supposed  that  only  a  small  sum  would  be  wanting  to  open  a 
communication  between  them.  By  traveling  on  horseback  through 
the  country,  and  down  the  Illinois,  I  have  conceived  a  different 
and  more  exalted  opinion  of  this  communication,  and  of  the 
country,  than  I  had  before,  while  I  am  convinced  that  it  will  be 
attended  with  a  much  greater  expense  to  open  it  than  I  had  sup 
posed.* 

"  I,  with  my  two  companions,  found  your  fossil  tree,  in  the  Des 
Plaines,  with  considerable  labor  and  difficulty.  This  I  anticipated, 
from  the  commonly  reputed  opinion  of  the  uncommon  height  of 
the  waters.  With  your  memoir  in  my  hand,  we  rode  up  and  down 
the  waters  till  the  pursuit  was  abandoned  by  the  others,  while  my 
own  curiosity  and  zeal  did  not  yield  till  it  was  discovered.  The 
detached  pieces  were  covered  with  twelve  to  twenty  inches  of  water, 
and  each  of  us  broke  from  them  as  much  as  we  could  well  bring 
away.  I  showed  them  to  Col.  Benton,  the  Senator  in  St.  Louis  ; 
to  Major  O'Fallon  ;  Col.  Strother,  and  other  gentlemen  there  ;  to 
Mr.  Birkbeck  in  Wanboro' ;  to  Mr.  Rapp  in  Harmony ;  and  to  a 
number  of  different  people,  through  the  countries  I  traveled,  till 
my  arrival  in  Virginia. 

"  On  my  arrival  here  (Philadelphia),  I  handed  the  pieces  to  Mr. 
Solomon  W.  Conrad,  who  .delivers  lectures  on  mineralogy,  which 
he  made  partly  the  subject  of  one  of  his  lectures.  Since  that,  I 
had  a  piece  of  it  made  into  a  hone,  and  I  had  marked  on  it, 
<  Schoolcraft's  Fossil  Tree.' 

"  Brooke's  G-azeMeer,  improved  by  Darby,  has  been  ready  for 
delivery  three  or  four  months,  and  is  allowed  to  be  a  most  valuable 
book.  He  is,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  truly  poor,  while  his  labor  is  in 
cessant.  He  set  out,  several  weeks  since,  to  deliver  lectures  in 
the  country,  where  he  will  probably  continue  through  the  summer." 

~L6th.  J.  D.  Doty,  Esq.,  writes  from  Detroit  that  a  District 
Court  has  been  established  by  Congress  in  the  upper  country — - 
that  he  has  been  appointed  to  the  judgeship,  and  will  hold  a  court 

*  The  Illinois  Canal  now  exists  here. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  181 

at  Michilimackinaek,  on  the  third  Monday  in  July.  A  beginning 
has  thus  been  made  in  civil  jurisdiction  among  us  benighted  dwell 
ers  on  this  far-off  land  of  God's  creation.  He  states,  also,  the 
passage  of  a  law  for  claimants  to  lands,  which  have  been  occupied 
since  1812.  Where  law  goes,  civilization  will  soon  follow. 

23c?.  Giles  Sanford,  of  Erie  (Penn.),  sends  me  some  curious 
specimens  of  the  concrete  alum-slate  of  that  vicinity — they  are 
columnar,  fan-shaped — and  requests  a  description.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  presence  of  strong  aluminous  liquids  in  the  soil  of 
that  area  had  a  tendency  to  preserve  the  flesh  on  General  Wayne's 
body,  which  was  found  undecayed  when,  after  twenty  years'  burial, 
they  removed  it  to  Radnor  church,  in  Philadelphia. 

28th.  Governor  C.  sends  me  a  pamphlet  of  additional  in 
quiries,  founded  chiefly  on  my  replies,  respecting  the  Indian  lan 
guages.  He  says — "You  see,  I  have  given  new  scope  to  your 
inquiries,  and  added  much  to  your  labors.  But  it  is  impracticable, 
without  such  assistance  as  you  can  render  me,  to  make  any  pro 
gress.  I  find  so  few — so  very  few — who  are  competent  to  a  rational 
investigation  of  the  subject,  that  those  who  are  so  must  be  loaded 
with  a  double  burden." 

July  6th.  Mr.  Harry  Thompson,  of  Black  Rock,  N.  Y.,  writes 
me  that  he  duly  forwarded,  by  a  careful  teamster,  my  three  lost 
boxes  of  minerals,  shells,  &c.,  collected  in  the  Wabash  Valley,  Mis 
souri,  and  Illinois,  in  1821,  and  that  they  were  received  by  Mr. 
Meech  of  Geneva,  and  forwarded  by  him  to  E.  B.  Shearman 
&  Co.,  Utica.  The  loss  of  these  collections  of  1821  seems  to  me 
very  grievous. 

IQth.  Judge  Doty  writes  from  Mackinac:  a  Believing  the 
winds  and  fates  to  have  been  propitious,  I  trust  you  had  a  speedy, 
safe,  and  pleasant  passage  to  your  home.  A  boat  arrived  this 
morning,  but  I  heard  nothing.  Mr.  Morrison  leaves  this  evening, 
and  I  forward,  by  him,  your  dictionary,  with  many — many 
thanks  for  the  use.  We  completed  the  copy  of  it  last  evening, 
making  seventy-five  pages  of  letter  paper.  I  hope  I  shall  be  able 
to  return  you  the  favor,  and  give  you  soon  some  nice  Sioux  words." 

August  5th.  Judge  Doty,  in  a  letter  of  thanks  for  a  book,  and 
some  philological  suggestions,  transmits  a  list  of  inquiries  on  the 
legal  code  of  the  Indians— a  rather  hard  subject — in  which,  quo- 


182  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

tations  must  not  be  Coke  upon  Littleton,  but  the  law  of  tomaJiaivlc 
upon  craniums. 

"The  Sioux,"  he  says,  "must  be  slippery  fellows  indeed,  if  I 
do  not  squeeze  their  language,  and  several  other  valuable  things, 
out  of  them  next  winter.  I  expect  to  leave  for  the  Mississippi 
this  week,  in  a  barge,  with  Mr.  Rolette." 

6th.  Mr.  D.  H.  Barnes,  of  the  New  York  Lyceum  of  Na 
tural  History,  reports  that  the  shells  sent  to  him  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia,  and  with  which  the  Indians  garnish  their  pouches, 
are  a  species  of  the  Dentalium,  particularly  described  in  Jewett's 
"  Narrative  of  the  Loss  of  the  Ship  Boston  at  Nootka  Sound/'  He 
transmits  proof  plates  of  the  fresh  water  shells  collected  by  Pro 
fessor  Douglass  and  myself  on  the  late  expedition  to  the  sources 
of  the  Mississippi. 

11th.  The  Adjutant-General  of  the  Territory,  General  J. 
R.  Williams,  transmits  me  a  commission  as  captain  of  an  inde 
pendent  company  of  militia  infantry,  with  a  view,  it  is  presumed, 
on  the  part  of  the  executive,  that  it  will  tend  to  strengthen  the 
capacity  of  resistance  to  an  Indian  combination  on  this  frontier. 

20th.  Mr.  Giles  Sanford,  of  Erie,  sends  me  a  specimen  of 
gypsum  from  Sandusky  Bay,  and  a  specimen  of  the  strontian- 
yielding  limestone  of  Put-in-Bay,  Lake  Erie. 

September  10th.  Judge  Doty  writes  from  Prairie  du  Chien,  that 
he  had  a  pleasant  passage,  with  his  family,  of  fifteen  days  from 
Mackinaw ;  that  he  is  pleased  with  the  place ;  and  that  the  delegate 
election  went  almost  unanimously  for  Major  Biddle.  A  specimen 
of  native  copper,  weighing  four  pounds,  was  found  by  Mr.  Bolvin, 
at  Pine  River,  a  tributary  from  the  north  of  the  Wisconsin, 
agreeing  in  its  characters  with  those  in  my  cabinet  from  the  basin 
of  Lake  Superior. 

15th.  Dr.  John  Bigsby,  of  Nottingham,  England,  writes 
from  the  North- West  House,  that  he  arrived  yesterday  from 
the  Boundary  Survey,  and  is  desirous  of  exchanging  some  of  his 
geological  and  conchological  specimens  for  species  in  my  possession. 
The  doctor  has  a  very  bustling,  clerk-like  manner,  which  does  not 
impress  one  with  the  quiet  and  repose  of  a  philosopher.  He  evi 
dently  thinks  we  Americans,  at  this  remote  point,  are  mere  barba 
rians,  and  have  some  shrewd  design  of  making  a  chowder,  or  a 
speculation  out  of  our  granites,  and  agates,  and  native  copper.  Not 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  183 

a  look  or  word,  however,  of  mine  was  permitted  to  disturb  the 
gentleman  in  his  stilted  notions. 

16th.  Major  Joseph  Delafield,  with  his  party,  report  the 
Boundary  Survey  as  completed  to  the  contemplated  point  on 
the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  as  called  for  by  the  Treaty  of  Ghent. 
The  ease  and  repose  of  the  major's  manners  contrast  rather  fa 
vorably  with  the  fussiness  of  the  British  subs. 

2Qth.  Mr.  Felix  Hinchman,  of  Mackinac,  transmits  returns 
of  the  recent  delegate  election,  denoting  the  election  of  Major 
Biddle,  by  a  rather  close  run,  over  the  Catholic  priest  Richard. 

October  9th.  Mr.  W.  H.  Shearman  of  Vernon,  New  York,  writes 
that  my  boxes  of  minerals  and  fresh  water  shells  are  irretrievably 
lost ;  that  Mr.  Meech,  of  Geneva,  remains  mum  on  the  subject ;  and 
that  they  have  not  arrived  at  Utica.  Hard  fate  thus  to  be  despoiled 
of  the  fruits  of  my  labor  ! 

14th.  Mr.  Ebenezer  Brigham  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  an 
honest  gentleman  with  whom  I  embarked  at  Pittsburgh,  in  the 
spring  of  1818,  for  the  great  West  and  the  land  of  fortune,  writes 
a  letter  of  friendly  reminiscences  and  sympathies  at  my  success, 
particularly  in  getting  a  healthy  location.  Brigham  was  to  have 
been  one  of  my  adventurous  party  at  Potosi,  in  the  fall  of  1818, 
but  the  fever  and  ague  laid  violent  hands  on  him.  He'  managed 
to  reach  Potosi,  but  only  to  bid  me  good-by,  and  a  God-speed. 

"In  this  country/'  he  says,  "life  is  at  least  fifty  per  cent,  below 
par  in  the  months  of  August  and  September.  I  have  often  thought 
that  I  run  as  great  a  risk  every  season  which  I  spend  here,  as  I 
would  in  an  ordinary  battle.  I  really  believe  it  seldom  happens 
that  a  greater  proportion  of  an  army  fall  victims  to  the  sword, 
during  a  campaign,  than  there  was,  of  the  inhabitants  of  Illinois, 
falling  victims  to  disease  during  a  season  that  I  have  been  here." 

"  I  have  little  doubt  but  the  trade  of  this  part  of  the  State  of 
Illinois  will  pass  through  that  channel  (the  northern  lakes).  Our 
produce  is  of  a  description  that  ought  to  find  its  way  to  a  north 
ern  market,  and  that,  too,  without  passing  through  a  tropical  cli 
mate.  Our  pork  and  beef  may  arrive  at  Chicago  with  nearly  the 
same  ease  that  it  can  at  St.  Louis  ;  and,  if  packed  there  and  taken 
through  the  lakes,  would  be  much  more  valuable  than  if  taken 
by  the  way  of  the  South;  besides,  the  posts  spoken  of  (Chicago, 


184  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Green  Bay,  &c.)  may  possibly  be  supplied  cheaper  from  this  than 
any  other  source." 

"  Moses  Austin,  I  presume  you  have  heard,  is  dead,  and  his  son 
Stephen  is  acting  a  very  conspicuous  part  in  the  province  of  Texas. 
Old  Mr.  Bates,  and  his  son  William,  of  Herculaneum,  both  died 
last  summer." 

"  I  should  like  to  know  if  the  same  warlike  disposition  appears 
amongst  the  northern  Indians  that  does  amongst  those  of  the  west. 
Nearly,  or  quite  every  expedition  to  the  west  of  the  Mississippi 
in  the  fur  trade,  this  season,  has  been  attacked  by  different  tribes, 
and  some  have  been  defeated  and  robbed,  and  a  great  many  lives 
have  been  lost.  Those  in  the  neighborhood  of  this  place,  to  wit, 
the  Kickapoos  and  Potawattomies,  are  getting  cross  and  trouble 
some.  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  a  war  with  the  Indians  gene 
rally  should  take  place  soon.  The  troops  at  the  Council  :Bluffs 
have  found  it  necessary  to  chastise  one  tribe  already  (the  Aurick- 
arees),  which  they  have  done  pretty  effectually,  having  killed  a 
goodly  number,  and  burnt  their  towns." 

19th.  Governor  C.  writes,  in  response  to  a  letter  detailing 
difficulties  which  have  arisen  on  this  frontier  between  the 
military  and  citizens  :  "  Military  gentlemen,  when  stationed  at 
remote  posts,  too  often  'feel  power  and  forget  right,'  and  the  his 
tory  of  our  army  is  replete  with  instances  proving  incontestably 
by  how  frail  a  tenure  our  liberties  would  be  held,  were  it  not  for 
the  paramount  authority  and  redeeming  spirit  of  our  civil  institu 
tions." 

"  I  thank  you,"  ^e  observes,  "for  the  specimens  of  copper  you 
have  sent  me.  I  participate  with  you  in  your  feelings  upon  the 
important  discovery  you  have  been  the  instrument  of  communicat 
ing  to  the  world,  respecting  the  existence  of  that  metal  upon  the 
long  point  of  Lake  Superior.  This  circumstance,  in  conjunction 
with  others,  will,  I  hope,  lead  to  a  congressional  appropriation,  at 
the  next  session,  for  exploring  that  country,  and  making  such  pur 
chases  of  the  Indians  as  may  promise  the  valuable  supplies." 

"My  Indian  materials  are  rapidly  accumulating;  but,  unfortu 
nately,  they  are  more  valuable  for  quantity  than  quality.  It  is 
almost  impossible  to  rely  upon  the  information  which  is  communi 
cated  to  me  on  the  subject  of  the  languages.  There  is  a  lamenta 
ble  obtuseness  of  intellect  manifested  in  both  collector  and  con- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  185 

tributor ;  and  there  is  no  systematic  arrangement — no  analytical 
process,  and,  in  fact,  no  correctness  of  detail.  I  may  safely  say 
that  what  I  received  from  you  is  more  valuable  than  all  my  other 
stock. 

"It  has  recurred  to  me  that  you  ought  to  visit  Europe.  Don't 
startle  at  the  suggestion !  I  have  thought  of  it  frequently.  You 
might  easily  procure  some  person  to  execute  your  duties,  &c.,  and 
I  think  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  procuring  permission  from 
the  government.  I  speak,  however,  without  book.  Think  of  the 
matter.  I  see  incalculable  advantages  which  would  result  to  you 
from  it,  and  you  would  go  under  very  favorable  auspices,  and  with 
a  rich  harvest  of  literary  fame." 

23d.  B.  F.  Stickney,  Esq.,  writes  on  the  occasion  of  not  hav 
ing  earlier  acknowledged  my  memoir  on  the  Fossil  Tree  of  the  Des 
Plaines,  in  Illinois.  "  How  little  wTe  know  of  the  laws  of  nature," 
he  observes,  "of  which  we  profess  to  know  so  much," 


186  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

Incidents  of  the  year  1824 — Indian  researches — Diverse  idioms  of  the  Ottowa 
and  Chippewa — Conflict  of  opinion  between  the  civil  and  military  authori 
ties  of  the  place — A  winter  of  seclusion  well  spent — St.  Paul's  idea  of 
languages — Examples  in  the  Chippewa — The  Chippewa  a  pure  form  of  the 
Algonquin — Religion  in  the  wilderness — Incidents — Congressional  excite 
ments — Commercial  view  of  the  copper  mine  question — Trip  to  Tackwy- 
menon  Falls,  in  Lake  Superior. 

1824.  Jan.  1st.  As  soon  as  the  business  season  closecf,  I  re 
sumed  my  Indian  researches. 

General  C.  writes :  "  The  result  of  your  inquiries  into  the 
Indian  language  is  highly  valuable  and  satisfactory.  I  return 
you  my  sincere  thanks  for  the  papers.  I  have  examined  them 
attentively.  I  should  be  happy  to  have  you  prosecute  your  in 
quiries  into  the  manners,  customs,  &c.,  of  the  Indians.  You  are 
favorably  situated,  and  have  withal  such  unconquerable  persever 
ance,  that  I  must  tax  you  more  than  other  persons.  My  stock  of 
materials,  already  ample,  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  many  new  and 
important  facts  have  been  disclosed.  It  is  really  surprising  that 
so  little  valuable  information  has  been  given  to  the  world  on  this 
subject." 

Mr.  B.  F.  Stickney,  formerly  an  agent  at  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana, 
writes  from  Depot  (now  Toledo):  "I  am  pleased  to  see  that  your 
mind  is  engaged  on  the  Chippewa  language.  It  affords  a  field 
sufficiently  extensive  for  the  range  of  all  the  intellect  and  industry 
that  the  nation  can  bring  into  action.  If  the  materials  already 
collected  should,  after  a  scrutiny  and  arrangement,  be  thrown 
upon  the  literary  world,  it  would  excite  so  much  interest  as  not 
to  permit  the  inquiry  thus  to  stop  at  the  threshold.  It  is  really 
an  original  inquiry  concerning  the  operations  of  the  human 
mind,  wherein  a  portion  of  the  human  race,  living  apart 
from  the  rest,  have  independently  devised  means  for  the  inter- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  187 

change  of  thoughts  and  ideas.  Their  grammatical  rules  are  so 
widely  different  from  all  our  European  forms  that  it  forces  the 
mind  to  a  retrospective  view  of  first  principles. 

"  I  have  observed  the  differences  you  mention  between  the 
Ottowa  and  Chippewa  dialects.  Notwithstanding  I  conceive 
them  to  be  (as  you  observe)  radically  the  same  language,  I  think 
there  is  less  difference  between  the  band  of  Ottowas  you  men 
tion,  of  L'Arbre  Croche,  than  the  Ottowas  of  this  vicinity. 
It  appears  that  their  languages  are  subject  to  very  rapid 
changes.  From  not  being  written,  they  have  no  standard  to  resort 
to,  and  I  have  observed  it  demonstrated  in  bands  of  the  same 
tribe,  residing  at  considerable  distances  from  each  other,  and  hav 
ing  but  little  intercourse  for  half  a  century ;  these  have  with  diffi 
culty  been  able  to  understand  each  other. 

"  I  am  pleased  to  learn  that  you  are  still  advancing  the  sciences 
of  mineralogy  and  conchology.  Your  discovery  of  native  silver 
imbedded  in  native  copper  is  certainly  a  very  extraordinary  one." 

ZSth.  Major  E.  Cutler,  commanding  officer,  applies  to  me,  as 
a  magistrate,  to  prosecute  all  citizens  who  have  settled  on  the 
reserve  at  St.  Mary's,  and  opened  "shops  for  the  sale  of  liquor.'* 
Not  being  a  public  prosecuting  attorney,  it  does  not  appear  how 
this  can  at  all  be  done,  without  his  designating  the  names  of  the 
offenders,  and  the  offences  for  which  they  are  to  be  tried. 

30f/i.  The  same  officer  reports  that  his  duties  will  not  per 
mit  him  to  erect  quarters  for  the  Indian  agent,  which  he  is  re 
quired  to  put  up,  till  another  year.  If  this  step  is  to  be  regarded, 
as  it  seems,  as  a  retaliatory  measure  for  my  not  issuing  process, 
en  masse,  against  the  citizens,  without  he  or  his  subordinates  con 
descending  to  name  individuals,  it  manifests  an  utter  ignorance  of 

o  O 

the  first  principles  of  law,  and  is  certainly  a  queer  request  to  be 
made  of  a  justice  of  the  peace.  Nor  does  it  appear  how  the  adop 
tion  of  such  whims  or  assumptions  is  compatible  with  a  just  official 
comity  or  an  enlarged  sense  of  public  duty,  on  his  part,  and  pointed 
instructions,  to  boot,  in  co-operating  with  the  Indian  department 
on  a  remote  and  exposed  frontier. 

There  seems  to  be  a  period,  on  the  history  of  the  frontiers,  where 
conflicts  between  the  military  and  civil  authorities  are  almost  in 
evitable  ;  but  there  are,  perhaps,  few  examples  to  be  found  where 
the  former  power  has  been  more  aggressively  and  offensively 


188  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

exercised  than  it  has  been  under  the  martinet  who  is  now  in 
command  at  this  post.  It  is  an  ancient  point  of  settlement  by 
the  French,  who  are  generally  a  mild  and  obliging  people,  and 
disposed  to  submit  to  authorities.  Some  of  these  are  descended 
from  persons  who  settled  here  under  Louis  XIV.  That  a  few 
Americans  have  followed  the  troops  with  more  rigid  views  of  private 
rights,  and  who  cannot  be  easily  trampled  on,  is  true.  And  the  mili 
tary  have,  justly,  no  doubt,  felt  annoyances  from  a  freedom  of  trade 
with  the  soldiery,  who  cannot  be  kept  within  their  pickets  by 
bayonets  and  commands.  But  he  must  be  far  gone  in  his  sublimated 
notions  of  self-complacency  and  temporary  importance  who  sup 
poses  that  a  magistrate  would  surrender  his  sense  of  independence, 
and  impartiality  between  man  and  man,  by  assuming  new  and  un 
heard-of  duties,  at  the  beck  of  a  military  functionary  who  happens 
to  overrate  his  own,  or  misjudge  another's  position. 

March  31s£.  I  have  given  no  little  part  of  the  winter  to  a  re 
vision  of  my  manuscript  journal  of  travels  through  the  Miami  and 
Wabash  Valleys  in  1821.  The  season  has  been  severe,  and  offered 
few  inducements  to  go  beyond  the  pale  of  the  usual  walk  to  my  office, 
the  cantonment,  and  to  the  village  seated  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids. 
Variety,  in  this  pursuit,  has  been  sought,  in  turning  from  the  trans 
cription  of  these  records  of  a  tourist  to  the  discussion  of  the 
principles  of  the  Indian  languages — a  labor,  if  literary  amuse 
ment  can  be  deemed  a  labor,  which  was  generally  adjourned  from 
my  office,  to  be  resumed  in  the  domestic  circle  during  the  long 
winter  evenings.  A  moral  enjoyment  has  seldom  yielded  more  of 
the  fruits  of  pleasure.  In  truth,  the  winter  has  passed  almost 
imperceptibly  away.  Tempests  howled  around  us,  without  dimin 
ishing  our  comforts.  We  often  stood,  in  the  clear  winter  evenings, 
to  gaze  at  the  splendid  displays  of  the  Aurora  Borealis.  The  cari- 
ole  was  sometimes  put  in  requisition.  We  sometimes  tied  on  the 
augim,  or  snow-shoe,  and  ventured  over  drifts  of  snow,  whose 
depth  rendered  them  impassable  to  the  horse.  We  assembled 
twice  a  week,  at  a  room,  to  listen  to  the  chaste  preaching  of  a 
man  of  deep-toned  piety  and  sound  judgment,  whose  life  and 
manners  resemble  an  apostle's. 

In  looking  back  at  the  scenes  and  studies  of  such  a  season, 
there  was  little  to  regret,  and  much  to  excite  in  the  mind  pleasing 
vistas  of  hope  and  anticipation.  The  spring  came  with  less 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  189 

observation  than  had  been  devoted  to  the  winter  previous ;  and  the 
usual  harbingers  of  advancing  warmth — the  small  singing  birds  and 
northern  flowers — were  present  ere  we  were  well  aware  of  their 
welcome  appearance. 

Hope  is  a  flower  that  fills  the  sentient  mind 
With  sweets  of  rapturous  and  of  heavenly  kind ; 
And  those,  who  in  her  gardens  love  to  tread, 
Alone  can  tell  how  soft  the  odors  spread. 

HETHERWOLD. 

April  20th.  "  There  are,  it  may  be,"  says  Paul,  "  many  kinds 
of  voices  in  the  world,  and  none  of  them  is  without  signification.7' 
It  could  easily  be  proved  that  many  of  these  voices  are  very  rude  ; 
but  it  would  take  more  philological  acumen  than  was  possessed  by 
Home  Tooke  to  prove  that  any  of  them  are  without  "  significa 
tion."  By  the  way,  Tooke's  "  Diversions  of  Parley"  does  not 
seem  to  me  so  odd  a  title  as  it  once  appeared. 

C.  writes  to  me,  under  this  date,  "  I  pray  you  to  push  your 
philological  inquiries  as  far  as  possible  ;  and  to  them,  add  such 
views  as  you  may  be  able  to  collect  of  the  various  topics  embraced 
in  my  plan." 

There  is,  undoubtedly,  some  danger  that,  in  making  the  In 
dian  history  and  languages  a  topic  of  investigation,  the  great 
practicable  objects  of  their  reclamation  may  be  overlooked.  We 
should  be  careful,  while  cultivating  the  mere  literary  element,  not 
to  palliate  our  delinquencies  in  philanthropic  efforts  in  their  behalf, 
under  the  notion  that  nothing  can  be  effectively  done,  that  the  In 
dian  is  not  accessible  to  moral  truths,  and  that  former  efforts  hav- 

— [  j^ 

ing  failed  of  general  results,  such  as  those  of  Eliot  and  Brainerd, 
they  are  beyond  the  reach  of  ordinary  means.  I  am  inclined  to 
believe  that  the  error  lies  just  here — that  is,  in  the  belief  that  some 
extraordinary  effort  is  thought  to  be  necessary,  that  their  sons 
must  be  cooped  up  in  boarding-schools  and  colleges,  where  they  are 
taught  many  things  wholly  unsuited  to  their  condition  and  wants, 
while  the  mass  of  the  tribes  is  left  at  home,  in  the  forests,  in 
their  ignorance  and  vices,  untaught  and  neglected. 

In  the  exemplification  of  St.  Paul's  idea,  that  all  languages  are 
given  to  men,  with  an  exact  significance  of  words  and  forms,  and 
therefore  not  vaguely,  there  is  the  highest  warrant  for  their  study  ; 
and  the  time  thus  devoted  cannot  be  deemed  as  wasted  or  thrown 


190  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

away.  How  shall  a  man  say  "  raea,"  or  "  that  fox,"  if  there  be 
no  equivalents  for  the  words  in  barbarous  languages  ?  The  truth 
is  that  this  people  find  no  difficulty  in  expressing  the  exact  mean 
ings,  although  the  form  of  the  words  is  peculiar.  The  derogative 
sense  of  sly  and  cunning,  which  is,  in  the  original,  implied  by  the 
demonstrative  pronoun  "that,"  a  Chippewa  would  express  by  a  mere 
inflection  of  the  word  fox,  conveying  a  bad  or  reproachful  idea  ; 
and  the  pronoun  cannot  be  charged  with  an  ironical  meaning. 

In  ke-bau-diz-ze,  which  is  an  equivalent  for  raca,  there  is  a 
personal  pronominal  prefix,  and  an  objective  pronominal  suffix. 
The  radix,  in  baud,  has  thus  the  second  person  thou  in  ke ;  and 
the  objective  inflection,  iz-ze,  means  a  person  in  a  general  sense. 
This  reveals  two  forms  of  the  Chippewa  substantive,  which  are 
applicable  to  all  words,  and  leaves  nothing  superfluous  or  without 
"  significance."  In  fact,  the  whole  language  is  susceptible  of  the 
most  clear  and  exact  analysis.  This  language  is  one  of  the  most 
pure,  clear,  and  comprehensive  forms  of  the  Algonquin. 

May  20th.  The  Rev.  Robert  McMurtrie  Laird,  of  Princess  Anne, 
Maryland,  but  now  temporarily  at  Detroit,  writes  to  me  in  a  spirit 
of  affectionate  kindness  and  Christian  solicitude.  The  history  of 
this  pious  man's  labors  on  the  remotest  frontiers  of  Michigan  is 
probably  recorded  where  it  will  be  known  and  acknowledged,  in 
hymns  of  gladness,  when  this  feeble  and  frail  memorial  of  ink  and 
paper  has  long  perished. 

Late  in  the  autumn  of  1823,  he  came,  an  unheralded  stranger, 
to  St.  Mary's.  No  power  but  God's,  it  would  seem,  could  have 
directed  his  footsteps  there.  There  was  everything  to  render 
them  repulsive.  The  Indian  wabeno  drum,  proclaiming  the  forest 
tribes  to  be  under  the  influence  of  their  native  diviners  and  jos- 
sakeeds,  was  nightly  sending  forth  its  monotonous  sounds.  But  he 
did  not  come  to  them.  His  object  was  the  soldiery  and  settlement, 
to  whom  he  could  utter  truths  in  the  English  tongue.  He  was 
assigned  quarters  in  the  cantonment,  where  an  entire  battalion  of 
infantry  was  then  stationed.  To  all  these,  but  one  single  family, 
it  may  be  said  that  his  preaching  was  received  as  "  sounding  brass, 
or  a  tinkling  cymbal."  Certainly,  there  were  the  elements  of 
almost  everything  else  there  but  religion.  And,  while  occupying 
a  room  in  the  fort,  his  fervent  and  holy  spirit  was  often  tried 
"  By  most  unseemly  mirth  and  wassail  rife." 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  191 

He  came  to  see  me,  at  my  office  and  at  my  lodgings,  frequently 
during  the  season,  and  never  came  when  he  did  not  appear  to  me 
to  be  one  of  the  purest  and  most  devoted,  yet  gentle  and  most 
unostentatious,  of  human  beings.  It  is  hoped  his  labors  were  not 
without  some  witness  to  the  truths  which  he  so  faithfully  taught. 
But,  as  soon  as  the  straits  were  relieved  from  the  icy  fetters  of 
winter,  he  went  away,  never,  perhaps,  to  see  us  more.  He  now 
writes  to  apprise  me  of  the  spread  of  a  rumor  respecting  my  per 
sonal  interest  in  the  theme  of  his  labors,  which  had,  without  per 
mission  from  his  lips,  reached  the  ears  of  some  of  my  friends  at 
Detroit.  Blessed  sensitiveness  to  rumor,  how  few  possess  it ! 

Having  said  this  much,  I  may  add  that,  in  the  course  of  the 
winter,  my  mind  wras  arrested  by  his  mode  of  exhibiting  truth. 
The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  which  had  seemed  to  me  the  mere 
jingle  of  a  triad,  as  deduced  from  him,  appeared  to  be  a  unity, 
which  derived  all  its  coherence  and  vitality  from  a  belief  in  the 
Second  Person.  The  word  "  Lord"  became  clothed  with  a  majes 
ty  and  power  which  rendered  it  inapplicable,  in  my  views,  to  any 
human  person.  The  assiduity  that  I  had  devoted,  night  and  day, 
to  my  manuscripts,  in  the  search  after  scientific  truths,  and  the 
knowledge  arising  from  study,  did  not  appear  to  me  to  be  wrong 
in  itself,  but  was  thought  to  be  pursued  with  an  intensity  that  with 
drew  my  mind  from,  or,  rather,  had  never  allowed  it  properly  to 
contemplate  and  appreciate  the  character  of  God. 

2&d.  A  literary  friend  writes  :  "  I  am  rejoiced  to  learn  that 
you  have  made  such  progress  in  your  new  work.  I  hope  and 
trust  that  the  celerity  with  which  you  have  written  has  not  with 
drawn  your  attention  from  those  subjects  connected  with  literary 
success,  which  are  more  important  than  even  time  itself." 

"My  prospects  of  seeing  you  at  the  Sault,  this  season,"  writes 
the  same  hand,  "  grows  weaker  and  weaker  every  day.  I  cannot 
ascertain  in  what  situation  Col.  Benton's  bill  is,  for  the  pur 
chase  of  the  copper  country  upon  Lake  Superior,  nor  the  pros 
pects  of  its  eventual  passage.  Our  last  Washington  dates  are  of 
the  8th  instant,  and  at  that  time  there  was  a  vast  mass  of  business 
pending  before  both  Houses,  and  the  period  of  adjournment  was 
uncertain.  Mr.  Lowrie  and  Governor  Edwards  have  furnished 
abundant  matter  for  congressional  excitement.  It  really  appears  to 
me  that,  as  soon  as  two  or  three  hundred  men  are  associated  to- 


192  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

gether  to  talk  at,  and  about  one  another,  and  everything  else, 
their  passions  and  feelings  usurp  the  place  of  their  reason.  Like 
children,  they  are  excited  by  every  question  having  a  local  or  per 
sonal  aspect.  Their  powers  of  dispassionate  deliberation  are  lost, 
and  everything  is  forgotten  but  the  momentary  excitement." 

25th.  Commercial  View  of  Copper  Mine  Question. — M.  M.  Dox, 
Esq.,  Collector  at  Buffalo,  writes : — 

"I  have  long  had  it  in  contemplation  to  write  to  you,  not  only 
on  the  score  of  old  friendship,  but  also  to  learn  the  feasibility  of 
a  scheme  relating  to  the  copper  mines  of  Lake  Superior.  This 
subject  has  so  often  annoyed  my  meditations,  or  rather  taken  up 
so  considerable  a  proportion  of  them,  that  I  have  been  disposed, 
with  the  poet,  to  exclaim — 

'  Visions  of  (copper*)  spare  my  aching  sight/ 

"  I  have  just  met  Mr.  Griswold,  from  whom  I  learn  that  you 
made  some  inquiries  in  reference  to  the  price  of  transportation,  &c. 
I  will  answer  them  for  him.  Copper  in  pig,  or  unmanufactured, 
is  free  of  duty,  on  entry  into  the  United  States  ;  its  price  in  the 
New  York  market  is,  at  this  time  (very  low),  sixteen  cents  per 
pound.  Copper  in  sheets  for  sheeting  of  vessels  (also  free),  about 
twenty-five  cents  per  pound,  and  brazier's  copper  (paying  a  duty 
of  fifteen  per  cent,  on  its  cost  in  England),  equal  to  about  two  and 
a  half  cents  per  pound.  Until  this  year,  and  a  few  previous,  the 
article  has  uniformly  been  from  thirty  to  forty  per  cent,  higher 
than  the  prices  now  quoted,  that  is,  in  time  of_]ie ace.  In  time  of 
war  (in  Europe)  the  price  is  enhanced  ten  or  twenty  per  cent, 
above  peace  prices :  and  in  this  country,  during  the  Late  War,  the 
price  was,  at  one  time,  as  high  as  $1  50  to  $2  00  per  pound. 

"  The  history  of  England  and  this  country  does  not  furnish  a 
period  when  copper  was  as  low  as  at  the  present  time,  according 
to  its  relative  value  with  the  medium  of  exchange.  Time  and  in 
vention  have  developed  richer  mines  and  produced  greater  facili 
ties  for  obtaining  it ;  but  the  world  does  not  probably  know  a  re 
gion  from  whence  the  article  can  be  furnished  so  cheaply  as  from  the 
shores  of  Lake  Superior.  All  accounts  concur  in  representing 

*  "Glory."—  Gray. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  193 

the  metal  in  that  quarter  of  a  superior  quality,  and  furnish  strong 
indications  that  it  may  be  obtained,  in  quantities,  with  more  than 
ordinary  facility.  When  obtained,  if  on  the  navigable  waters  of 
the  lake,  the  transportation  to  the  strait  will  be  easy  and  cheap, 
and  the  smelting  not  cost  to  exceed  $20  per  ton  (for  copper),  and 
the  transportation  thence  to  New  York  one  or  one  and  a  half  cent 
per  pound  ;  one  cent  per  pound,  in  addition,  will  carry  it  to  any 
market  in  the  world. 

"  If  the  difficulties  to  be  incurred  in  obtaining  the  ore  should 
prove  to  be  no  greater  than  may  be  reasonably  anticipated,  it  is 
evident  that  it  must  be  a  very  profitable  business.  "Will  the  go 
vernment  then  have  the  mines  worked  ?  I  answer  for  them,  No. 
The  experience  had  by  Congress  in  regard  to  the  Indian  trade 
(the  Factory  System)  will,  for  many  years  at  least,  prevent  that 
body  from  making  any  appropriation  for  such  a  purpose.  The 
most  safe  and  judicious  course  for  the  government  is  to  draw 
private  enterprise  into  the  business  ;  and,  by  holding  out  proper  in 
ducements,  it  will  be  enabled,  without  a  dollar  of  extra  expense,  to 
derive,  before  many  years,  a  handsome  revenue  from  this  source." 

30th.  Trip  to  Tacquimenon  Falls,  Lake  Superior. — Accounts 
from  the  Indians  represented  the  falls  of  the  Tacquimenon  River 
of  Lake  Superior  as  presenting  picturesque  features  which  were 
eminently  worthy  of  a  visit.  Confined  to  the  house  during  the 
winter,  I  thought  an  excursion  proper.  I  determined  to  take  the 
earliest  opportunity,  when  the  ice  had  left  the  lake,  and  before 
the  turmoil  of  the  summer's  business  began,  to  execute  this  wish. 
For  this  purpose,  I  took  a  canoe,  with  a  crew  of  Chippewa  Indians, 
with  whom  I  was  well  acquainted,  and  who  were  familiar  with  the 
scene.  I  provisioned  myself  well,  and  took  along  my  office  inter 
preter.  I  found  this  arrangement  was  one  which  was  agreeable 
to  them,  and  it  put  them  perfectly  at  their  ease.  They  traveled 
along  in  the  Indian  manner,  talking  and  laughing  as  they  pleased 
with  each  other,  and  with  the  interpreter.  Nothing  could  have 
been  better  suited  to  obtain  an  insight  into  their  manners  and  opin 
ions.  One  of  their  most  common  topics  of  talk  was  the  flight  of 
birds,  particularly  the  carnivorous  species,  to  which  they  addressed 
talks  as  they  flew.  This  subject,  I  perceived,  connected  itself  with 
the  notions  of  war  and  the  enemy's  country. 
13 


194  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

On  one  occasion  after  we  had  entered  Lake  Superior,  and  were 
leisurely  paddling,  not  remote  from  the  shore,  one  of  the  Indians 
fired  at,  and  wounded  a  duck.  The  bird  could  not  rise  so  as  to  fly, 
but  swam  ashore,  and,  by  the  time  we  reached  land,  was  completely 
missing.  A  white  man  would  have  been  nonplused.  Not  so  the 
Indian.  He  saw  a  fallen  tree,  and  carefully  looked  for  an  orifice 
in  the  under  side,  and,  when  he  found  one,  thrust  in  his  hand  and 
drew  out  of  it  the  poor  wounded  bird.  Frightened  and  in  pain, 
it  appeared  to  roll  its  eyeballs  completely  round. 

By  their  conversation  and  familiar  remarks,  I  observed  that 
they  were  habitually  under  the  influence  of  their  peculiar  mytho 
logy  and  religion.  They  referred  to  classes  of  monetos,  which  are 
spirits,  in  a  manner  which  disclosed  the  belief  that  the  woods  arid 
waters  were  replete  with  their  agency.  On  the  second  day,  we 
reached  and  entered  the  Tacquimenon  River.  It  carried  a  deep 
and  strong  current  to  the  foot  of  the  first  falls,  which  they  call 
Fairy  Rocks.  This  Indian  word  denotes  a  species  of  little  men 
or  fairies,  which,  they  say,  love  to  dwell  on  rocks.  The  falls  are 
broken  into  innumerable  cascades,  which  give  them  a  peculiarly 
sylvan  air.  From  the  brink  of  these  falls  to  the  upper  falls,  a 
distance  of  about  six  miles,  the  channel  of  the  river  is  a  perfect 
torrent,  and  would  seem  to  defy  navigation.  But  before  I  was 
well  aware  of  it,  they  had  the  canoe  in  it,  with  a  single  man  with 
a  long  pole  in  the  bow  and  stern.  I  took  my  seat  between  the 
centre  bars,  and  was  in  admiration  at  the  perfect  composure  and 
sang  froid  with  which  these  two  men  managed  it — now  shooting 
across  the  stream  to  find  better  water,  and  always  putting  in  their 
poles  exactly  at  the  right  instant,  and  singing  some  Indian  can 
tata  all  the  while.  The  upper  falls  at  length  burst  on  our  view, 
on  rounding  a  point.  The  river  has  a  complete  drop,  of  some 
forty  feet,  over  a  formation  of  sandstone.  The  water  forms  a 
complete  curtain.  There  is  nothing  to  break  the  sheet,  or  inter 
cept  it,  till  it  reaches  the  deep  water  below.  They  said  there  was 
some  danger  of  the  canoe's  being  drawn  under  the  sheet,  by  a 
kind  of  suction.  This  stream  in  fact,  geologically  considered, 
crosses  through,  and  falls  over,  the  high  ridge  of  sandstone  rock 
which  stretches  from  Point  Iroquois  to  the  Pictured  Rocks.  I  took 
sketches  of  both  the  upper  and  lower  falls. 

Being  connected  by  marriage  with  an  educated  and  intelligent 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  195 

lady,  who  is  descended,  by  her  mother's  side,  from  the  former  ruler 
of  the  Chippewa  nation — a  man  of  renown — I  was  received,  on 
this  trip,  with  a  degree  of  confidence  and  cordiality  by  the  Indians, 
which  I  had  not  expected.  I  threw  myself,  naked  handed,  into 
their  midst,  and  was  received  with  a  noble  spirit  of  hospitality  and 
welcome.  And  the  incidents  of  this  trip  revealed  to  me  some  of 
the  most  interesting  scenes  of  Indian  domestic  life. 


196  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Oral  tales  and  legends  of  the  Chippewas— First  assemblage  of  a  legislative  conn- 
cil  at  Michigan — Mineralogy  and  geology — 'Disasters  of  the  War  of  1812 — • 
Character  of  the  new  legislature — Laconic  note — Narrative  of  a  war  party, 
and  the  disastrous  murders  committed  at  Lake  Pepin  in  July  1824—  Speech 
of  a  friendly  Indian  chief  from  Lake  Superior  on  the  subject — -Notices  of 
mineralogy  and  geology  in  the  west— Ohio  and  Erie  Canal — Morals- 
Lafayette's  progress— Hooking  minerals — A  philosophical  work  on  the  In 
dians — Indian  biography  by  Samuel  L.  Conant — Want  of  books  on  Ameri 
can  archaeology— Douglass's  proposed  work  on  the  expedition  of  1820. 

1824.  May  SOth.  Having  found,  in  the  circle  of  the  Chippewa 
wigwams,  a  species  of  oral  fictitious  lore,  I  sent  some  specimens  of 
it  to  friends  in  the  lower  country,  where  the  subject  excited  interest, 
"lam  anxious,"  writes  a  distinguished  person,  under  this  date, 
"  that  you  should  bring  with  you,  when  you  come  down,  your  collec 
tion  of  Indian  tales.  I  should  be  happy  to  see  them."*  That 
the  Indians  should  possess  this  mental  trait  of  indulging  in  lodge 
stories,  impressed  me  as  a  novel  characteristic,  which  nothing  I 
had  ever  heard  of  the  race  had  prepared  me  for,  I  had  always 
heard  the  Indian  spoken  of  as  a  revengeful,  bloodthirsty  man,  who 
was  steeled  to  endurance  and  delighted  in  deeds  of  cruelty.  To  find 
him  a  man  capable  of  feelings  and  affections,  with  a  heart  open  to 
the  wants,  and  responsive  to  the  ties  of  social  life,  was  amazing.  But 
the  surprise  reached  its  acme,  when  I  found  him  whiling  away  a 
part  of  the  tedium  of  his  long  winter  evenings  in  relating  tales 
and  legends  for  the  amusement  of  the  lodge  circle.  These  fictions 
were  sometimes  employed,  I  observed,  to  convey  instruction,  or 
impress  examples  of  courage,  daring,  or  right  action.  But  they 

*  This  counsel  I  pursued  in  the  autumn  of  that  year,  and  published  speci 
mens  of  the  legends  in  the  winter  of  1825,  in  "Travels  in  the  Central  Portions 
of  the  Mississippi  Valley,"  and  in  1839  submitted  to  the  public  two  duodecimo 
volumes,  under  the  title  of  "  Algic  Researches,  Part  I." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  197 

were,  at  all  times,  replete  with  the  wild  forest  notions  of  spiritual 
agencies,  necromancy,  and  demonology.  They  revealed  abundantly 
the  causes  of  his  hopes  and  fears — his  notions  of  a  Deity,  and  his 
belief  in  a  future  state. 

June  ~L8th.  Michigan  is  gradually  assuming  steps  which  are  a 
part  of  that  train  which  will  in  time  develop  her  resources  and 
importance.  She  has  lately  taken  measures  to  enter  what  is 
called  the  second  grade  of  government.  General  Charles  Lamed, 
of  Detroit,  writes  me  that  the  first  session  of  the  first  territorial 
legislature  is  now  convened,  and  that  the  members  acquit  them 
selves  with  credit. 

22d.  The  mineralogy  and  geology  of  the  region  furnish 
topics  of  interest,  which  help  to  fill  up  pauses  in  the  intervals  of 
business.  By  making  my  office  a  focus  for  collecting  whatever  is 
new  in  the  unexplored  regions,  excitement  is  kept  alive,  and 
knowledge  in  the  end  promoted.  Lewis  Saurin  Johnston,  of  Drum- 
mond  Island,  sends  me  a  box  of  specimens  from  that  locality.  This 
gentleman,  who  occupies  a  situation  in  the  British  Indian  depart 
ment,  is  a  grandson  of  the  late  Waubojeeg,  a  celebrated  orator  and 
warrior  formerly  of  La  Pointe,  in  Lake  Superior. 

On  the  26th,  Mr.  Giles  Sanford,  of  Erie  in  Pennsylvania,  con 
tributes  a  collection  of  the  minerals  of  that  vicinity. 

July  Wth.  The  War  of  1812  proved  disastrous  to  some  individ 
uals  on  this  frontier.  After  a  delay  of  ten  years,  the  British 
government  has  announced  its  intention  to  indemnify  those  of  its 
subjects  who  lost  property.  Mr.  Johnston,  who  suffered  heavily, 
determined  to  visit  Toronto  with  the  view  of  laying  his  case  before 
Lieutenant-Governor  Maitland.  He  writes,  on  his  way  down,  during 
a  delay  at  Drummond  Island,  in  his  usual  hopeful,  warm-hearted 
strain — full  of  love  to  those  left  behind,  and  free  forgiveness  to  all 
who  have  injured  him.  With  the  highest  purposes  of  honor,  and 
the  soul  of  hospitality  and  social  kindness,  surely  such  a  man 
deserves  to  succeed. 

12th.  Dr.  J.  J.  Bigsby,  of  England,  writes  a  letter  intro 
ducing  Lieutenant  Bolton  of  the  British  engineers,  a  zealous 
naturalist,  and  Major  Mercer  of  the  artillery — both  being  on  an 
official  tour  of  inspection. 

18th.  Judge  J.  D.  Doty  announces  himself  at  Michilimack- 
inack,  on  his  return  from  Detroit  to  Green  Bay.  He  says  that 


198  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  members  of  the  legislative  council  are  disposed  to  be  rather 
menders  of  old  laws  than  makers  of  new  ones,  and  that  they  are 
guided  by  the  spirit  of  prudence. 

21st.  John  Tanner,  the  returned  captive,  dictates  from 
Mackinac  this  laconic  appeal  for  employment :  "All  my  property 
is  now  made  away  with,  so  that  I  have  nothing  left  but  one  old 
blanket.  I  am  in  such  a  situation  that  I  am  unable  to  go  any 
where — have  no  money,  no  clothes,  and  nothing  to  eat." 

Aug.  19th.  Mr.  George  Johnston  writes  from  the  sub-agency  of 
La  Pointe,  Lake  Superior,  that  a  rumor  prevails  of  a  murder 
lately  committed  by  a  Chippewa  war  party,  on  American  citizens, 
on  the  upper  Mississippi. 

Blst.  Mr.  John  Holiday,  a  trader,  arrived  from  the  Ance 
Kewy-winenon  in  Lake  Superior,  bringing  a  small  coffin  painted 
black,  inclosing  an  American  scalp,  with  the  astounding  intelli 
gence  that  a  shocking  murder  had  been  committed  by  a  war  party 
of  Chippewas  at  Lake  Pepin,  on  the  Mississippi.  The  facts  turned 
out  to  be  these  :  In  the  spring  of  the  year  (1824),  Kewaynokwut 
(Returning  Cloud),  a  chief  of  Lake  Vieux  Desert,  at  the  source  of 
the  Wisconsin,  suffered  a  severe  fit  of  sickness,  and  made  a  vow,  if 
he  recovered,  to  collect  a  war  party  and  lead  it  against  the  Sioux, 
which  he  did  early  in  the  summer.  He  passed  the  trading-post  of 
Lac  du  Flambeau,  with  twenty-nine  men  in  canoes  on  the  1st  of 
July.  He  pursued  down  the  Waswagon  branch  into  the  main 
Chippewa  River,  after  a  cautious  journey,  and  came  to  its  mouth  early 
in  July,  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  when  a  fog  prevailed.  This 
river  enters  the  Mississippi  at  the  foot  of  the  expanse  called  Lake 
Pepin,  which  is  a  common  place  for  encampment.  It  is  the  usual  point 
of  issue  for  Chippewa  war  parties  against  the  Sioux,  for  which  it 
has  been  celebrated  since  the  first  migration  of  the  Chippewas  into 
the  rice  lake  region  at  its  sources.  From  the  usual  look-out, 
called  Mount  Le  Gard,  they  discovered  imperfectly  an  encamp 
ment  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Pepin.  On  coming  to  it,  it  proved  to 
be  an  American,  a  trader  of  the  name  of  Finley,  with  three  Cana 
dians,  on  his  way  from  Prairie  du  Chien  to  St.  Peter's.  One  of 
the  men  spoke  Chippewa.  They  were  asleep  when  the  advance  of 
the  Indian  party  arrived.  When  they  awoke  they  saw  the  Indians 
with  terror  and  surprise.  The  Indians  cried  out  to  their  comrades 
in  the  rear  that  they  were  not  Sioux,  that  they  were  white  people. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS*  199 

The  party  then  all  came  up.  The  war  chief  Kewaynokwut  said, 
"  Do  not  be  afraid.  This  party  you  see  are  my  young  men;  and 
I  command  them.  They  will  not  do  you  any  harm,  nor  hurt  you." 
Some  of  the  party  soon  began  to  pillage.  They  appeared  to  be 
half  famished,  first  taking  their  provisions,  which  consisted  of  half 
a  bag  of  flour,  half  a  bag  of  corn,  a  few  biscuits,  and  half  a  hog. 
The  biscuits  they  immediately  eat,  and  then  began  to  rob  the  cloth 
ing,  which  they  parted  among  themselves. 

The  Indians  diligently  inquired  where  the  Sioux  abroad  on  the 
river  were,  what  number  they  might  be,  where  they  came  from, 
and  whither  they  were  going?  to  all  which  judicious  replies 
appear  to  have  been  made,  but  one,  namely,  that  they  consisted  of 
thirty,  on  their  way  from  St.  Peter's  to  Prairie  du  Chien.  Being 
but  twenty-nine  men,  the  rencontre  appeared  to  them  to  be  un 
equal,  and,  in  fact,  alarmed  them.  They  immediately  prepared 
to  return,  filing  off  one  after  another,  in  order  to  embark  in  their 
canoes,  which  were  lying  at  a  short  distance.  Before  this  move 
ment,  Kakabika  had  taken  his  gun  to  fire  at  the  whites,  but  was 
prevented  by  the  others.  But  they  went  off  disappointed,  and 
grumblmgly.  This  was  the  case  particularly  with  Kakabika, 
Okwagin,  "Whitehead,  Wamitegosh,  and  Sagito,  who  began  crying 
they  wanted  to  kill  the  whites.  Sagito  then  said  that  it  was  a  very 
hard  thing  that  they  should  return  light — that  when  one  went  out 
a  hunting,  he  did  not  like  to  return  without  killing  something. 
"What,"  he  said,  "  did  we  come  here  for?  Was  it  not  to  kill?" 
At  this  Kewaynokwut  wavered,  who  had  promised  safety,  and  did 
not  interpose  his  authority  to  check  the  brooding  evil,  although  he 
took  no  part  in  it.  Whitehead,  Okwaykun,  and  Wamitegosh,  who 
were  in  the  rear  of  the  party,  leveled  their  arms  and  fired,  kill 
ing  on  the  spot  the  three  men,  who  were  immediately  scalped. 
The  wildest  fury  was  instantly  excited. 

Finley,  in  the  mean  time,  had  gone  to  the  Indian  canoes  to  re 
cover  his  papers,  saying  they  were  of  no  use  to  them,  and  of  im 
portance  to  him.  Hearing  the  report  of  guns  behind  him,  he 
perceived  that  his  companions  were  killed,  and  took  to  flight.  He 
threw  himself  into  the  water.  Annamikees,  or  the  Little  Thunder, 
then  fired  at  him  and  missed.  He  quickly  reloaded  his  gun,  and 
fired  again,  effectively.  Finley  was  mortally  shot.  The  Indian 
then  threw  himself  into  the  water,  and  cut  off  the  unfortunate  man's 


200  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

head,  for  the  purpose  of  scalping  it,  leaving  the  body  in  the  water. 
The  party  then  quickly  returned  back  into  the  region  whence  they 
had  sallied,  and  danced  the  scalps  in  their  villages  as  Indian 
scalps. 

Mr.  Holliday  was  also  the  bearer  of  a  speech  from  Gitshe  lauba, 
the  ruling  chief  of  Ance  Kewywenon,  through  whose  influence 
this  occurrence  was  brought  to  light.  He  first  addressed  his 
trader  in  the  following  words : — 

"We  were  deceived.  Word  was  sent  to  us  to  come  and  fetch 
the  scalp  of  a  Sioux  Indian  of  our  enemy.  This  was  my  reason 
for  sending  for  it.  But,  ah  me  !  when  they  brought  word  that  it 
was  the  scalp  of  an  American,  I  sent  for  the  young  man  whom 
you  left  in  charge  of  your  house  and  store,  and  asked  him  what 
should  be  done  with  the  scalp  of  our  friend.  It  was  concluded  to 
have  it  buried  in  the  burying-ground." 

He  then  addressed  the  United  States  agent  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
in  the  following  words,  accompanying  them  with  a  string  of  wam 
pum: — 

"  Our  father.  This  wampum  was  given  to  me  that  I  might  re 
main  in  peace.  I  shook  hands  with  you  when  I  left  St.  Mary's. 
My  heart  was  in  friendship.  I  have  taken  no  rest  since  I  heard 
of  the  foul  deed  of  our  friends,  the  people  of  Vieux  Desert,  and 
Torch  Lake,  in  killing  a  citizen  of  the  American  Government,  the 
government  that  protects  me. 

"Now,  Americans,  my  situation  is  to  be  pitied.  My  wish  is, 
that  we  should  live  in  friendship  together.  Since  I  shook  hands 
with  you,  nothing  on  my  part  shall  be  wanting  to  keep  us  so." 

I  immediately  forwarded  the  little  scalp-coffin  received  from  the 
interior,  with  a  report  of  this  high-handed  outrage  to  the  Executive 
of  the  Territory  and  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  at  Detroit, 
that  the  occurrence  might  be  reported  promptly  to  the  War  Office 
at  Washington. 

November  27th.  I  determined  to  spend  the  winter  in  New  York  ; 
to  place  the  agency,  in  the  interim,  in  charge  of  an  officer  of 
the  garrison,  and  to  visit  Washington  from  this  city  during  the 
season.  Captain  N.  S.  Clarke,  2d  Infantry,  consented  to  per 
form  the  duties  of  the  agency  during  my  absence.  And  having 
obtained  leave  of  absence  from  my  superior  in  the  department,  I 
embarked,  in  September,  on  board  a  schooner  for  Detroit,  with 
Mrs.  Schoolcraft,  her  infant  son  William  Henry,  my  sister-in-law. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  201 

Miss  Anna  Maria  Johnston,  and  a  servant,  making  a  little  group 
of  five.  We  touched  at  Michilimackinack. 

We  were  kindly  received  at  Detroit  by  General  and  Mrs.  Cass, 
who  had  invited  us  to  be  their  guests,  and  pursued  our  way,  without 
accident,  to  New  York,  where  we  arrived  the  day  prior  to  the  an 
nual  celebration  of  the  Evacuation.  New  scenes  and  new  situations 
here  rapidly  developed  themselves.  But  before  these  are  named, 
some  letters  that  followed  me  from  the  Lake  may  be  noticed. 

B.  F.  Stickney,  Esq.,  writes  (October  15th)  from  the  foot  of  the 
Miami  of  the  Lakes  (now  Toledo)  :  "  Recently  I  have  had  brought 
to  me  a  specimen  of  manganese,  the  bed  of  which  is  located  about 
nine  miles  south-west  of  this.  The  quantity  is  represented  to  be 
very  extensive. 

"  I  find  that  strontian  is  much  more  extensively  interspersed 
through  the  rock  formations  of  this  region  than  I  had  heretofore 
conceived.  At  the  foot  of  the  rapids  of  this  river,  there  are  exten 
sive  strata  of  carbonate  of  lime,  sufficiently  charged  with  magnesia 
to  destroy  all  vegetation,  when  converted  to  the  state  of  quicklime  ; 
although  Dr.  Mitchell,  in  his  "  Notes  to  Phillips'  Mineralogy," 
denies  to  magnesian  carbonate  of  lime  this  quality.  But  I  have 
tested  it  fully.  I  rather  think  the  doctor's  mistake  must  have  arisen 
from  a  supposition  that  Mr.  Phillips  intended  to  say  that  the  mag 
nesia,  when  in  combination  with  carbonate  of  lime,  and  in  sitd,  was 
destructive  to  vegetation. 

Ohio  and  Erie  Canal. — "  A  commissioner  of  the  State  of  Ohio, 
with  engineers,  is  taking  levels,  examining  water-courses,  and 
making  estimates  of  cost,  to  ascertain  the  practicability  of  making 
a  canal  from  Cincinnati  up  the  valley  of  the  Big  Miami,  and  Loro- 
mier's  creek,  across  the  summit  level,  to  the  Auglaize  and  Miami 
of  Lake  Erie,  to  the  level  of  the  lake  water.  These  surveys  will 
give  us  much  assistance  in  judging  of  the  geological  formations 
between  the  Lake  and  the  Mississippi." 

Geology. — "  As  an  outline  sketch,  I  should  say  that,  from  the 
rock  basin  of  the  Erie-sea  to  the  Ohio  River,  by  the  way  of  Fort 
Wayne,  there  is  a  ridge,  of  about  200  feet  elevation,  of  rock  for 
mation,  all  new  floetz,  with  a  covering  of  from  ten  to  seventy  feet 
of  pulverulent  earth.  At  the  summit  this  layer  is  twenty  feet. 


202  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

That  the  Miami  and  Wabash  have  cut  their  courses  clown  to  the 
rock,  with  only  here  and  there  a  little  sand  and  gravel  upon  its 
surface.  As  far  as  conjecture  will  go,  for  the  levels  of  the  strata 
on  the  Wabash  and  Miami,  the  same  mineralogical  characters  are 
to  be  found  in  the  strata,  at  the  same  elevation.  This  would 
be  an  important  fact  to  be  ascertained,  by  the  levels  accurately 
taken." 

"  I  am  pleased  that  you  have  not  abated  your  usual  industry  in 
the  pursuit  of  knowledge  in  the  science  of  geology  and  mineralogy, 
first  in  magnitude  and  first  in  the  order  of  nature." 

Morals  of  G-reen  Bay. — J.  D.  Doty,  Esq.,  Judge  of  the  Dis 
trict,  reports  (Oct.  15th)  that  the  Grand  Jury  for  Brown  County, 
at  the  late  special  session  of  court,  presented  forty  indictments  ! 
Most  of  these  appear  to  have  been  petty  affairs ;  but  they  denote 
a  lax  state  of  society. 

John  Johnston,  Esq.,  writes  (Oct.  30th) :  "  Since  the  arrival  of 
the  mail,  I  have  been  the  constant  companion  in  thought  of  the 
great  and  good  Lafayette,  throughout  his  tour,  or  rather  splendid 
procession  as  far  as  the  account  has  reached  us,  and  for  which 
history  has  no  parallel.  Oh  !  how  poor,  how  base,  the  adulation 
given  by  interested  sycophants  to  kings-  and  despots,  compared  to 
the  warm  affections  of  the  grateful  heart,  and  spontaneous  bursts 
of  admiration  and  affection  from  a  great,  free,  and  happy  people.'' 

Hooking  Minerals. — L.  Bull,  now  of  Philadelphia,  writes  re 
specting  the  position  of  several  boxes  of  minerals  left  in  the  Ly 
ceum  of  Natural  History,  of  New  York,  in  1822,  which  have  been 
sadly  depredated  on. 

Plan  of  a  Philosophical  Work  on  the  Indians. — General  C. 
announces  to  me  (Dec.  5th)  that  he  has  settled  on  a  plan  for 
bringing  forward  the  results  of  his  researches  on  the  subject  of 
the  Indian  tribes.  The  details  of  this  appear  to  be  well  selected 
and  arranged,  and  the  experiment  on  the  popular  taste  of  readers, 
for  as  such  the  work  is  designed,  cannot  but  be  hailed  by  every 
one  who  has  thought  upon  the  subject.  Few  men  have  seen 
more  of  the  Indians  in  peace  and  war.  Nobody  has  made  the 
original  collections  which  he  has,  and  I  know  of  no  man  possessing 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  203 

the  capacity  of  throwing  around  them  so  much  literary  attraction. 
It  is  only  to  be  hoped  that  his  courage  will  not  fail  him  when  he 
comes  to  the  sticking  point.  It  requires  more  courage  on  some 
minds  to  write  a  book  than  to  face  a  cannon. 

l±th.  Major  Joseph  Delafield,  of  New  York,  commends  to 
my  acquaintance  Samuel  S.  Conant,  Esq.,  of  the  city;  a  gentle 
man  of  a  high  moral  character  and  literary  tone,  an  occasional 
writer  for  the  "American"  newspaper,  who  proposes  to  compile  a 
work  on  Indian  eloquence.  Charles  King,  Esq.,  the  editor  of  the 
paper,  transmits  a  note  to  the  major,  which  is  enclosed,  speaking 
of  Mr.  Conant  as  "  a  man  of  merit  and  talents,  who  in  his  design 
is  seeking  to  save  a  noble  but  persecuted  race." 

19th.  General  Cass  writes  further  of  his  literary  plans:  "If  I 
am  favorably  situated,  in  some  respects,  to  procure  information,  as 
a  drawback  upon  this,  I  feel  many  disadvantages.  I  have  no 
books  to  refer  to  but  what  I  can  purchase,  and  independently  of 
the  means  which  any  one  person  can  apply  to  this  object,  those 
books  which  can  alone  be  useful  to  me  are  so  rare  that  nothing 
but  accident  can  enable  a  person  to  purchase  them." 

Lake  Superior  Copper  Mines. — "  I  have  written  to  Colonel 
Benton  fully  on  the  subject  of  the  copper  country,  and  I  have 
referred  him  to  you  for  further  information." 

25th.  Expedition  of  1820.— Professor  D.  B.  Douglass,  of  West 
Point,  returns  a  portfolio  of  sketches  and  drawings  of  scenery, 
made  by  me  on  the  expedition  to  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  in 
1820,  with  several  of  which  he  has  illustrated  the  borders  of  his  map 
of  that  expedition.  "  Have  you,"  he  says,  "  seen  Long's  Second 
Expedition  ?  We  have  only  one  copy  on  the  Point,  and  I  have 
only  had  time  to  look  at  the  map.  It  makes  me  more  than  ever 
desirous  to  consummate  my  original  views  of  publishing  relative 
to  that  country.  I  have  never  lost  sight  of  this  matter ;  and,  if 
my  professional  engagements  continue  to  engross  as  much  of  my 
time  as  they  have  done,  I  will  send  my  map  to  Tanner,  and  let 
him  publish  it,  hap-hazard." 


204  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

Parallelism  of  dustoms — Home  scenes — Visit  to  Washington — Indian  work 
respecting  the  Western  Tribes — Indian  biography — Professor  Carter — 
Professor  Silliman — Spiteful  prosecution  — Publication  of  Travels  in  the 
Mississippi  Valley — A  northern  Pocahontas — Return  to  the  Lakes — A  new 
enterprise  suggested — Impressions  of  turkeys'  feet  in  rock — Surrender  of 
the  Chippewa  war  party,  who  committed  the  murders  in  1824,  at  Lake 
Pepin — Their  examination,  and  the  commitment  of  the  actual  murderers. 

1825.  January  ~Lst.  New  Year's  day  here,  as  among  the  metif, 
and  also  the  pure  descendants  of  the  ancient  French  of  Normandy 
in  Michigan,  is  a  day  of  friendly  visiting  from  house  to  house,  and 
cordial  congratulations,  with  refreshments  spread  on  the  board  for 
all.  As  this  was  also  the  custom  of  the  ancient  Hollanders,  who,  from 
the  Texel  and  Scheldt,  landed  here  in  1609,  it  affords  a  species 
of  proof  of  the  wide-spread  influence  of  the  customs  of  the  Middle 
Ages  in  Western  Europe,  which  is  remarkable.  And  it  would  form 
an  interesting  topic  of  historical  inquiry. 

4th.  Home  and  its  scenes.  The  sympathy  kept  up  by  do 
mestic  letters  when  absent  from  home  is  one  of  the  purest  sup 
ports  of  the  heart  and  mind.  Mr.  John  Johnston,  of  St.  Mary's, 
writes  me  one  of  his  warm-hearted  letters  of  friendship,  which 
breathes  the  ardor  of  his  mind,  and  shows  a  degree  of  sympathy 
that  is  refreshing,  and  such  as  must  ever  be  a  great  encouragement 
in  every  noble  pursuit.  The  how-d'ye-do,  every-day  visitor  is  satis 
fied  with  his  "  how  d'ye  do ;"  but  there  is  a  friend  that  "  sticketh 
closer  than  a  brother." 

10th.  My  position  at  St.  Mary's,  and  the  prominent  part  I  occu 
pied  in  the  collision  of  authority  between  the  military  and  the  citi 
zens,  on  some  points,  and  between  the  former  and  the  Indian  depart 
ment,  was  anything  but  agreeable,  and  would  have  been  intolerable 
to  any  one,  having  less  resources  than  I  had,  in  an  absorbing  study, 
which  every  day  and  every  evening  turned  up  some  new  and  fresh 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  205 

point  of  interest.  I  had  therefore  sources  of  enjoyment  which  were  a 
constant  support,  and  this  was  particularly  the  case,  after  the  scenes 
which  were  opened  up  in  the  winter  of  1824  by  my  intercourse  with 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Laird.  But  I  resolved  early  in  the  summer  to  spend 
the  winter  in  New  York,  and  to  visit  Washington,  to  place  some  of 
the  official  transactions  to  which  I  have  referred,  in  their  proper 
lights.  This  day  I  therefore  left  the  city,  to  visit  the  Capitol.  Dur 
ing  the  expected  absence,  Mrs.  Schoolcraft,  with  her  child,  little 
sister,  and  nurse,  had  accepted  an  invitation  to  spend  the  time  with 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  S.  Conant,  who  had  a  pleasant  residence  on 
the  Bloomingdale  road,  some  two  or  three  miles  from  the  Park.  My 
visit  was  altogether  agreeable.  So  far  as  the  subjects  at  issue  on 
the  frontier  were  not  of  local  jurisdiction,  in  which  I  was  fully  and 
promptly  sustained  by  the  Executive,  I  was  met  by  Mr.  Calhoun 
in  his  usual  frank,  explicit,  and  friendly  manner.  I  was  authorized 
to  erect  buildings  for  the  agency,  and  to  define  the  Indian  reserva 
tion  under  the  treaty,  and  counseled  to  go  forward  in  a  firm,  cau 
tious,  and  conciliatory  policy  in  establishing  the  intercourses  with 
the  bands  of  the  agency,  and  to  take  every  proper  measure  to 
see  that  the  intercourse  laws  were  faithfully  executed,  and  a  good 
understanding  cultivated  with  the  tribes.  And  I  returned  to  New 
York  early  in  February,  with  "  flying  colors,"  as  a  friend  wrote. 

During  my  absence,  some  letters,  disclosing  matters  of  literary 
interest,  were  received.  ^General  C.  writes  (January  20th) : — 

"  In  investigating  the  subject  before  me,  agreeably  to  the 
views  I  have  communicated  to  you,  it  appears  to  me  that  Pur- 
chas's  Pilgrimage,  and  Hackluyt's  collection  are  indispensable 
to  my  progress.  They  contain  translations  or  abstracts  of  all 
the  earlier  voyages  and  travels  to  this  country.''  "In  consider 
ing  the  various  points  which  are  involved  in  the  subject  I  have 
undertaken,  a  thousand  doubtful  facts  present  themselves,  which 
require  time,  labor,  and  opportunities  to  solve.  For  instance,  I 
strongly  suspect  that  the  Eries,  who  are  said  to  have  been  destroyed 
by  the  Iroquois,  were  the  Shawnese,  who  were  driven  from  their 
ancient  seat  upon  Lake  Erie  to  the  south-west."  "  Yolney  men 
tions  two  works  upon  the  Indians.  One  is  Umphraville,  and  the 
other  Oldmixon." 

On  the  7th  of  February,  he  encloses  an  extensive  list  of  books, 
which  he  wishes  to  procure,  to  aid  him  in  his  contemplated  exami- 


206  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

nations  of  aboriginal  subjects,  with  discriminating  remarks  on 
their  character.  In  calling  my  attention  to  a  close  examination  of 
them  in  the  various  book-stores  and  libraries  of  the  Atlantic  cities, 
where  they  may  be  found,  he  imposes  no  light  nor  important  labor. 
"  You  know  my  general  object  is  confined  to  the  Indians  of  this 
quarter  (the  west).  Their  particular  history,  however,  will  be 
preceded  by  a  review  of  the  condition  of  the  Indians  in  this 
part  of  America,  at  the  time  it  became  known  to  Europeans.  I 
have  myself  little  doubt  but  that  they  were  then  pretty  much  as 
they  are  now. 

"  There  is,  however,  one  historical  event,  the  narrator  of  which 
represents  the  Indians  to  have  been  in  an  entirely  different  condi 
tion  from  what  they  are  now,  or  have  been  since.  This  is  the 
account  of  Ferdinand  de  Soto's  expedition  to  Florida.  There  are 
two  historians  of  this  expedition.  One  is  Garcilasso  de  la  Vega, 
and  the  other  is  an  anonymous  gentleman  of  Elvas.  I  believe 
both  are  found  in  Purchas  or  Hackluyt.  I  believe  the  narra 
tive  is  almost  entirely  fabulous.  One  mode  of  ascertaining  this 
is  by  an  examination  of  the  earlier  accounts  of  the  Indians.  If 
they  agree  with  De  Soto's  history,  the  latter  may  be  correct.  If 
not,  they  must  be  unworthy  of  credit,  more  particularly  in  the 
amount  of  the  Indian  population,  which  was  certainly  greatly 
misrepresented  by  the  Spanish  historians,  and  which  has  been 
always  overrated. 

"If  any  of  the  above  works  touch  upon  these  subjects,  they 
may  be  useful  to  me ;  if  not,  I  do  not  wish  them.  Can  you  find 
any  of  the  other  Spanish  writers  describing  or  alluding  to  this 
expedition? 

"  Is  there  any  account  of  the  expedition  of  Pamphilo  Narvaez 
into  Florida  in  1528?" 

"  Should  I  go  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  would  you  not  like  the  trip? 
I  see  many  reasons  to  induce  you  to  take  such  a  measure.  If  you 
come  on,  as  I  hope  you  will,  by  the  first  boat,  we  can  make  all  the 
necessary  arrangements;  for,  if  I  go,  I  shall  go  early,  certainly  in 
May.  Unless  I  am  greatly  deceived,  you  would  make  something 
interesting  out  of  the  proposed  treaty." 

Samuel  S.  Conant,  Esq.,  informs  me  (January  21st)  that  he  is 
making  progress  in  his  contemplated  work  on  Indian  biography. 

"I  shall  read, "he  says,  "everything  which  speaks  of  Indians, 
and  my  enthusiasm  may  take  the  place  of  ability,  and  enable  me 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  207 

to  present  not  only  honorable  testimonials  of  Indian  genius  and 
valor,  but  some  defence  of  their  character,  and  an  exposition  of 
the  slanders  and  vulgar  errors  which,  through  blind  traditions,  have 
obtained  the  authority  of  truth." 

"  It  would  have  pleased  me,"  says  he  (Feb.  16th),  "to  have  pre 
sented  Mr.  Theodore  D  wight,  Jr.,  to  you  in  person.  But  this 
introductory  note,  will  do  as  well.  He  is  one  of  those  who  feel  an 
interest,  disinterested  and  benevolent,  in  the  fate  of  the  remnants 
of  the  Indian  tribes,  and  wishes  some  conversation  with  you  rela 
tive  to  their  feelings  on  the  subject  of  their  removal  west  of  the 
Mississippi." 

March  18th.  Mr.  Nathaniel  II.  Carter,  editor  of  the  Statesman, 
announces  his  recovery  from  a  dangerous  illness,  and  wishes,  in 
his  usual  spirit  of  friendship,  to  express  the  pleasure  it  will  afford 
him  to  aid  me  in  any  literary  labor  I  may  have  in  hand. 

20th.  The  plan  of  a  magazine  devoted  to  Indian  subjects, 
which  has  been  discussed  between  Mr.  Conant,  Mr.  Dwight,  and 
myself,  is  now  definitely  arranged  with  Messrs.  Wilder  and  Camp 
bell,  publishers. 

28th.  Professor  Silliman  renews  his  friendly  correspondence, 
and  tenders  me  the  use  of  the  pages  of  his  journal,  as  the  medium 
of  communicating  observations  to  the  public. 

April  8th.  I  am  officially  called  on,  by  the  authority  of  General 
Gaines,  as  a  witness  in  the  case  of  Lieutenant  Walter  Bicker, 
U.  S.  A.,  who  is  summoned  to  a  court  martial  in  Fort  Brady. 
This  is  the  gentleman  whose  family  is  referred  to  in  a  previous 
part  of  my  journal  in  the  autumn  of  1822,  on  the  occasion  of 
the  gentle  Mr.  Laird's  missionary  visit  to  St.  Mary's;  and  his 
high  moral  character  and  correct  deportment  render  it  a  subject 
of  mystery  to  me  what  cause  of  complaint  his  brother  officers 
could  conjure  up  against  him. 

14:th.  The  superintendence  of  the  press  in  the  printing  of 
my  "  Travels  in  the  Central  Portions  of  the  Mississippi  Valley," 
has  constituted  a  groundwork  to  my  amusements  during  the  winter. 
The  work  is  this  day  published  by  Collins  and  Hannay.  I  imme 
diately  prepared  to  return  to  the  lakes.  About  five  months  had 
passed  away,  almost  imperceptibly.  We  had  held  a  most  gratify 
ing  intercourse  with  a  highly  moral  and  refined  portion  of  society. 
The  city  had  been  seen  in  its  various  phases  of  amusement  and 


208  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

instruction.  A  large  part  of  the  interest  to  others  and  attention 
excited  arose  manifestly  from  the  presence  of  a  person  of  Indian 
descent,  and  of  refined  manners  and  education,  in  the  person  of  Mrs. 
Schoolcraft,  with  an  infant  son  of  more  than  ordinary  beauty  of 
lineament  and  mental  promise.  There  was  something  like  a  sensa 
tion  in  every  circle,  and  often  persons,  whose  curiosity  was  superior 
to  their  moral  capacity  of  appreciation,  looked  intensely  to  see  the 
northern  Pocahontas.  Her  education  had  been  finished  abroad. 
She  wrote  a  most  exquisite  hand,  and  composed  with  ability, 
and  grammatical  skill  and  taste.  Her  voice  was  soft,  and  her  ex 
pression  clear  and  pure,  as  her  father,  who  was  from  one  of  the 
highest  and  proudest  circles  of  Irish  society,  had  been  particularly 
attentive  to  her  orthography  and  pronunciation  and  selection  of 
words  of  the  best  usage  abroad. 

20t7i.  This  day  we  left  the  mansion  of  our  kind  hostess, 
Mrs.  Mann,  on  lower  Broadway,  and  ascended  the  Hudson  by 
daylight,  in  order  to  view  its  attractive  scenery. 

We  discussed  the  etymology  of  some  of  the  ancient  Indian 
names  along  the  river,  which  we  found  to  be  in  the  Manhattan 
or  Mohegan  dialects  of  the  Algonquin,  and  which  appeared  so 
nearly  identical  in  the  grammatical  principles  and  sounds  with 
the  Chippewa,  as  to  permit  Mrs.  S.  in  many  cases  to  recover  the 
exact  meanings.  Thus,  Coxackie  is  founded  on  an  Indian  term 
which  means  Falling-in  bank,  or  cut  bank. 

We  stopped  a  week  or  two  in  Western  New  York  at  my  brother- 
in-law's,  in  Vernon,  Oneida  County.  I  took  along  to  the  West, 
which  had  been  favorable  to  me,  my  youngest  brother  James,  and 
my  sister  Maria  Eliza.  We  pursued  our  route  through  Western 
New  York  and  Buffalo,  and  reached  Detroit  on  the  6th  of  May. 

I  here  found  a  letter  from  Dr.  J.  V.  Hensselaer,  of  New  York, 
written  two  days  after  leaving  the  city,  saying:  "I  have  this 
morning  finished  the  perusal  of  your  last  work,  and  consider 
myself  much  your  debtor  for  the  new  views  you  have  given  me  of 
the  interesting  region  you  describe.  Nor  am  I  more  pleased  with 
the  matter  than  with  the  simple  unpretending  manner  in  which 
you  have  chosen  to  clothe  it." 

I  also  found  a  note  informing  me  that  Gov.  Cass  had  gone 
to  hold  a  conference  with  the  Wyandot  Indians  at  Wapaken- 
nota,  Ohio,  that  he  would  return  about  the  10th  of  June,  and 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  209 

immediately  set  out  for  Prairie  du  Chien  by  the  way  of  the  Fox 
and  Wisconsin  rivers,  and  would  have  me  to  go  with  him. 

"You  must  calculate  the  time  when  I  shall  probably  reach 
Mackinack,  and  I  trust  you  will  join  us  there.  I  have  a  thousand 
reasons  why  you  should  undertake  the  tour.  Many  of  the  Indians 
will  be  from  your  agency,  and  such  a  convocation  will  never  again 
be  seen  upon  this  frontier.  You  can  return  by  the  Chippewa 
River,  which  will  give  you  a  fine  opportunity  of  becoming  ac 
quainted  with  a  part  of  the  country  very  little  known." 

Leaving  my  sister  with  friends  temporarily  at  Detroit,  I  pursued 
my  way,  without  loss  of  time,  to  the  Sault;  where,  among  the 
correspondence  accumulated,  I  found  some  subjects  that  may  be 
noticed.  Mr.  C.  C.  Trowbridge  gives  this  testimony  respecting 
Mr.  A.  E.  Wing,  a  gentleman  then  prominent  as  a  politician. 

"  He  is  an  intelligent,  high  minded  and  honorable  man,  and 
gifted  with  habits  of  perseverance  and  industry  which  eminently 
qualify  him  to  represent  the  Territory  in  Congress." 

On  the  1st  of  June  the  Executive  of  the  Territory  apprizes  me 
of  his  return  from  Wapekennota,  and  that  he  is  bending  all  his 
force  for  the  contemplated  trip  to  Prairie  du  Chien. 

"I  enclose  you,"  he  adds,  "the  copy  of  a  letter  from  the  war 
department,  by  which  you  will  perceive  that  the  Secretary  has 
determined,  that  the  outrage  of  last  fall  shall  not  go  unpunished. 
His  determination  is  a  wise  one,  for  the  apprehension  of  the  Chip 
pewa  murderers  is  essential  to  the  preservation  of  our  character 
and  influence  among  the  Indians." 

June  Vlth.  Business  and  science,  antiquities  and  politics  are 
curiously  jumbled  along  in  the  same  path,  without,  however  (as  I 
believe  they  never  do  where  the  true  spirit  of  knowledge  is  present), 
at  all  mingling,  or  making  turbid  the  stream  of  inquiry. 

Colonel  Thomas  L.  M'Kenney,  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs, 
in  a  letter  of  this  date  says :  "  At  the  Little  Falls  of  the  Potomac, 
are  to  be  seen  the  prints  of  turkeys'  feet  in  stone,  made  just  as  the 
tracks  of  the  animal  appear,  when  it  runs  upon  dust  or  in  the  snow." 

22d.  On  this  day,  there  suddenly  presented  themselves,  at 
the  office  of  Indian  Agency,  the  Chippewa  war  party  who  com 
mitted  the  murders  at  Lake  Pepin,  on  the  Mississippi,  last  year, 
who,  on  the  demand  made  upon  the  nation,  with  a  threat  of  mili 
tary  punishment,  surrendered  the  murderers.  I  immediately 
14 


210  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

commenced  their  examination,  after  having  an  additional  special 
interpreter  sworn  in  (Truman  A.  Warren),  and  sending  for  a 
justice  of  the  peace  to  assist  in  their  examination.  The  entire  day 
was  devoted  in  this  manner,  and  at  the  close,  six  of  the  party 
against  whom  an  indictment  for  murder  would  lay,  committed  on 
a  mittimus,  with  a  note  requesting  the  commanding  officer  to  im 
prison  them  in  the  guard  house,  until  he  could  have  them  conveyed 
to  the  sheriff  of  the  coiftity,  at  Michilimackinack.  Their  names 
were,  Sagetone,  Otagami,  Kakabisha,  Annimikence,  and  Nawa- 
jiwienoce — to  whom  was  afterwards  added  Kewaynokwut,  the  leader 
of  the  party.  The  incidents  of  this  transaction,  as  they  appeared 
in  that  examination,  have  been  narrated  on  a  previous  page. 

This  surrendery  was  evidently  made  on  representations  of  the 
traders,  who  acted  on  strong  assurance  that  it  would  avert  the 
marching  of  a  military  force  against  them,  and  on  some  mistaken 
notions  of  their  own  about  public  clemency. 

When  the  examination  was  finished,  and  while  preliminary 
steps  were  in  process,  for  their  committment,  I  addressed  them  as 
follows : — 

"  Chippewas — I  have  listened  attentively  to  all  that  has  been 
said,  either  for  or  against  you,  and  have  been  careful  to  have  it 
put  upon  paper,  that  nothing  might  be  forgotten.  It  appears 
you  went  to  the  Mississippi,  for  the  purpose  of  attacking  the 
Sioux,  to  revenge  murders  which  they  had  committed  in  your 
country.  In  an  evil  hour  you  encountered  a  party  of  Americans, 
consisting  of  four  persons,  encamped  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Pepin. 
It  was  night.  They  were  all  asleep.  You  went  to  their  tent  in 
a  hostile  manner,  and  were  received  as  friends.  They  gave  you 
tobacco  and  presents  ;  and  ytmr  war  chief  told  them  they  need  not 
fear,  that  they  should  not  be  molested. 

On  this  declaration  he  withdrew,  followed  by  the  whole  party, 
and  had  proceeded  some  distance,  when  an  evil  suggestion  occurred 
to  one  of  the  party,  who  said,  "that  when  he  went  out  hunting 
he  did  not  like  to  return  without  having  killed  something."  Guns 
were  fired.  An  electric  effect  was  produced  and  a  rush  towards  the 
tent  they  had  left  took  place  among  those  who  were  in  the  rear. 
The  strife  seemed  who  should  get  there  first,  and  imbrue  his  hands 
in  blood. 

"  Of  this  number  you  Sagetone,  you  Kakabisha,  you  Otagami, 
you  Annimikence,  and  you  Nawajiwienoce,  were  principal  actors, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  211 

and  you  had  the  meanness  to  put  to  death  men  who  had  never 
harmed  you,  and  who,  hy  your  own  confession,  you  had  robbed  of 
their  arms,  but  whom  you  had,  nevertheless,  promised  their  lives. 
This  was  not  an  evidence  of  courage,  but  of  cowardice.  By  this 
perfidious  act  you  also  violated  your  promises,  and  proved  your 
selves  to  be  the  most  debased  of  human  beings — liars  ! 

"You  have  asked  me  many  times  in  the  course  of  this  day  to 
take  pity  on  you.  How  have  you  the  hearts  to  stand  up  and  ask 
me  for  pity,  when  you  have  showed  no  pity  yourselves.  When 
those  poor  disarmed  and  despairing  men  implored  you  to  pity  their 
condition,  reminding  you  of  your  promises,  and  their  generosity 
in  making  you  presents,  when  you  saw  them  afterwards  submit  to 
be  plundered,  you  gave  them  not  pity  but  the  war  club  and  scalping 
knife.  Did  you  suppose  the  God  of  white  men  would  permit  you 
to  go  unpunished  ?  Did  you  think  you  had  got  so  far  in  the  woods 
that  no  person  could  find  you  out  ?  Or,  did  you  think  your  great 
father,  the  President,  governed  by  a  pusillanimous  principle,  would 
allow  you  to  kill  any  of  his  people,  without  seeking  to  be  revenged  ? 

"  Let  this  day  open  your  eyes.  You  have  richly  deserved  death, 
and  not  a  man  of  your  nation  could  complain,  if  I  should  order 
you  at  this  instant,  to  be  drawn  out  before  my  door,  and  shot. 
But  a  less  honorable  death  awaits  you. 

"  I  have  before  told  you,  that  your  Great  Father  the  President 
is  as  just  as  he  is  powerful ;  and  that  he  seeks  to  take  away  the 
life  of  no  man,  without  full,  just,  and  clear  proof  of  guilt.  For 
this  purpose  he  has  appointed  other  chiefs,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
hear,  try,  and  punish  all  oifences. 

"Before  these  judges  you  shall  now  be  sent.  You  will  be 
closely  examined.  You  will  have  counsel  assigned  to  defend  your 
cause.  You  will  have  every  advantage  that  one  of  our  own  citizens 
could  claim.  If  any  cause  can  be  shown  why  one  of  you  is  less 
guilty  than  another  it  will  then  appear ;  if  not,  your  bodies  will  be 
hung  on  a  gallows." 

I  then  addressed  Kewaynockwut.  "No  person  has  accused 
you  of  murder;  but  you  have  led  men  who  committed  murder, 
and  have  thereby  excited  the  anger  of  your  Great  Father,  who  -is 
slow  to  forgive  when  any  of  his  people,  even  the  poorest  of  them, 
have  been  injured,  far  less  when  a  murder  has  been  committed. 
Though  I  include  you  with  those  cowards  who  first  took  away 


212  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  arms  of  our  people,  and  then  shot  them — those  mean  dogs 
who  sit  trembling  before  me — I  do  not  forgive  you.  The  blood 
of  our  citizens  rests  upon  you.  I  can  neither  take  you  by  the  hand, 
nor  smoke  the  pipe  you  offer  to  me.  You  lie  under  the  severe 
censure  of  your  Great  Father,  whose  anger,  like  a  dark  cloud, 
rests  upon  you  and  your  people. 

"Four  of  the  chief  murderers,  namely,  Okwagun,  Pasigwetung, 
Metakossiga,  and  Wamitegosh,  yet  remain  inland.  Go,  in  order 
to  appease  his  anger ;  take  your  followers  with  you,  and  bring 
them  out.  You  cannot  do  a  more  pleasing  act  to  him  and  to  your 
own  nation.  For  you  must  reflect  that  if  these  murderers  are  not 
promptly  brought  out,  war  will  be  immediately  made  against  your 
villages,  and  the  most  signal  vengeance  taken." 

Great  alarm  was  manifested  by  the  murderers,  when  they  saw  that 
the  questions  and  answers  were  written  down,  and  a  strict  course  of 
accountability  taken  as  the  basis  of  the  examination.  I  had  fore 
seen  something  of  this  alarm,  and  requested  the  commanding 
officer  to  send  me  a  detachment  of  men.  Lieutenant  C.  F.  Mor 
ton,  2d  Infantry,  to  whom  this  matter  was  entrusted,  managed  it 
well.  He  paraded  his  men  in  a  hollow  square,  in  front  of  the 
office,  in  such  manner  that  the  office  formed  one  angle  of  the 
square,  so  that  the  main  issue  from  the  door  ushered  the  indi 
vidual  into  a  square  bristling  with  bayonets.  He  stood  himself 
with  a  drawn  sword. 

It  was  eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening  when  their  examination 
and  the  final  arrangements  were  completed;  and  when  I  directed 
the  interpreter  to  open  the  door  and  lead  out  the  murderers, 
they  were  greatly  alarmed  by  the  appearance  of  the  bright  array 
of  musquetry,  supposing,  evidently,  that  they  were  to  be  instantly 
shot.  They  trembled. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  213 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

Trip  to  Prairie  du  Chien  on  the  Mississippi — Large  assemblage  of  tribes — 
Their  appearance  and  character — Sioux,  Winnebagoes,  Chippewas,  &c. — 
Striking  and  extraordinary  appearance  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and  of  the 
lowas — Keokuk —  Mongazid's  speech  —  Treaty  of  limits  —  Whisky  ques 
tion — A  literary  impostor — Journey  through  the  valleys  of  the  Fox  and 
Wisconsin  rivers — Incidents — Menomonies — A  big  nose — Wisconsin  Por 
tage. 

June  23c?.  THE  whole  village  was  alive  with  the  excitment  of  the 
surrender y  of  the  murderers.  The  agency  office  had  been  crowded 
with  spectators  during  the  examination ;  and  both  white  and  red 
men  saw  in  their  voluntary  delivery  into  the  hands  of  the  agent, 
an  evidence  of  the  power  of  the  government  in  watching  over  and 
vindicating  the  lives  and  interests  of  its  citizens  in  the  wildest 
wilderness,  which  was  gratifying  to  all. 

To  Gitche  lauba,  the  chief  at  the  bay  of  Kewywenon,  in  Lake 
Superior,  who  had  been  instrumental  in  producing  the  delivery, 
I  presented  a  silver  medal  of  the  first  class,  with  a  written  speech 
approbatory  of  the  act,  and  complimentary  of  himself.  In  the  mean 
time,  my  preparations  for  attending  the  general  convocation  of 
tribes,  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  were  completed.  I  placed  the  agency 
under  the  charge  of  Captain  N.  S.  Clark,  2d  Infantry,  who  had  satis 
factorily  and  ably  performed  its  duties  during  my  absence  at  New 
York.  I  had  selected  a  delegation  of  the  most  influential  chiefs  to 
attend  the  contemplated  council.  And  all  things  being  ready,  and 
my  canoe-allege  in  the  water,  with  its  flag  set,  I  embarked  for  the 
trip  on  the  24th.  I  descended  the  straits  that  day,  and  having 
turned  Point  Detour  reached  Michilimackinack  the  next  morning. 
The  party  from  Detroit  had  reached  that  point  the  same  morning, 
after  traversing  the  Huron  coasts  for  upwards  of  300  miles,  in 
a  light  canoe.  Congratulations  on  the  success  that  had  attend 
ed  the  demand  for  the  Chippewa  murderers,  awaited  me.  Some 


214  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

practical  questions,  deemed  indispensable  respecting  that  trans 
action,  required  my  immediate  return  to  St.  Mary's,  which  was 
effected  on  the  27th,  and  I  again  embarked  at  St.  Mary's  on 
the  28th,  and  rejoined  the  party  at  Mackinack  on  the  30th.  The 
distance  traversed  is  about  ninety  miles,  which  was  four  times 
passed  and  repassed  in  six  days,  a  feat  that  could  only  have  been 
accomplished  in  the  calms  of  summer. 

We  finally  left  Mackinack  for  our  destination  on  the  Mississippi, 
on  the  1st  of  July.  The  convocation  to  which  we  were  now  pro 
ceeding  was  for  the  purpose  of  settling  internal  disputes  between 
the  tribes,  by  fixing  the  boundaries  to  their  respective  territories, 
and  thus  laying  the  foundation  of  a  lasting  peace  on  the  fron 
tiers.  And  it  marks  an  era  in  the  policy  of  our  negotiations  with 
the  Indians,  which  is  memorable.  No  such  gathering  of  the  tribes 
had  ever  before  occurred,  and  its  results  have  taken  away  the  ne 
cessity  of  any  in  future,  so  far  as  relates  to  the  lines  on  the  Mis 
sissippi. 

We  encountered  head  winds,  and  met  with  some  delay  in  pass 
ing  through  the  straits  into  Lake  Michigan,  and  after  escaping  an 
imminent  hazard  of  being  blown  off  into  the  open  lake,  in  a  fog, 
reached  Green  Bay  on  the  4th.  The  journey  up  the  Fox  River, 
and  its  numerous  portages,  was  resumed  on  the  14th,  and  after 
having  ascended  the  river  to  its  head,  we  crossed  over  the  Fox  and 
Wisconsin  portage,  and  descending  the  latter  with  safety,  reached 
Prairie  du  Chien  on  the  21st,  making  the  whole  journey  from  Mack 
inack  in  twenty-one  days. 

We  found  a  very  large  number  of  the  various  tribes  assembled. 
Not  only  the  village,  but  the  entire  banks  of  the  river  for  miles  above 
and  below  the  town,  and  the  island  in  the  river,  was  covered  with 
their  tents.  The  Dakotahs,  with  their  high  pointed  buffalo  skin 
tents,  above  the  town,  and  their  decorations  and  implements  of 
flags,  feathers,  skins  and  personal  "braveries,5'  presented  the 
scene  of  a  Bedouin  encampment.  Some  of  the  chiefs  had  the 
skins  of  skunks  tied  to  their  heels,  to  symbolize  that  they  never 
ran,  as  that  animal  is  noted  for  its  slow  and  self-possessed  move 
ments. 

Wanita,  the  Yankton  chief,  had  a  most  magnificent  robe  of  the 
buffalo,  curiously  worked  with  dyed  porcupine's  quills  and  sweet 
grass.  A  kind  of  war  flag,  made  of  eagles'  and  vultures'  large 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  215 

feathers,  presented  quite  a  martial  air.  War  clubs  and  lances 
presented  almost  every  imaginable  device  of  paint;  but  by  far  the 
most  elaborate  thing  was  their  pipes  of  red  stone,  curiously  carved, 
and  having  flat  wooden  handles  of  some  four  feet  in  length,  orna 
mented  with  the  scalps  of  the  red-headed  woodpecker  and  male 
duck,  and  tail  feathers  of  birds  artificially  attached  by  strings  and 
quill  work,  so  as  to  hang  in  the  figure  of  a  quadrant.  But  the 
most  elaborately  wrought  part  of  the  devices  consisted  of  dyed  por 
cupines'  quills,  arranged  as  a  kind  of  aboriginal  mosaic. 

The  Winnebagoes,  who  speak  a  cognate  dialect  of  the  Dacotah, 
were  encamped  near ;  and  resembled  them  in  their  style  of  lodges, 
arts,  and  general  decorations. 

The  Chippewas  presented  the  more  usually  known  traits,  manners 
and  customs  of  the  great  Algonquin  family — of  whom  they  are, 
indeed,  the  best  representative.  The  tall  and  warlike  bands  from 
the  sources  of  the  Mississippi — from  La  Point,  in  Lake  Superior — 
from  the  valleys  of  the  Chippewa  and  St.  Croix  rivers,  and  the 
Rice  Lake  region  of  Lac  du  Flambeau,  and  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  were 
well  represented. 

The  cognate  tribe  of  the  Menomonies,  and  of  the  Potawattomies 
and  Ottowas  from  Lake  Michigan,  assimilated  and  mingled  with 
the  Chippewas.  Some  of  the  Iroquois  of  Green  Bay  were  present. 

But  no  tribes  attracted  as  intense  a  degree  of  interest  as  the 
lowas,  and  the  Sacs  and  Foxes — tribes  of  radically  diverse  lan 
guages,  yet  united  in  a  league  against  the  Sioux.  These  tribes  were 
encamped  on  the  island,  or  opposite  coast.  They  came  to  the  treaty 
ground,  armed  and  dressed  as  a  war  party.  They  were  all  armed 
with  spears,  clubs,  guns  and  knives.  Many  of  the  warriors  had  a 
long  tuft  of  red-horse  hair  tied  at  their  elbows,  and  bore  a  neck 
lace  of  grizzly  bears'  claws.  Their  head-dress  consisted  of  red  dyed 
horse-hair,  tied  in  such  manner  to  the  scalp  lock  as  to  present  the 
shape  of  the  decoration  of  a  Roman  helmet.  The  rest  of  the  head 
was  completely  shaved  and  painted.  A  long  iron  shod  lance  was  car 
ried  in  the  hand.  A  species  of  baldric  supported  part  of  their  arms. 
The  azian,  moccason  and  leggins  constituted  a  part  of  their  dress. 
They  were,  indeed,  nearly  nude,  and  painted.  Often  the  print  of 
a  hand,  in  white  clay,  marked  the  back  or  shoulders.  They  bore 
flags  of  feathers.  They  beat  drums.  They  uttered  yells,  at 
definite  points.  They  landed  in  compact  ranks.  They  looked 


216  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  very  spirit  of  defiance.  Their  leader  stood  as  a  prince,  majestic 
and  frowning.  The  wild,  native  pride  of  man,  in  the  savage  state, 
flushed  by  success  in  war,  and  confident  in  the  strength  of  his  arm, 
was  never  so  fully  depicted  to  my  eyes.  And  the  forest  tribes  of 
the  continent  may  be  challenged  to  have  ever  presented  a  spec 
tacle  of  bold  daring,  and  martial  prowess,  equal  to  their  landing. 

Their  martial  bearing,  their  high  tone,  and  whole  behavior 
during  their  stay,  in  and  out  of  council,  was  impressive,  and 
demonstrated,  in  an  eminent  degree,  to  what  a  high  pitch  of  phy 
sical  and  moral  courage,  bravery  and  success  in  war  may  lead  a 
savage  people.  Keokuk,  who  led  them,  stood  with  his  war  lance, 
high  crest  of  feathers,  and  daring  eye,  like  another  Coriolanus, 
and  when  he  spoke  in  council,  and  at  the  same  time  shook  his  lance 
at  his  enemies,  the  Sioux,  it  was-  evident  that  he  wanted  but  an  op 
portunity  to  make  their  blood  flow  like  water.  Wapelo,  and  other 
chiefs  backed  him,  and  the  whole  array,  with  their  shaved  heads 
and  high  crests  of  red  horse-hair,  told  the  spectator  plainly,  that 
each  of  these  men  held  his  life  in  his  hand,  and  was  ready  to  spring 
to  the  work  of  slaughter  at  the  cry  of  their  chief. 

General  William  Clark,  from  St.  Louis,  was  associated  with 
General  Cass  in  this  negotiation.  The  great  object  was  to  lay  the 
foundation  of  a  permanent  peace  by  establishing  boundaries.  Day 
after  day  was  assigned  to  this,  the  agents  laboring  with  the  chiefs, 
and  making  themselves  familiar  with  Indian  bark  maps  and  draw 
ings.  The  thing  pleased  the  Indians.  They  clearly  saw  that  it 
was  a  benevolent  effort  for  their  good,  and  showed  a  hearty  mind 
to  work  in  the  attainment  of  the  object.  The  United  States  asked 
for  no  cession.  Many  glowing  harangues  were  made  by  the  chiefs, 
which  gave  scope  to  their  peculiar  oratory,  which  is  well  worth  the 
preserving.  Mongazid,  of  Fond  du  Lac,  Lake  Superior,  said: 
"  When  I  heard  the  voice  of  my  Great  Father,  coming  up  the  Mis 
sissippi  Valley  calling  me  to  this  treaty,  it  seemed  as  a  murmuring 
wind ;  I  got  up  from  my  mat  where  I  sat  musing,  and  hastened  to 
obey  it.  My  pathway  has  been  clear  and  bright.  Truly  it  is  a 
pleasant  sky  above  our  heads  this  day.  There  is  not  a  cloud  to 
darken  it.  I  hear  nothing  but  pleasant  words.  The  raven  is  not 
waiting  for  his  prey,  I  hear  no  eagle  cry — "Come,  let  us  go.  The 
feast  is  ready — the  Indian  has  killed  his  brother." 

When  nearly  a  whole  month  had  been  consumed  in  these  nego- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  217 

tiations,  a  treaty  of  limits  was  signed,  which  will  long  be  remem 
bered  in  the  Indian  reminiscences.  This  was  on  the  19th  of  August 
(1825),  vide  Indian  Treaties,  p.  371.  It  was  a  pleasing  sight  to  see 
the  explorer  of  the  Columbia  in  1806,  and  the  writer  of  the  pro 
clamation  of  the  army  that  invaded  Canada  in  1812,  uniting  in  a 
task  boding  so  much  good  to  the  tribes  whose  passions  and  tres 
passes  on  each  other's  lands  keep  them  perpetually  at  war. 

;Tis  war  alone  that  gluts  the  Indian's  mind, 
As  eating  meats,  inflames  the  tiger  kind. 

HETH. 

At  the  close  of  the  treaty,  an  experiment  was  made  on  the 
moral  sense  of  the  Indians,  with  regard  to  intoxicating  liquors, 
which  was  evidently  of  too  refined  a  character  for  their  just 
appreciation.  It  had  been  said  by  the  tribes  that  the  true  reason 
for  the  Commissioners  of  the  United  States  government  speaking 
against  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  by  the  Indians,  and  refusing  to 
give  them,  was  not  a  sense  of  its  bad  effects,  so  much,  as  the  fear  of 
the  expense.  To  show  them  that  the  government  was  above  such 
a  petty  principle,  the  Commissioners  had  a  long  row  of  tin  camp 
kettles,  holding  several  gallons  each,  placed  on  the  grass,  from  one 
end  of  the  council  house  to  the  other,  and  then,  after  some  suitable 
remarks,  each  kettle  was  spilled  out  in  their  presence.  The  thing 
was  evidently  ill  relished  by  the  Indians.  They  loved  the  whisky 
better  than  the  joke. 

Impostor. — Among  the  books  which  I  purchased  for  General 
Cass,  at  New  York,  was  the  narrative  of  one  John  Dunn  Hunter. 
I  remember  being  introduced  to  the  man,  at  one  of  my  visits  to 
New  York,  by  Mr.  Carter.  He  appeared  to  be  one  of  those  ano 
malous  persons,  of  easy  good  nature,  without  much  energy  or  will, 
and  little  or  no  moral  sense,  who  might  be  made  a  tool  of.  It- 
seems  no  one  at  New  York  was  taken  in  by  him,  but  having 
wandered  over  to  London,  the  booksellers  found  him  a  good  subject 
for  a  book,  and  some  hack  there,  with  considerable  cleverness, 
made  him  a  pack-horse  for  carrying  a  load  of  stuff  about  America's 
treatment  of  the  Indians.  It  was  called  a  "  captivity,"  and  he 
was  made  to  play  the  part  of  an  adventurer  among  the  Indians — 
somewhat  after  the  manner  of  John  Tanner.  C.  reviewed  the 


218  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

book,  on  our  route  and  at  the  Prairie,  for  the  North  Ameri 
can.,  in  an  article  which  created  quite  a  sensation,  and  will  be 
remembered  for  its  force  and  eloquence.  He  first  read  to  me 
some  of  these  glowing  sentences,  while  on  the  portages  of  the  Fox. 
It  was  continued,  during  the  leisure  hours  of  the  conferences,  and 
finally  the  critique  wras  finished,  after  his  visiting  the  place  and 
the  person,  in  Missouri,  to  which  Hunter  had  alluded  as  his  spon 
sor  in  baptism.  The  man  denied  all  knowledge  of  him.  Hunter 
was  utterly  demolished,  and  his  book  shown  to  be  as  great  a  tissue 
of  misrepresentation  as  that  of  Psalmanazar  himself. 

August  21s£.  The  party  separates.  I  had  determined  to  return 
to  the  Sault  by  way  of  Lake  Superior,  through  Chippewa  River. 
But,  owing  to  the  murder  of  Finley  and  his  men  at  its  mouth  in 
1824,  I  found  it  impossible  to  engage  men  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
to  take  that  route.  I  determined  therefore  to  go  up  the  Wis 
consin,  and  by  the  way  of  Green  Bay.  For  this  purpose,  I  pur 
chased  a  light  canoe,  engaged  men  to  paddle  it,  and  laid  in  provi 
sions  and  stores  to  last  to  Green  Bay.  Having  done  so,  I  embarked 
about  3  o'clock  P.  M.,  descending  the  majestic  Mississippi,  with 
spirits  enlivened  by  the  hope  of  soon  rejoining  friends  far  away. 
At  the  same  time,  Mr.  Holliday  left  for  the  same  destination  in  a 
separate  canoe.  On  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Wisconsin,  we 
entered  that  broad  tributary,  and  found  the  current  strong.  We 
passed  the  point  of  rocks  called  Petite  Grres,  and  encamped  at 
Grand  G-res. 

Several  hours  previous  to  leaving  the  prairie,  a  friend  hand 
ed  me  an  enveloped  packet,  saying,  "Bead  it  when  you  get  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Wisconsin."  I  had  no  conception  what  it  re 
lated  to,  but  felt  great  anxiety  to  reach  the  place  mentioned.  I 
then  opened  it,  and  read  as  follows :  "I  cannot  separate  from  you 
without  expressing  my  grateful  acknowledgments  for  the  honor 
you  have  done  me,  by  connecting  my  name  with  your  Narrative  of 
Travels  in  the  Central  Portions  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  $c." 
Nothing  could  have  been  more  gratifying  or  unexpected. 

22d.  A  fog  in  the  valley  detained  us  till  5  o'clock  A.M.  After 
traveling  about  two  hours,  Mr.  Holliday 's  canoe  was  crushed 
against  a  rock.  While  detained  in  repairing  it,  I  ordered  iny 
cook  to  prepare  breakfast.  It  was  now  9  o'clock,  when  we  again 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  219 

proceeded,  till  the  heat  of  noon  much  affected  the  men.  We  pushed 
our  canoes  under  some  overhanging  trees,  where  we  found  fine 
clusters  of  ripe  grapes. 

In  going  forward  we  passed  two  canoes  of  Menomonies,  going 
out  on  their  fall  hunt,  on  the  Chippewa  River.  These  people 
have  no  hunting  grounds  of  their  own,  and  are  obliged  to  the 
courtesy  of  neighboring  nations  for  a  subsistence.  They  are  the 
most  erratic  of  all  our  tribes,  and  may  be  said  to  be  almost 
nomadic.  We  had  already  passed  the  canoes,  when  Mr.  Lewis, 
the  portrait  painter,  called  out  stoutly  behind  us,  from  an  island  in 
the  river.  "Oh  !  ho  !  I  did  not  know  but  there  was  some  other 
breaking  of  the  canoe,  or  worse  disaster,  and  directed  the  men  to 
put  back.  See,  see,"  said  he,  "  that  fellow's  nose !  Did  you  ever  see 
such  a  protuberance  ?"  It  was  one  of  the  Menomonies  from  Butte 
des  Morts,  with  a  globular  irregular  lump  on  the  end  of  his  nose, 
half  as  big  as  a  man's  fist.  Lewis's  artistic  risibles  were  at  their 
height,  and  he  set  to  work  to  draw  him.  I  could  think  of  nothing 
appropriate,  but  Sterne  and  Strasbourg. 

28c?.  A  heavy  fog  detained  us  at  Caramani's  village,  till  near 
6  A.  M.  The  fog,  however,  still  continued,  so  thick  as  to  conceal 
objects  at  twenty  yards  distance.  We  consequently  went  cau 
tiously.  Both  this  day  and  yesterday  we  have  been  constantly  in 
sight  of  Indian  canoes,  on  their  return  from  the  treaty.  Wooden 
canoes  are  exclusively  used  by  the  Winnebagoes.  They  are 
pushed  along  with  poles. 

We  passed  a  precipitous  range  of  hills  near  Pine  Creek,  on  one 
of  which  is  a  cave,  called  by  our  boatmen  L'diable  au  Port.  This 
superstition  of  peopling  dens  and  other  dark  places  with  the  "  arch 
fiend,"  is  common.  If  the  "old  serpent"  has  given  any  proofs  to 
the  French  boatmen  of  his  residence  here,  I  shall  only  hope  that 
he  will  confine  himself  to  this  river,  and  not  go  about  troubling 
quiet  folks  in  the  land  of  the  Lakes. 

At  Pine  River  we  went  inland  about  a  mile  to  see  an  old  mine, 
probably  the  remains  of  French  enterprise,  or  French  credulity. 
But  all  its  golden  ores  had  flown,  probably  frightened  off  by  the 
old  fellow  of  L'diable  au  Port.  We  saw  only  pits  dug  in  the 
sand  overgrown  with  trees. 

Near  this  spot  in  the  river,  we  overtook  Shingabowossin  and 


220  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

his  party  of  Chippewas.  They  had  left  the  prairie  on  the  same 
day  that  we  did,  but  earlier.  They  had  been  in  some  dread  of  the 
Winnebagoes,  and  stopped  on  the  island  to  wait  for  us. 

In  passing  the  channel  of  Detour,  we  observed  many  thousand 
tons  of  white  rock  lying  in  the  river,  which  had  lately  fallen  from 
the  bank,  leaving  a  solid  perpendicular  precipice.  This  rock, 
banks  and  ruins,  is,  like  all  the  Wisconsin  Valley  rocks,  a  very 
white  and  fine  sandstone. 

We  passed  five  canoes  of  Menomonies,  on  their  way  to  hunt  on 
Chippewa  River,  to  whom  I  presented  some  powder,  lead,  and  flour. 
They  gave  me  a  couple  of  fish,  of  the  kind  called  pe-can-o  by  the 
Indians. 

24th.  We  were  again  detained  by  the  fog,  till  half  past 
five  A.  M.,  and  after  a  hard  day's  fatiguing  toil,  I  encamped 
at  eight  o'clock  P.  M.  on  a  sandy  island  in  the  centre  of  the 
Wisconsin.  The  water  in  the  river  is  low,  and  spreads  strag- 
glingly  over  a  wide  surface.  The  very  bed  of  the  river  is  mov 
ing  sand.  While  supper  was  preparing,  I  took  from  my  trunk 
a  towel,  clean  shirt,  and  cake  of  soap,  and  spent  half  an  hour  in 
bathing  in  the  river  upon  the  clean  yellow  sand.  After  this  grate 
ful  refreshment,  I  sank  sweetly  to  repose  in  my  tent. 

25f^.  The  fog  dispersed  earlier  this  morning  than  usual. 
We  embarked  a  few  minutes  after  four  A.  M.,  and  landed  for 
breakfast  at  ten.  The  weather  now,  was  quite  sultry,  as  indeed  it 
has  been  during  the  greater  part  of  every  day,  since  leaving  Tipe- 
sage — i.  e.  the  Prairie.  Our  route  this  day  carried  us  through  the 
most  picturesque  and  interesting  part  of  the  Wisconsin,  called  the 
Highlands  or  River  Hills.  Some  of  these  hills  are  high,  with  pre 
cipitous  faces  towards  the  river.  Others  terminate  in  round  grassy 
knobs,  with  oaks  dispersed  about  the  sides.  The  name  is  sup 
posed  to  have  been  taken  from  this  feature.*  Generally  speak 
ing,  the  country  has  a  bald  and  barren  aspect.  Not  a  tree  has 
apparently  been  cut  upon  its  banks,  and  not  a  village  is  seen  to 
relieve  the  tedium  of  an  unimproved  wilderness.  The  huts  of  an 
Indian  locality  seem  "  at  random  cast."  I  have  already  said  these 
conical  and  angular  hills  present  masses  of  white  sandstone,  where- 

*  Sin,  the  terminal  syllable,  is  clearly  from  the  Algonquin,  Os-sin,  a  stone. 
The  French  added  the  letter  g,  which  is  the  regular  local  form  of  the  word, 
agreeably  to  the  true  Indian. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  221 

ever  they  are  precipitous.  The  river  itself  is  almost  a  moving 
mass  of  white  and  yellow  sand,  broad,  clear,  shallow,  and  abound 
ing  in  small  woody  islands,  and  willowy  sandbars. 

While  making  these  notes  I  have  been  compelled  to  hold  my 
book,  pencil  and  umbrella,  the  latter  being  indispensable  to  keep 
off  the  almost  tropical  fervor  of  the  sun's  rays.  As  the  umbrella 
and  book  must  be  held  in  one  hand,  you  may  judge  that  I  have 
managed  with  some  difficulty ;  and  this  will  account  to  you  for 
many  uncouth  letters  and  much  disjointed  orthography.  Between 
the  annoyance  of  insects,  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  the  difficulties 
of  the  way,  we  had  incessant  employment. 

At  three  o'clock  P.  M.  we  put  ashore  for  dinner,  in  a  very  shaded 
and  romantic  spot.  Poetic  images  were  thick  about  us.  We  sat 
upon  mats  spread  upon  a  narrow  carpet  of  grass  between  the  river 
and  a  high  perpendicular  cliff.  The  latter  threw  its  broad  shade 
far  beyond  us.  This  strip  of  land  was  not  more  than  ten  feet 
wide,  and  had  any  fragments  of  rock  fallen,  they  would  have 
crushed  us.  But  we  saw  no  reason  to  fear  such  an  event,  nor  did 
it  at  all  take  from  the  relish  of  our  dinner.  Green  moss  had 
covered  the  face  of  the  rock,  and  formed  a  soft  velvet  covering, 
against  which  we  leaned.  The  broad  and  cool  river  ran  at  our 
feet.  Overhanging  trees  formed  a  grateful  bower  around  us.  Alas, 
how  are  those  to  be  pitied  who  prefer  palaces  built  with  human 
hands  to  such  sequestered  scenes.  What  perversity  is  there  in 
the  human  understanding,  to  quit  the  delightful  and  peaceful 
abodes  of  nature,  for  noisy  towns  and  dusty  streets. 

"  To  me  more  dear,  congenial  to  my  heart, 
One  native  charm  than  all  the  gloss  of  art." 

At  a  late  hour  in  the  evening  we  reached  the  Wisconsin  portage, 
and  found  Dr.  Wood.  U.  S.  A.,  encamped  there.  He  had  arrived 
a  short  time  before  us,  with  four  Indians  and  one  Canadian  in  a 
canoe,  on  his  way  to  St.  Peter's.  He  had  a  mail  in  his  trunk, 
and  I  had  reasons  to  believe  I  should  receive  letters,  but  to  my 
sore  disappointment  I  found  nothing.  I  invited  Dr.  Wood  to  sup 
per,  having  some  ducks  and  snipes  to  offer  in  addition  to  my  usual 
stock  of  solids,  such  as  ham,  venison  and  buffalo  tongues. 


222  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Descent  of  Fox  River — Blackbirds — Menomonies— -Rice  fields — 'Starving:  In- 

o 

dians — Thunder  storm — Dream— An  Indian  struck  dead  with  lightning — - 
Green  Bay — Death  of  Colonel  Haines — Incidents  of  the  journey  from  Green 
Bay  to  Michilimackinack — Reminiscences  of  my  early  life  and  travels — 
Choiswa — Further  reminiscences  of  my  early  life — Ruins  of  the  first  mis 
sion  of  Father  Marquette — Reach  Michilimackinack. 

1825.  August  26th.  A  PORTAGE  of  about  one  mile  and  a 
quarter  was  before  us. 

At  day-break  two  ox  carts,  which  I  had  ordered  in  the  evening, 
came,  and  took  our  baggage  across  to  the  banks  of  Fox  River. 
The  canoes  were  carried  over  by  the  different  crews.  On  reaching 
the  banks  of  the  Fox  River,  I  concluded  to  stay  for  the  purpose 
of  breakfasting.  I  added  to  my  stock  of  eatables,  a  bag  of  pota 
toes,  and  some  butter  and  milk,  purchased  from  a  Frenchman, 
who  resided  here.  It  was  about  nine  o'clock  A.M.  when  we  em 
barked  on  the  Fox,  and  we  began  its  descent  with  feelings  not 
widely  different  from  those  of  a  boy,  who  has  carried  his  sled,  in 
winter,  up  the  steep  side  of  a  hill,  that  he  may  enjoy  the  pleasure 
of  riding  down.  The  Fox  River  is  serpentine,  almost  without  a 
parallel ;  it  winds  about  like  a  string  that  doubles  and  redoubles, 
and  its  channel  is  choked  with  fields  of  wild  rice;  from  which 
rose,  continually,  immense  flocks  of  blackbirds.  They  reminded 
me  very  forcibly  of  the  poet's  line — 

"  The  birds  of  heaven  shall  vindicate  their  grain." 

Mr.  Holliday  the  elder  and  his  son  made  several  unsuccessful 
shots  at  them.  I  did  not  regret  their  ill  success,  and  was  pleased 
to  hear  them  singing — 

"As  sweetly  and  gayly  as  ever  before." 

We  met  several  canoes  of  Menomonies.  We  stopped  for  dinner 
near^a  lodge  of  them,  who  were  in  a  starving  condition.  I  distri- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  223 

buted  bread  and  corn  among  them.  They  presented  me  a  couple 
of  dishes  of  a  species  of  berry,  which  they  call  Neekimen-een,  or 
Brant-berry.  It  is  a  black,  tasteless  berry,  a  little  larger  than 
the  whortleberry.  We  encamped  at  the  head  of  Pukwa  Lake. 

Zltli.  A  very  severe  shower  of  rain  fell  about  three  o'clock  A. 
M. ;  it  detained  us  in  our  camp  until  five,  when  we  embarked. 
Why  should  I  relate  to  you  our  dull  progress  through  fields  of  rice 
— through  intricate  channels,  and  amidst  myriads  of  ducks  and 
wild  water  fowl.  This  day  has  been  hot,  beyond  any  experience 
on  the  journey.  I  sank  back  in  my  canoe,  in  a  state  of  apathy 
and  lassitude,  partly  from  the  heat,  and  partly  from  indisposition. 
My  thoughts  were  employed  upon  home.  A  thousand  phantoms 
passed  through  my  head.  I  tried  to  imagine  how  you  were  em 
ployed  at  this  moment,  whether  busy,  or  sick  in  your  own  room. 
It  would  require  a  volume  to  trace  my  wandering  thoughts.  Let 
it  suffice  that  another  day  is  nearly  gone,  and  it  has  lessened  the 
distance  which  separated  us,  about  seventy  miles. 

2Sth.  I  encamped,  last  night,  near  a  large  village  of  Winneba- 
goes  and  Menomonies.  They  complained  to  me  of  want  of  food 
and  ammunition.  I  distributed  among  them  a  quantity  of  powder, 
ball,  and  shot,  and  some  bread,  hard  biscuit,  pork,  and  tobacco. 
Never  were  people  more  grateful,  and  never,  I  believe,  was  a  more 
appropriate  distribution  made.  I  had  purchased  these  articles  for 
the  Chippewa  Nation,  to  be  used  on  my  contemplated  voyage  home, 
from  the  Prairie,  through  Chippewa  River  and  Lake  Superior, 
before  the  design  of  going  that  way  was  relinquished.  The  fact 
was,  I  could  get  no  men  to  go  that  way,  so  alarmed  were  they  by 
the  recent  murder  of  Finley  and  his  party. 

About  two  o'clock  A.  M.  I  was  awoke  by  a  very  heavy  storm  of 
rain  and  wind,  attended  with  loud  peals  of  thunder.  The  violence 
of  the  wind  blew  down  my  tent,  and  my  blankets,  &c.  received 
some  damage.  After  this  mishap  the  wind  abated,  and  having  got 
my  tent  re-arranged,  I  again  went  to  sleep.  I  dreamt  of  attend 
ing  the  funeral  of  an  esteemed  friend,  who  was  buried  with  honors, 
attended  to  the  grave  by  a  large  train.  I  have  no  recollection  of 
the  name  of  this  friend,  nor  whether  male  or  female.  I  afterwards 
visited  the  house  of  this  person,  and  the  room  in  which  he  (or  she) 
died.  I  closed  the  door  with  dread  and  sorrow,  afflicted  by  the 
views  of  the  couch  where  one  so  much  esteemed  had  expired.  The 


224  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

mansion  was  large,  and  elegantly  furnished.  I  lost  my  way  in  it, 
and  rung  a  large  bell  that  hung  in  the  hall.  At  this,  many  per 
sons,  male  and  female,  came  quickly  into  the  hall  from  folding- 
doors,  as  if,  I  thought,  they  had  been  summoned  to  dinner.  As  you 
have  sometimes  inclined  to  believe  in  these  fantastic  operations 
of  the  human  mind,  when  asleep,  I  record  them  for  your  amuse 
ment,  or  reflection.  Was  this  an  allegory  of  the  destructive  effects 
of  the  storm,  mixed  with  my  banquet  to  my  Indian  friends,  the 
Menomonies  and  Winnebagoes  ? 

After  descending  the  river  more  than  twenty  miles  we  landed  at 
la  Butte  des  Morts  to  cook  breakfast.  Immediately  on  landing 
my  attention  was  attracted  by  a  small  white  flag  hanging  from  a 
high  pole.  I  went  to  it  and  found  a  recent  Indian  grave,  very 
neatly  and  carefully  covered  with  boards.  The  Indian  had  been 
struck  dead  by  lightning  a  few  days  previous.  Is  this  the  inter 
pretation  of  my  dream,  or  must  I  follow  my  fears  to  St.  Mary's, 
to  witness  some  of  our  family  suffering  on  the  bed  of  sickness. 
God,  in  his  mercy,  forbid ! 

This  day  was  comparatively  cool.  On  the  previous  days  it  was 
my  custom  to  sit  in  my  shirt  and  sleeves.  To-day,  I  kept  on  my 
surtout  all  day,  and  my  cloak  over  it  until  twelve.  Such  sudden 
changes  in  the  temperature  of  the  seasons  are  the  reproach  of  our 
climate.  My  health  has  been  better  than  for  a  few  days  back, 
owing,  I  believe,  solely  to  my  abstinence  both  yesterday  and  the 
day  before.  How  much  illness  would  be  prevented  by  a  proper 
attention  to  regimen.  It  is  now  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  I 
am  sitting  in  my  tent  with  a  candle  standing  on  a  rush  mat,  and 
my  black  trunk  for  a  writing  desk.  I  am  interrupted  by  the  news 
that  my  supper  is  ready  to  be  brought  in.  How  happy  I  should 
be  if  you  could  participate  in  my  frugal  meal.  In  the  language 
of  Burns — 

"Adieu  a  heart-warm  fond  adieu." 

29zA.  I  encamped  last  night,  at  the  foot  of  the  Winnebago 
Rapids,  one  mile  below  Winnebago  Lake.  I  found  the  rapids  of 
Fox  River,  which  begin  here,  more  difficult  to  pass  than  on  our  ascent, 
the  water  being  much  lower.  We  were  necessarily  detained  many 
hours,  and  most  of  the  men  compelled  to  walk.  About  six  o'clock, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  225 

P.  M.  we  reached  the  upper  part  of  the  settlement  of  Green  Bay. 
I  stopped  a  few  moments  at  Judge  Doty's,  and  also  a  little  below 
at  Major  Brevoort's,  the  Indian  agent  of  the  post.  We  then 
proceeded  to  the  lower  settlements,  and  encamped  near  the  fort 
at  Arndt's.  Dr.  Wheaton  met  me  on  the  beach,  with  several 
others.  I  supped  and  lodged  at  Arndt's,  having  declined  Dr. 
Wheaton's  polite  invitation  to  sup,  and  take  a  bed  with  him.  At 
tea  I  saw  Mrs.  Cotton,  whom  you  will  recollect  as  Miss  Arndt, 
and  was  introduced  to  her  husband,  Lieutenant  Cotton,  U.  S.  A. 
I  was  also  introduced  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Nash,  a  clergyman  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  order,  on  missionary  duty  here.  I  went  to 
my  room,  as  soon  as  I  could  disentangle  myself  from  these  greet 
ings,  with  a  bundle  of  papers,  to  read  up  the  news,  and  was  truly 
pained  to  hear  of  the  death  of  my  early  friend  Colonel  Charles 
GL  Haines  of  New  York,  an  account  of  which,  with  the  funeral 
honors  paid  to  him,  I  read  in  the  papers. 

30th.  The  repair  of  my  canoe,  and  the  purchase  of  provisions 
to  recruit  my  supplies,  consumed  the  morning,  until  twelve  o'clock, 
when  I  embarked,  and  called  at  the  fort  to  pay  my  respects  to  Dr. 
Wheaton.  I  found  the  dinner-table  set.  He  insisted  on  my 
stopping  with  Mr.  H.  to  dinner,  which,  being  an  old  friend  and  as 
one  of  my  men  had  absconded,  and  I  was,  therefore,  delayed,  I 
assented  to.  The  doctor  and  family  evinced  the  greatest  cordiality  ? 
and  he  sent  down  to  my  canoe,  after  dinner,  a  quantity  of  melons, 
some  cabbages,  and  a  bag  of  new  potatoes.  Before  I  could  obtain 
another  man  and  set  out  again,  it  was  three  o'clock.  I  was  obliged 
to  forego  the  return  of  some  visits.  We  continued  our  voyage 
down  the  bay  about  40  miles,  and  encamped  at  8  o'clock,  having 
run  down  with  a  fair  wind. 

31s£.  Soon  after  quitting  our  camp  this  morning,  a  heavy 
wind  arose.  It  was  partly  fair,  so  as  to  permit  our  hoisting  sail 
for  a  few  hours,  but  then  shifted  ahead,  and  drove  us  ashore.  We 
landed  on  a  small  island  called  Vermilion,  off  the  south  cape  of 
Sturgeon  Bay.  Here  we  remained -all  the  remainder  of  the  day 
and  night.  While  there  detained  I  read  "  China,  its  Arts,  Manu 
factures,  &c.,"  a  work  translated  from  the  French,  and  giving  a 
lively,  and  apparently  correct  account  of  that  singular  people. 

About  two  o'clock,  P.  M.,  we  cut  some  of  the  water  and  musk- 
melons  presented  by  Dr.  Wharton,   and  found  them  delicious. 
15 


226  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS, 

About  6  o'clock,  P.  M.,  mj  cook  informed  me  that  he  had  pre- 
pared  a  supper,  agreeably  to  my  directions,  and  we  found  his  skill 
in  this  way  by  no  means  despicable.  Such  are  the  trifles  which 
must  fill  up  my  journal,  for  did  I  only  write  what  was  fit  for  grave 
divines,  or  the  scrutinizing  eye  of  philosophy  to  read,  I  fear  I 
should  have  but  a  few  meagre  sheets  to  present  you  on  my  return, 
and  perhaps  not  a  single  syllable  witty  or  wise. 

Sept.  1st.  The  wind  abated  during  the  night,  and  we  were  early 
on  the  waters,  and  went  on  until  eleven  o'clock,  when  we  landed 
for  breakfast.  At  twelve  o'clock  we  went  forward  again,  with  a 
fair  wind.  I  read  another  volume  of  "  China."  "  The  Chinese 
ladies,"  says  the  author,  "live  very  retired,  wholly  engaged  in 
their  household  affairs,  and  how  to  please  their  husbands.  They 
are  not,  however,  confined  quite  so  closely  as  is  commonly  sup 
posed.  The  females  visit  entirely  amongst  each  other.  There  is 
no  society  or  circles  in  China  to  which  the  women  are  admitted. 
Marriages  are  a  mere  matter  of  convenience,  or,  to  speak  with 
greater  propriety,  a  kind  of  bargain  settled  between  the  parents 
and  relatives.'' 

We  came  on  very  well,  and  encamped  at  the  Little  Detroit,  or 
strait,  so  called,  in  the  Grand  Traverse.  This  traverse  separates- 
Green  Bay  from  Lake  Michigan.  It  is  computed  to  be  twenty 
miles  over.  A  cluster  of  islands  enables  canoes  to  pass.  There 
are  some  hieroglyphics  on  the  rocks. 

2d.  We  embarked  at  three  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  went  on 
very  well,  until  ten,  when  we  stopped  on  one  of  the  islands  for 
breakfast,  having  nearly  completed  the  traverse.  In  the  meantime 
the  wind  arose  in  our  favor,  and  we  went  on  along  the  north  shore 
of  Lake  Michigan  gayly.  We  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Manistee 
River,  which  interlocks  with  the  Tacquimenon  of  Lake  Superior, 
where  some  of  our  St.  Mary's  Chippewas  make  their  gardens.  An 
aft  wind  and  light  spirits  are  inseparable,  whether  a  man  be  in  a 
frigate  or  a  canoe.  There  is  something  in  the  air  exhilarating.  I 
have  been  passing  in  retrospect,  the  various  journey  si  have  made, 
but  during  none  has  my  anxieties  to  return  been  so  great  as  this. 
What  a  wonderful  destiny  it  is  that  makes  one  man  a  traveler  and 
another  a  poet,  a  mathematician,  £c.  We  appear  to  be  guided  by 
some  innate  principle  which  has  a  predominating  force.  No  man 
was  more  unlikely  to  be  a  traveler  than  myself.  I  always  thought 
myself  to  be  domestic  in  my  feelings,  habits,  and  inclinations,  and 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  227 

even  in  very  early  youth,  proposed  to  live  a  life  of  domestic  feli 
city.  I  thought  such  a  life  inseparable  from  the  married  state, 
and  resolved,  therefore,  to  get  married,  as  soon  as  prudence  and 
inclination  would  permit.  Notwithstanding  this  way  of  thinking 
my  life  has  been  a  series  of  active  employment  and  arduous  jour- 
neyings.  I  may  say  my  travels  began  even  in  childhood,  for  when 
only  six  or  seven  years  old,  I  recollect  to  have  wandered  off  a  long 
distance  into  the  pine  plains  of  my  native  town,  to  view  Honicroisa 
Hill,  a  noted  object  in  that  part  of  the  country,  to  the  great  alarm 
of  all  the  family,  who  sent  out  to  search  for  me.  My  next  journey 
was  in  my  eleventh  year,  when  I  accompanied  my  father,  in  his 
chaise,  he  dressed  out  in  his  regimentals,  to  attend  a  general  court- 
martial  at  Saratoga.  I  had  not  then  read  any  history  of  our 
Revolution,  but  had  heard  its  battles  and  hardships,  told  over  by 
my  father,  which  created  a  deep  interest,  and  among  the  events 
was  Burgoyne's  surrender.  My  mind  wTas  filled  with  the  subject  as 
we  proceeded  on  our  way,  and  I  expected  to  see  a  field  covered 
with  skulls,  and  guns,  and  broken  swords. 

In  my  fifteenth  year  I  accompanied  my  father,  in  his  chaise,  up 
the  Valley  of  the  Mohawk  to  Utica.  This  gave  me  some  idea  of 
the  western  country,  and  the  rapid  improvements  going  on  there. 
I  returned  with  some  more  knowledge  of  the  world,  and  with  my 
mind  filled  with  enthusiastic  notions  of  new  settlements  and  for 
tunes  made  in  the  woods.  I  was  highly  pleased  with  the  frank 
and  hospitable  manners  of  the  west.  The  next  spring  I  was  sent 
by  a  manufacturing  company  to  Philadelphia,  as  an  agent  to  pro 
cure  and  select  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  between  Bristol 
and  Bordentown,  a  cargo  of  crucible  clay.  This  journey  and  its 
incidents  opened  a  new  field  to  me,  and  greatly  increased  my 
knowledge  of  the  world ;  of  the  vastness  of  commerce  ;  and  of 
the  multifarious  occupations  of  men.  I  acquitted  myself  well  of 
my  agency,  having  made  a  good  selection  of  my  cargo.  I  was  a 
judge  of  the  mineralogical  properties  of  the  article,  but  a  novice  in 
almost  everything  else.  I  supposed  the  world  honest,  and  every  man 
disposed  to  act  properly  and  to  do  right.  I  now  first  witnessed  a 
theatre.  It  was  at  New  York.  When  the  tragedy  was  over, 
seeing  many  go  out,  I  also  took  a  check  and  went  home,  to  be 
laughed  at  by  the  captain  of  the  sloop,  with  whom  I  was  a  pas 
senger.  At  Philadelphia  I  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  professed 


228  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

sharper.  He  was  a  gentleman  in  dress,  manners,  and  conversa 
tion.  He  showed  me  the  city,  and  was  very  useful  in  directing 
my  inquiries.  But  he  borrowed  of  me  thirty  dollars  one  day,  to 
pay  an  unexpected  demand,  as  he  said,  and  that  was  the  last  I  ever 
saw  of  my  money.  The  lesson  was  not,  however,  lost  upon  me. 
I  have  never  since  lent  a  stranger  or  casual  acquaintance  money. 

2>d.  I  was  compelled  to  break  off  my  notes  yesterday  sud 
denly.  A  storm  came  on  which  drove  us  forward  with  great 
swiftness,  and  put  us  in  some  peril.  We  made  the  land  about 
three  o'clock,  after  much  exertion  and  very  considerable  wetting. 
After  the  storm  had  passed  over,  a  calm  succeeded,  when  we  again 
put  out,  and  kept  the  lake  till  eight  o'clock.  We  had  a  very  bad 
encampment — loose  rough  stones  to  lie  on,  and  scarcely  wood 
enough  to  make  a  fire.  To  finish  our  misery,  it  soon  began  to 
rain,  but  ceased  before  ten.  At  four  o'clock  this  morning  we 
arose,  the  weather  being  quite  cold.  At  an  early  hour,  after 
getting  afloat,  we  reached  and  passed  a  noted  landing  for  canoes 
and  boats,  called  Choishwa  (Smooth-rock.)  This  shelter  is  formed 
by  a  ledge  of  rock  running  into  the  lake.  On  the  inner,  or  per 
pendicular  face,  hundreds  of  names  are  cut  or  scratched  upon  the 
rock.  This  cacoethes  scribendi  is  the  pest  of  every  local  curiosity 
or  public  watering-place.  Even  here,  in  the  wilderness,  it  is 
developed. 

Wise  men  ne'er  cut  their  names  on  doors  or  rock-heads, 
But  leave  the  task  to  scribblers  and  to  blockheads ; 
Pert,  trifling  folks,  who,  bent  on  being  witty, 
Scrawl  on  each  post  some  fag-end  of  a  ditty, 
Spinning,  with  spider's  web,  their  shallow  brains, 
O'er  wainscots,  borrowed  books,  or  window  panes. 

At  one  o'clock  the  wind  became  decidedly  fair,  and  the  men, 
relieved  from  their  paddles,  are  nearly  all  asleep  in  the  bottom  of 
the  canoe.  While  the  wind  drives  us  forward  beautifully  I  em 
brace  the  time  to  resume  my  narrative  of  early  journey  ings,  dropt 
yesterday. 

In  the  year  1808,  my  father  removed  from  Albany  to  Oneida 
County.  I  remained  at  the  old  homestead  in  Guilderland,  in 
charge  of  his  affairs,  until  the  following  year,  when  I  also  came  to 
the  west.  The  next  spring  I  was  offered  handsome  inducements 
to  go  to  the  Genesee  country,  by  a  manufacturing  company,  who 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  229 

contemplated  the  saving  of  a  heavy  land  transportation  from 
Albany  on  the  article  of  window-glass,  if  the  rude  materials  em 
ployed  in  it  could  be  found  in  that  area  of  country.  I  visited  it 
with  that  view ;  found  its  native  resources  ample,  and  was  still 
more  delighted  with  the  flourishing  appearance  of  this  part  of 
the  Western  country  than  I  had  been  with  Utica  and  its  environs. 
Auburn,  Geneva,  Canandaigua,  and  other  incipient  towns,  seemed 
to  me  the  germs  of  a  land  "  flowing  with  milk  and  honey." 

In  1811,  I  went  on  a  second  trip  to  Philadelphia,  and  executed 
the  object  of  it  with  a  success  equal  to  my  initial  visit.  On  this 
trip  I  had  letters  to  some  gentlemen  at  Philadelphia,  who  re 
ceived  me  in  a  most  clever  spirit,  and  I  visited  the  Academy  of 
Arts,  Peale's  Museum,  the  Water  Works,  Navy  Yard,  &c.  I  here 
received  my  first  definite  ideas  of  painting  and  sculpture.  I  re 
turned  with  new  stores  of  information  and  new  ideas  of  the  world, 
but  I  had  lost  little  or  nothing  of  my  primitive  simplicity  of  feeling 
or  rustic  notions  of  human  perfection.  And,  as  I  began  to  see 
something  of  the  iniquities  of  men,  I  clung  more  firmly  to  my 
native  opinions. 

My  personal  knowledge  of  my  native  State,  and  of  the  States 
of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  was  now  superior  to  that  of  most 
men  with  whom  I  was  in  the  habit  of  conversing,  and  I  subse 
quently  made  several  little  journeys  and  excursions  that  furthered 
me  in  the  knowledge. 

As  yet,  I  knew  nothing  by  personal  observation  of  New  Eng 
land.  In  the  early  part  of  1813,  having  completed  my  nineteenth 
year,  I  went  to  Middlebury,  in  Vermont,  on  the  banks  of  Otter 
Creek,  where,  I  understand,  my  great-grandfather,  who  was  an 
Englishman,  to  have  died.  Soon  after  I  accompanied  Mr.  Ep. 
Jones,  a  man  of  decided  enterprise,  but  some  eccentricities  of 
character,  on  an  extensive  tour  through  the  New  England  States. 
We  set  out  from  Lake  Dunmore,  in  Salisbury,  in  a  chaise,  and 
proceeding  over  the  Green  Mountains  across  the  State  of  Ver 
mont,  to  Bellows'  Falls,  on  the  Connecticut  River,  there  struck 
the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  and  went  across  it,  and  a  part  of 
Massachusetts,  to  Boston.  Thence,  after  a  few  days'  stop,  we 
continued  our  route  to  Hartford,  the  seat  of  government  of  Con 
necticut,  and  thence  south  to  the  valley  of  the  Hudson  at  Rhine- 
beck.  Here  we  crossed  the  Hudson  to  Kingston  (the  Esopus  of 
Indian  days),  and  proceeded  inland,  somewhat  circuitously,  to  the 


230  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Catskill  Mountains  ;  after  visiting  which,  we  returned  to  the  river, 
came  up  its  valley  to  Albany,  and  returned,  by  way  of  Salem,  to 
Salisbury.  All  this  was  done  with  one  horse,  a  compact  small-boned 
animal,  who  was  a  good  oats-eater,  and  of  whom  we  took  the 
very  best  care.  I  made  this  distich  on  him : — 

Feed  me  well  with  oats  and  ha}T, 
And  I'll  carry  you  forty  miles  a-clay. 

This  long  and  circuitous  tour  gave  me  a  general  idea  of  this 
portion  of  the  Union,  and  enabled  me  to  institute  many  compari 
sons  between  the  manners  and  customs  and  advantages  of  New 
York  and  New  England. 

I  am  again  compelled  to  lay  my  pencil  aside  by  the  quantity  of 
water  thrown  into  the  canoe  by  the  paddles  of  the  men,  who  have 
been  roused  up  by  the  increasing  waves. 

4th.  .We  went  on  under  a  press  of  sail  last  evening  until  eight 
o'clock,  when  we  encamped  in  a  wide  sandy  bay  in  the  Straits  of 
Michigan,  having  come  a  computed  distance  of  80  miles.  On 
looking  about,  we  found  in  the  sand  the  stumps  of  cedar  pickets, 
forming  an  antique  enclosure,  which,  I  judged,  must  have  been 
the  first  site  of  the  Mission  of  St.  Ignace,  founded  by  Pierre 
Marquette,  upwards  of  a  hundred  and  eighty  years  ago.  Not  a 
lisp  of  such  a  ruin  had  been  heard  by  me  previously.  French 
and  Indian  tradition  says  nothing  of  it.  The  inference  is,  however, 
inevitable.  Point  St.  Ignace  draws  its  name  from  it.  It  was  after 
wards  removed  and  fixed  at  the  blunt  peninsula,  or  headland,  which 
the  Indians  call  JPeekwutino,  the  old  Mackinac  of  the  French. 

Leaving  this  spot  at  an  early  hour,  we  went  to  Point  St.  Ignace 
to  breakfast,  and  made  the  traverse  to  the  Island  of  Michilimack- 
inac  by  eleven  o'clock.  We  were  greeted  by  a  number  of  persons 
on  the  beach ;  among  them  was  Mr.  Agnew,  of  the  Sault,  who  re 
ported  friends  all  well.  This  was  a  great  relief  to  my  mind,  as  I 
had  been  for  a  number  of  days  under  the  impression  that  some  one 
near  and  dear  to  me  was  ill.  It  was  Sunday  morning ;  many  of 
the  inhabitants  were  at  church,  and  appearances  indicated  more 
respect  for  the  day  than  I  recollect  to  have  noticed  before.  The 
good  effect  of  the  mission  established  in  the  island,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ferry,  are  clearly  visible.  Mr.  Robert 
Stuart  invited  me  to  take  a  room  at  the  company's  house,  which  I 
declined,  but  dined  and  supped  there. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  231 


CHAPTER    XXY. 

Journey  from  Mackinac  to  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie — Outard  Point — Head  winds 
— Lake  Huron  in  a  rage — Desperate  embarkation — St.  Vital — Double  the 
Detour — Return  to  St.  Mary's — Letters — "  Indian  girl" — New  volume  of 
travels — Guess'  Cherokee  alphabet — New  views  of  the  Indian  languages 
and  their  principles  of  construction — Georgia  question — Post-office  diffi 
culties — Glimpses  from  the  civilized  world. 

1825.  Sept.  5th.  I  AROSE  at  seven,  and  we  had  breakfast  at 
half-past  seven.  I  then  went  to  the  Company's  store  and  ordered 
an  invoice  of  goods  for  the  Indian  department.  This  occupied 
the  time  till  dinner  was  announced.  I  then  went  to  my  camp  and 
ordered  the  tent  to  be  struck  and  the  canoe  to  be  put  into  the 
water  ;  but  found  two  of  my  men  so  ill  with  the  fever  and  ague  that 
they  could  not  go,  and  three  others  were  much  intoxicated.  The 
atmosphere  was  very  cloudy  and  threatening,  and  to  attempt  the 
traverse  to  Goose  Island,  under  such  circumstances,  was  deemed 
improper.  Mr.  Robert  and  David  Stuart,  men  noted  in  the 
Astoria  enterprise ;  Mr.  Agnew,  Capt.  Knapp,  Mr.  Conner,  Mr. 
Abbott,  Mr.  Currey,  &c.,  had  kindly  accompanied  me  to  the  beach, 
but  all  were  very  urgent  in  their  opinion  that  I  should  defer  the 
starting.  I  ordered  the  men  to  be  ready  at  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning  should  the  weather  not  prove  tempestuous. 

6th.  I  arose  at  three  o'clock,  but  found  a  heavy  fog  envelop 
ing  the  whole  island,  and  concealing  objects  at  a  short  distance. 
It  was  not  till  half-past  six  that  I  could  embark,  when  the  fog 
began  to  disperse,  but  the  clearing  away  of  the  fog  introduced  a 
light  hectd  wind.  I  reached  Goose  Island,  a  distance  of  ten  miles, 
after  a  inarch  of  three  hours,  and  afterwards  went  to  Outard  Point, 
but  could  go  no  further  from  the  increased  violence  of  the  wind. 

Outard  Point,  8  o'clock  P.  M.  Here  have  I  been  encamped 
since  noon,  with  a  head  wind,  a  dense  damp  atmosphere,  and  the 
lake  in  a  foam.  I  expected  the  wind  would  fall  with  the  sun,  but, 


232  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

alas !  it  blows  stronger  than  ever.  I  fondly  hoped  on  quitting 
Mackinac  this  morning,  that  I  should  see  home  to-morrow,  but 
that  is  now  impossible.  How  confidently  do  we  hope  and  expect 
in  this  life,  and  how  little  do  we  know  what  is  to  befall  us  for  even 
a  few  hours  beyond  the  present  moment.  It  has  pleased  the  All- 
wise  Being  to  give  me  an  adverse  wind,  and  I  must  submit  to  it. 
I,  doubtless,  exulted  too  soon  and  too  much.  On  reaching  Mack 
inac,  I  said  to  myself:  "  My  journey  is  accomplished;  my  route 
to  the  Sault  is  nothing  ;  I  can  go  there  in  a  day  and  a  half,  wind 
or  no  wind."  This  vanity  and  presumption  is  now  punished,  and, 
I  acknowledge,  justly.  I  should  have  left  it  to  Providence.  Wise 
are  the  ways  of  the  Almighty,  and  salutary  all  His  dispensations 
to  man.  Were  we  not  continually  put  in  mind  of  an  overruling 
Providence  by  reverses  of  this  kind,  the  human  heart,  exalted  with 
its  own  consequence,  would  soon  cease  to  implore  protection  from 
on  high. 

I  feel  solitary.  The  loud  dashing  of  the  waves  on  shore,  and 
the  darkness  and  dreariness  of  all  without  my  tent,  conspire  to 
give  a  saddened  train  to  my  reflections.  I  endeavored  to  divert 
myself,  soon  after  landing,  by  a  stroll  along  the  shore.  I  sought 
in  vain  among  the  loose  fragments  of  rock  for  some  specimens 
worthy  of  preservation.  I  gleaned  the  evidences  of  crystallization 
and  the  traces  of  organic  forms  among  the  cast-up  fragments  of 
limestone  and  sandstone.  I  amused  myself  with  the  reflection 
that  I  should,  perhaps,  meet  you  coming  from  an  opposite  direc 
tion  on  the  beach,  and  I  half  fancied  that,  perhaps,  it  would 
actually  take  place.  Vain  sport  of  the  mind  !  It  served  to  cheat 
away  a  tedious  hour,  and  I  returned  to  my  tent  fatigued  and  half 
sick.  I  am  in  hopes  a  cup  of  tea  and  a  night's  rest  will  restore 
my  equipoise  of  mind  and  body.  Thus 

"  Every  pang  that  rends  the  heart, 
Bids  expectation  rise." 

*[th.  Still  detained  on  this  bleak  and  desolate  Point.  A  heavy 
rain  and  very  strong  gale  continued  all  night.  The  rain  was 
driven  with  such  violence  as  to  penetrate  through  the  texture  of 
my  tent,  and  fall  copiously  upon  me.  Daybreak  brought  with  it 
no  abatement  of  the  storm,  but  presented  to  my  view  a  wide  vista 
of  white  foaming  surge  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  In  conse- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  233 

quence  of  the  increasing  violence  of  the  storm,  I  was  compelled  to 
order  my  baggage  and  canoe  to  be  removed,  and  my  tent  to  be 
pitched  back  among  the  trees.  How  long  I  am  to  remain  here  I 
cannot  conjecture.  It  is  a  real  equinoxial  storm.  My  ears  are 
stunned  with  the  incessant  roaring  of  the  water  and  the  loud  mur 
muring  of  the  wind  among  the  foliage.  Thick  murky  clouds 
obscure  the  sky,  and  a  chill  damp  air  compels  me  to  sit  in  my 
tent  with  my  cloak  on.  I  may  exclaim,  in  the  language  of  the 
Chippewas,  Tyau,  gitche  sunnahgud  (oh,  how  hard  is  my  fate.) 

At  two  o'clock  I  made  another  excursion  to  view  the  broad 
lake  and  see  if  some  favorable  sign  could  not  be  drawn,  but  re 
turned  with  nothing  to  cast  a  gleam  on  the  angry  vista.  It  seemed 
as  if  the  lake  was  convulsed  to  its  bottom. 

OUTARD  POINT. 

What  narrowed  pleasures  swell  the  bosom  here, 
A  shore  most  sterile,  and  a  clime  severe, 
Where  every  shrub  seems  stinted  in  its  size, 
"  Where  genius  sickens  and  where  fancy  dies." 

If  to  the  lake  I  cast  my  longing  view, 
The  curling  waves  their  noisy  way  pursue  ; 
That  noise  reminds  me  of  my  prison-strand, 
Those  waves  I  most  admire,  but  cannot  stand. 

If  to  the  shore  I  cast  my  anxious  eye, 
There  broken  rocks  and  sand  commingled  lie, 
Mixed  with  the  wrecks  of  shells  and  weeds  and  wood, 
Crushed  by  the  storm  and  driven  by  the  flood. 

E'en  fishes  there,  high  cast  upon  the  shore, 
Yet  pant  with  life  and  stain  the  rocks  with  gore. 
Would  here  the  curious  eye  expect  to  meet 
Aught  precious  in  the  sands  beneath  his  feet, 
Ores,  gems,  or  crystals,  fitting  for  the  case, 
No  spot  affords  so  poor,  so  drear  a  place. 
Rough  rounded  stones,  the  sport  of  every  wind, 
Is  all  th'  inquirer  shall  with  caution  find. 
A  beach  unvaried  spreads  before  the  eye  ; 
Drear  is  the  land  and  stormy  is  the  sky. 

Would  the  fixed  eye,  that  dotes  on  sylvan  scenes, 
Draw  pleasure  from  these  dark  funereal  greens, 
These  stunted  cedars  and  low  scraggy  pines, 
Where  nature  stagnates  and  the  soil  repines — 


234  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Alas  1  the  source  is  small — small  every  bliss, 
That  e'er  can  dwell  on  such  a  place  as  this. 
Bleak,  barren,  sandy,  dreary,  and  confined, 
Bathed  by  the  waves  and  chilled  by  every  wind ; 
Without  a  flower  to  beautify  the  scene, 
Without  a  cultured  shore — a  shady  green — 
Without  a  harbor  on  a  dangerous  shore, 
Without  a  friond  to  joy  with  or  deplore. 
He  who  can  feel  one  lonely  ray  of  bliss 
In  such  a  thought-appalling  spot  as  this, 
His  mind  in  fogs  and  mists  must  ever  roll, 
Without  a  heart,  and  torpid  all  his  soul. 

About  three  o'clock  P.  M.  there  was  a  transient  gleam  of  sun 
shine,  and,  for  a  few  moments,  a  slight  abatement  of  wind.  I 
ordered  my  canoe  and  baggage  taken  inland  to  another  narrow 
little  bay,  having  issue  into  the  lake,  where  the  water  was  calm 
enough  to  permit  its  being  loaded ;  but  before  this  was  accom 
plished,  a  most  portentous  cloud  gathered  in  the  west,  and  the 
wind  arose  more  fierce  than  before.  Huron,  like  an  offended 
and  capricious  mistress,  seemed  to  be  determined,  at  last,  on 
fury,  and  threw  herself  into  the  most  extravagant  attitudes. 
I  again  had  my  tent  pitched,  and  sat  down  quietly  to  wait  till  the 
tempest  should  subside  ;  but  up  to  a  late  hour  at  night  the  ele 
mental  war  continued,  and,  committing  myself  to  the  Divine 
mercy,  I  put  out  my  candle  arid  retired  to  my  pallet. 

8th.  The  frowning  mistress,  Lake  Huron,  still  has  the  pouts. 
About  seven  o'clock  I  walked,  or  scrambled  my  way  through  close- 
matted  spruce  and  brambles  to  get  a  view  of  the  open  lake.  The 
force  of  the  waves  was  not,  perhaps,  much  different  from  the  day 
before,  but  they  were  directly  from  the  west,  and  blowing  directly 
down  the  lake.  Could  I  get  out  from  the  nook  of  a  bay  where  I 
was  encamped,  and  get  directly  before  them,  it  appeared  possible, 
with  a  close-reefed  sail,  to  go  on  my  way.  My  engagees  thought 
it  too  hazardous  to  try,  but  their  habitual  sense  of  obedience  to  a 
bourgeoise  led  them  to  put  the  canoe  in  the  water,  and  at  10  o'clock 
we  left  our  encampment  on  Outard  Point,  got  out  into  the  lake, 
not  without  imminent  hazard,  and  began  our  career  u  like  a  race 
horse"  for  the  Capes  of  the  St.  Mary's.  The  wind  blew  as  if 
"  'twad  blawn  its  last."  We  had  reefed  our  sail  to  less  than  four 
feet,  and  I  put  an  extra  man  with  the  steersman.  We  literally 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  235 

went  "on  the  wings  of  the  wind."  I  do  not  think  myself  ever  to 
have  run  such  hazards.  I  was  tossed  up  and  down  the  waves 
like  Sancho  Panza  on  the  blanket.  Three  hours  and  twenty  mi 
nutes  brought  me  to  Isle  St.  Vital,  behind  which  we  got  shelter. 
The  good  saint  who  presides  over  the  island  of  gravel  and  sand 
permitted  me  to  take  a  glass  of  cordial  from  my  basket,  and  to 
refresh  myself  with  a  slice  of  cold  tongue  and  a  biscuit.  A\Tho  this 
St.  Vital  may  have  been,  I  know  not,  having  been  brought  up  a 
Protestant ;  but  I  suppose  the  Catholic  calendar  would  tell.  If 
his  saintship  was  as  fond  of  good  living  as  some  of  his  friends  are 
said  to  be,  I  make  no  doubt  but  he  will  freely  forgive  this  trespass 
upon  his  territory.  Taking  courage  by  this  refreshment,  we  again 
put  out  before  the  gale,  and  got  in  to  the  De  Tour,  and  by  seven 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  were  safely  encamped  on  an  island  in  St.  Mary's 
Straits,  opposite  St.  Joseph's.  The  wind  was  here  ahead. 

On  entering  the  straits,  I  found  a  vessel  at  anchor.  On  coming 
alongside  it  proved  to  be  the  schooner  Harriet,  Capt.  Allen,  of 
Mont  Clemens,  on  her  way  from  the  Sault.  A  passenger  on  board 
says  that  he  was  at  Mr.  Johnston's  house  two  days  ago,  and  all 
are  well.  He  says  the  Chippewa  chiefs  arrived  yesterday.  Re 
gret  that  I  had  not  forwarded  by  them  the  letter  which  I  had 
prepared  at  the  Prairie  to  transmit  by  Mr.  Holliday,  when  I  sup 
posed  I  should  return  by  way  of  Chippewa  River  and  Lake 
Superior. 

I  procured  from  the  Harriet  a  whitefish,  of  which  I  have  just 
partaken  a  supper.  This  delicious  fish  is  always  a  treat  to  me, 
but  was  never  more  so  than  on  the  present  occasion.  I  landed 
here  fatigued,  wet,  and  cold,  but,  from  the  effects  of  a  cheerful 
fire,  good  news  from  home,  and  bright  anticipations  for  to-morrow, 
I  feel  quite  re-invigorated.  "  Tired  nature's  sweet  restorer"  must 
complete  what  tea  and  whitefish  have  so  successfully  begun. 

§th.  My  journal  has  no  entry  for  this  day,  but  it  brought  me 
safely  (some  40  miles)  to  my  own  domicil  at  "  Ehnwood."  The 
excitement  of  getting  back  and  finding  all  well  drove  away  almost 
all  other  thoughts. 

The  impressions  made  on  society  by  our  visit  to  New  York,  and 
the  circles  in  which  we  moved,  are  given  in  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Saml.  C.  Conant,  of  the  19th  July,  which  I  found  among  those 
awaiting  my  arrival.  To  introduce  a  descendant  of  one  of  the 


236  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

native  race  into  society,  as  had  been  done  in  my  choice,  was 
not  an  ordinary  event,  and  did  not  presuppose,  it  seems,  ordinary 
independence  of  character.  Her  grandfather,  by  the  maternal  side, 
had  been  a  distinguished  chief  of  his  nation  at  the  ancient  council- 
fire,  or  seat  of  its  government  at  Chegoimegon  and  Lapointe. 
By  her  father,  a  native  of  Antrim,  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  she 
was  connected  with  a  class  of  clergy  and  gentry  of  high  respecta 
bility,  including  the  Bishop  of  Dromore  and  Mr.  Saurin,  the 
Attorney-General  of  Ireland.  Two  very  diverse  sources  of  pride 
of  ancestry  met  in  her  father's  family — that  of  the  noble  and  free 
sons  of  the  forest,  and  that  of  ancestral  origin  founded  on  the 
notice  of  British  aristocracy.  With  me,  the  former  was  of  the 
highest  honor,  when  I  beheld  it,  as  it  was  in  her  case,  united  to 
manners  and  education  in  a  marked  degree  gentle,  polished,  re 
tiring,  and  refined.  No  two  such  diverse  races  and  states  of 
society,  uniting  to  produce  such  a  result,  had  ever  come  to  my 
notice,  and  I  was,  of  course,  gratified  when  any  persons  of  intel 
lect  and  refinement  concurred  in  the  wisdom  of  my  choice.  Such 
was  Mr.  Conant  and  his  family,  a  group  ever  to  be  remembered 
with  kindness  and  respect.  Having  passed  some  weeks  in  his 
family,  with  her  infant  boy  and  nurse,  during  my  absence  South, 
his  opportunities  for  judging  wrere  of  the  best  kind. 

u  If  you  will  suffer  me  to  indulge  the  expression  of  both  my  own 
and  Mrs.  Conant's  feelings,  lam  sure  that  you  cannot  but  be  pleased 
that  the  frankness  and  generosity  of  one,  and  the  virtues  and 
gentleness  of  the  other  of  you,  have  made  so  lively  an  impression 
on  our  hearts,  and  rendered  your  acquaintance  to  us  a  matter  of 
very  sweet  and  grateful  reflection.  Truly  modest  and  worthy 
persons  often  exhibit  virtues  and  possess  attainments  so  much 
allied  to  their  nature  as  to  be  themselves  unconscious  of  the 
treasures.  It  does  not  hurt  such  ones  to  be  informed  of  their  good 
qualities. 

"  When  I  first  visited  Mr.  Schoolcraft,  I  looked  about  for  his 
Indian  girl.  I  carried  such  a  report  to  my  wife  that  we  were 
determined  to  seek  her  acquaintance,  and  were  not  less  surprised 
than  recompensed  to  find  such  gentleness,  urbanity,  affection,  and 
intelligence,  under  circumstances  so  illy  calculated,  as  might  be 
supposed,  to  produce  such  amiable  virtues.  But  all  have  learned 
to  estimate  human  nature  more  correctly,  and  to  determine  that 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  237 

nature  herself,  not  less  than  the  culture  of  skillful  hands,  has  much 
to  do  with  the  refinement  and  polish  of  the  mind. 

"Mr.  S.'s  book  ('  Trav.  Cent.  Ports.  Miss.  Valley')  has  also 
received  several  generous  and  laudatory  notices ;  one  from  the 
U.  S.  Literary  Gazette,  printed  at  Boston.  I  saw  Gov.  Clinton, 
also,  who  spoke  very  highly  both  of  the  book  and  the  author.  He 
thought  that  Mr.  W.'s  ill-natured  critique  would  not  do  any  in 
jury  either  here  or  in  Europe." 

Oct.  23^?.  C.  C.  Trowbridge,  Esq.,  sends  me  a  copy  of  "  Guess' 
Cherokee  Alphabet.''  It  is,  with  a  few  exceptions,  syllabic. 
Eighty-four  characters  express  the  whole  language,  but  will  ex 
press  no  other  Indian  language. 

Maj.  John  Biddle  communicates  the  result  of  the  delegate  elec 
tion.  By  throwing  out  the  vote  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  the  election 
was  awarded  by  the  canvassers  to  Mr.  Wing. 

New  views  of  Indian  philology.  "  You  know,"  says  a  literary 
friend,  "  I  began  with  a  design  to  refute  the  calumnies  of  the 
Quarterly  respecting  our  treatment  of  the  Indians,  and  our  con 
duct  during  the  recent  war.  This  is  precisely  what  I  have  not 
done.  My  stock  of  materials  for  this  purpose  was  most  ample,  and 
the  most  of  the  labor  performed.  But  I  found  the  whole  could 
not  be  inserted  in  one  number,  and  no  other  part  but  this  could 
be  omitted  without  breaking  the  continuity  of  the  discussion.  I 
concluded,  therefore,  it  would  be  better  to  save  it  for  another 
article,  and  hereafter  remodel  it." 

28th.  Mr.  C.  writes  that  he  has  completed  his  review,  and 
transmits,  for  my  perusal,  some  of  the  new  parts  of  it.  "  I  also 
transmit  my  rough  draft  of  those  parts  of  the  review  which  relate 

to  Hunter,  to  Adelang's  survey,  and  to .  These  may  amuse 

an  idle  hour.  The  remarks  on are,  as  you  will  perceive? 

materially  altered.  The  alteration  was  rendered  necessary  by  an 
examination  of  the  work.  The  '  survey'  is  a  new  item,  and,  I 
think,  you  will  consider  the  occasion  of  it,  with  me,  a  precious 
specimen  of  Dutch  impudence  and  ignorance.  Bad  as  it  is,  it  is 
bepraised  and  bedaubed  by  that  quack  D.  as  though  it  were  written 
with  the  judgment  of  a  Charlevoix." 

This  article  utters  a  species  of  criticism  in  America  which  we 
have  long  wanted. 

It  breaks  the  ice  on  new  ground — the  ground  of  independent 


238  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

philosophical  thought  and  inquiry.  Truth  to  tell,  we  have  known 
very  little  on  the  philosophy  of  the  Indian  languages,  and  that 
little  has  been  the  re-echo  of  foreign  continental  opinions.  It  has 
been  written  without  a  knowledge  of  the  Indian  character  and 
history.  Its  allusions  have  mixed  up  the  tribes  in  double  confu 
sion.  Mere  synonyms  have  been  taken  for  different  tribes,  and 
their  history  and  language  has  been  criss-crossed  as  if  the  facts 
had  been  heaped  together  with  a  pitchfork.  Mr.  C.  has  made 
a  bold  stroke  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  better  and  truer  philo 
logical  basis,  which  must  at  last  prevail.  It  is  true  the  prestige 
of  respected  names  will  rise  up  to  oppose  the  new  views,  which,  I 
confess,  to  be  sustained  in  their  main  features  by  my  own  views 
and  researches  here  on  the  ground  and  in  the  midst  of  the  Indians, 
and  men  will  rise  to  sustain  the  old  views — the  original  literary 
mummery  and  philological  hocus-pocus  based  on  the  papers  and 
letters  and  blunders  of  Heckewelder.  There  was  a  great  predispo 
sition  to  admire  and  overrate  everything  relative  to  Indian  history 
and  language,  as  detailed  by  this  good  and  sincere  missionary  in 
his  retirement  at  Bethlehem.  He  was  appealed  to  as  an  oracle. 
This  I  found  by  an  acquaintance  which  I  formed,  in  1810,  with  the 
late  amiable  Dr.  Wistar,  while  rusticating  at  Bristol,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Delaware.  The  confused  letters  which  the  missionary  wrote 
many  years  later,  were  mainly  due  to  Dr.  Wistar's  philosophical  in 
terest  in  the  subject.  They  were  rewritten  and  thoroughly  revised 
and  systematized  by  the  learned  Mr.  Duponceau,  in  1816,  and  thus 
the  philological  system  laid,  which  wras  published  by  the  Penn. 
Hist.  Soc.  in  1819.  During  the  six  years  that  has  elapsed,  no 
body  has  had  the  facts  to  examine  the  system.  It  has  been  now 
done,  and  I  shall  be  widely  mistaken  if  this  does  not  prove  a  new 
era  in  our  Indian  philology. 

Whatever  the  review  does  on  this  head,  however,  and  admit 
ting  that  it  pushes  some  positions  to  an  ultra  point,  it  will  blow  the 
impostor  Hunter  sky  high.  His  book  is  an  utter  fabrication,  in 
which  there  is  scarcely  a  grain  of  truth  hid  in  a  bushel  of  chaff. 

Nov.  4^A.  Difficulties  have  arisen,  at  this  remote  post,  between 
the  citizens  and  the  military,  the  latter  of  whom  have  shown  a 
disposition  to  feel  power  and  forget  right,  by  excluding,  except 
with  onerous  humiliations,  some  citizens  from  free  access  to  the 
post-office.  In  a  letter  of  this  date,,  the  Postmaster-General  (Mr. 


~  -I 
PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  239 

McLean)  declines  to  order  the  office  to  be  kept  out  of  the  fort,  and 
thus,  in  effect,  decides  against  the  citizens.  How  very  unimportant 
a  citizen  is  1000  miles  from  the  seat  of  government !  The  national 
gegis  is  not  big  enough  to  reach  so  far.  The  bed  is  too  long  for 
the  covering.  A  man  cannot  wrap  himself  in  it.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  the  Postmaster-General  will  live  long  enough  to  find 
out  that  he  has  been  deceived  in  this  matter. 

29th.  Mr.  Conant,  of  New  York,  writes  :  "  I  hope  you  will  not 
fail  to  prosecute  your  Indian  inquiries  this  winter,  getting  out  of 
them  all  the  stories  and  all  the  Indian  you  can.  I  conclude  you 
hear  an  echo  now  and  then  from  the  big  world,  notwithstanding 
your  seclusion.  The  Creek  Delegation  is  at  Washington,  un 
friendly  to  the  late  treaty,  and  I  expect  some  changes  not  a  little 
interesting  to  the  aboriginal  cause.  Mr.  Adams  looks  at  his  '  red 
children'  with  a  friendly  eye,  and,  I  trust,  '  the  men  of  his  house,' 
as  the  Indian  orator  called  Congress,  will  prove  themselves  so.  I 
have  been  charmed  with  the  quietude  and  coolness  manifested  in 
Congress  in  reference  to  the  Georgia  business." 

And  with  these  last  words  from  the  civilized  world,  we  are  pre 
pared  to  plunge  into  another  winter,  with  all  its  dreary  accompani 
ments  of  ice  and  snow  and  tempests,  and  with  the  consoling  reflection 
that  when  our  poor  and  long-looked -for  monthly  express  arrives, 
we  can  get  our  letters  and  papers  from  the  office  after  duly  per 
forming  our  genuflections  to  a  petty  military  chief,  with  the  obse 
quiousness  of  a  Hindoo  to  the  image  of  Juggernaut. 


240  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

General  aspects  of  the  Indian  cause— Public  criticism  on  the  state  of  Indian 
researches,  and  literary  storm  raised  by  the  new  views — Political  rumor- 
Death  of  R.  Pettibone,  Esq. — Delegate  election—Copper  mines  of  Lake 
Superior— Instructions  for  a  treaty  in  the  North — Death  of  Mr.  Pettit — 
Denial  of  post-office  facilities— Arrival  of  commissioners  to  hold  the  Fond 
du  Lac  treaty— Trip  to  Fond  du  Lac  through  Lake  Superior —Treaty — 
Return — Deaths  of  John  Adams  and  Thomas  Jefferson. 

1826.  Feb.  1st.  THE  year  opens  with  unfavorable  symptoms 
for  the  Indian  cause.  The  administration  is  strong  in  Congress, 
and  the  President  favorable  to  the  Indian  view  of  their  right  to 
the  soil  they  occupy  east  of  the  Mississippi  until  it  is  acquired  by 
free  cession.  But  the  doctrine  of  state  sovereignty  contended 
for  by  Georgia,  seems  to  be  an  element  which  all  the  States  will, 
in  the  end,  unite  in  contending  for.  And  the  Creeks  may  settle 
their  accounts  with  the  fact  that  they  must  finally  go  to  the  West. 
This  is  a  practical  view  of  the  subject — a  sort  of  political  necessity 
which  seems  to  outride  everything  else.  Poetry  and  sympathy 
are  rode  over  roughshod  in  the  contest  for  the  race.  We  feel 
nothing  of  this  here  at  present,  but  it  is  only,  perhaps,  because  we 
are  too  remote  and  unimportant  to  waste  a  thought  about.  Happy 
insignificance  !  As  one  of  the  little  means  of  supporting  existence 
in  so  remote  a  spot,  and  keeping  alive,  at  the  same  time,  the  spark 
of  literary  excitement,  I  began,  in  December,  a  manuscript  jeu 
d1  esprit  newspaper,  to  be  put  in  covers  and  sent  from  house  to 
house,  with  the  perhaps  too  ambitious  cognomen  of  "  The  Literary 
Voyager." 

6th.  The  author  of  a  leading  and  pungent  critique  for  the 
North  American  Review,  writes  in  fine  spirits  from  Washington, 
and  in  his  usual  literary  tone  and  temper  about  his  review :  "  Dr. 
Sparks'  letter  will  show  you  his  opinion.  He  altered  the  manu 
script  in  some  places,  and  makes  me  say  of  what  I  do 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  241 

not  think  and  what  I  would  not  have  said.  But  let  that  pass.  I 
gave  him  carte  blanche,  so  I  have  no  right  to  find  fault  with 
his  exercise  of  his  discretion.  W.  is  in  a  terrible  passion.  He 
says  that  the  article  is  written  with  ability,  and  that  he  always 
entertained  the  opinion  expressed  in  the  review  of  Heckewelder's 

work.     But  he  is  provoked  at  the  comments  on 's  work,  and, 

above  all,  at  the  compliment  to  you.  Douglass,  who  is  here,  says 
this  is  merely  Philadelphia  versus  New  York,  and  that  it  is  a 
principle  with  the  former  to  puif  all  that  is  printed  there,  and  to 
decry  all  that  is  not." 

This  appears  to  have  been  known  to  Gov.  Clinton,  and  is  the 
ground  of  the  opinion  he  expressed  of  W.  to  Mr.  Conant. 

March  6th.  Col.  De  Garmo  Jones  writes  from  Detroit  that  it  is 
rumored  that  McLean  is  to  leave  the  General  Post-office  Depart 
ment,  and  to  be  appointed  one  of  the  United  States  Judges. 

Mr.  L.  Pettibone,  of  Missouri,  my  companion  in  exploring  the 
Ozark  Mountains  in  1818  and  1819,  writes  from  that  quarter  that 
his  brother,  Rufus  Pettibone,  Esq.,  of  St.  Louis,  died  on  the  31st 
July  last.  He  was  a  man  of  noble,  correct,  and  generous  senti 
ments,  who  had  practiced  law  with  reputation  in  Western  New 
York.  I  accompanied  him  and  his  family  on  going  to  the  Western 
country,  on  his  way  from  Olean  to  Pittsburgh.  His  generous  and 
manly  character  and  fair  talents,  make  his  death  a  loss  to  the 
community,  and  to  the  growing  and  enterprising  population  of  the 
West.  He  was  one  of  the  men  who  cheered  me  in  my  early  ex 
plorations  in  the  West,  and  ever  met  me  with  a  smile. 

7th.  My  sister  Maria  writes,  posting  me  up  in  the  local  news  of 
Detroit. 

9th.  Mr.  Trowbridge  informs  me  that  Congress  settled  the  con 
tested  delegate  question  by  casting  aside  the  Sault  votes.  We 
are  so  unimportant  that  even  our  votes  are  considered  as  worthless. 
However  that  may  be,  nothing  could  be  a  greater  misrepresenta 
tion  than  that  "  Indians  from  their  lodges  were  allowed  to  vote." 

14^.  Col.  Thomas  H.  Benton,  of  the  Senate,  writes  that  an 
appropriation  of  $10,000  has  been  granted  for  carrying  out  a 
clause  in  the  Prairie  du  Chien  treaty,  and  that  a  convocation  of 
the  Indians  in  Lake  Superior  will  take  place,  "  so  that  the  copper- 
mine  business  is  arranged." 

17 th.  Maj.  Joseph  Delafield,  of  New  York,  says  that  Baron 
16 


242  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Lederer  is  desirous  of  entering  into  an  arrangement  for  the  ex 
change  of  my  large  mass  of  Lake  Superior  copper,  for  mineral- 
ogical  specimens  for  the  Imperial  Cabinet  of  Vienna. 

April  ~LQth.  A  letter  from  the  Department  contains  incipient 
directions  for  convening  the  Indians  to  meet  in  council  at  the  head 
of  Lake  Superior,  and  committing  the  general  arrangements  for 
that  purpose  to  my  hands,  and,  indeed,  my  hands  are  already  full. 
Boats,  canoes,  supplies,  transportation  for  all  who  are  to  go,  and  a 
thousand  minor  questions,  call  for  attention.  A  treaty  at  Fond 
du  Lac,  500  miles  distant,  and  the  throwing  of  a  commissariat 
department  through  the  lake,  is  no  light  task. 

27^.  A  moral  question  of  much  interest  is  presented  to  me  in 
a  communication  from  the  Rev.  Alvan  Coe.  Of  the  disinterested 
nature  and  character  of  this  man's  benevolence  for  the  Indian 
race,  no  man  knowing  him  ever  doubted.  He  has  literally  been 
going  about  doing  good  among  them  since  our  first  arrival  here  in 
1822.  In  his  zeal  to  shield  them  from  the  arts  of  petty  traders, 
he  has  often  gone  so  far  as  to  incur  the  ill-will  and  provoke  the 
slanderous  tongues  of  some  few  people.  That  he  should  deem  it 
necessary  to  address  me  a  letter  to  counteract  such  rumors,  is  the 
only  thing  remarkable.  Wiser,  in  some  senses,  and  more  prudent 
people  in  their  worldly  affairs,  probably  exist ;  but  no  man  of  a 
purer,  simpler,  and  more  exalted  faith.  No  one  whom  I  ever 
knew  lives  less  for  "  the  rewards  that  perish."  Even  Mr.  Laird, 
whose  name  is  mentioned  in  these  records,  although  he  went  far 
beyond  him  in  talents,  gifts,  and  acquirements  of  every  sort,  had 
not  a  purer  faith,  yet  he  will,  like  that  holy  man,  receive  his  re 
wards  from  the  same  "Master." 

May  2d.  Mr.  Trowbridge  writes  me  of  the  death  of  Wm.  W. 
Pettit,  Esq.,  of  Detroit,  a  man  respected  and  admired.  He 
loaned  me  a  haversack,  suitable  for  a  loose  mineral  bag,  on  my 
expedition  in  1820. 

8th.  Difficulties  between  the  military  and  citizens  continue. 
The  Postmaster-General  declined,  on  a  renewed  memorial  of  the 
citizens,  to  remove  the  post-office  without  the  garrison.  He  says 
the  officers  have  evinced  "  much  sensibility"  on  the  subject,  and 
denied  that  "any  restraints  or  embarrassments"  have  been  im 
posed,  when  every  man  and  woman  in  the  settlement  knows  that 
the  only  way  to  the  post-office  lies  through  the  guard-house,  which 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  243 

is  open  and  shut  by  tap  of  drum.  Kestraints,  indeed !  Where  has 
the  worthy  Postmaster-General  picked  up  his  military  information? 

June  6th.  Definite  information  is  received  that  the  appropria 
tion  for  the  Lake  Superior  treaty  has  passed  Congress. 

10th.  Mr.  John  Agnew,  designated  a  special  agent  for  pre 
liminaries  at  Fond  du  Lac,  writes  of  his  prompt  arrival  at  that 
place  and  good  progress. 

Gov.  C.  writes  :  "  We  must  remove  the  copper-rock,  and,  there 
fore,  you  will  have  to  provide  such  ropes  and  blocks  as  may  be 
necessary." 

22 d.  The  citizens  on  this  frontier,  early  in  the  season,  petitioned 
the  Legislative  Council  for  the  erection  of  a  new  county,  embrac 
ing  the  Straits  of  St.  Mary's  and  the  Basin  of  Lake  Superior, 
proposing  to  call  it  Chippewa,  in  allusion  to  the  tribe  occupying 
it.  Maj.  Robert  A.  Forsyth,  of  Detroit,  M.  C.,  writes  of  the  suc 
cess  of  the  contemplated  measure. 

July  4ith.  The  proposed  treaty  of  Fond  du  Lac  has  filled  the 
place  with  bustle  for  the  last  month.  At  an  early  hour  this  morn 
ing  expectation  was  gratified  by  the  arrival  of  His  Excellency, 
Gov.  Cass,  accompanied  by  the  Hon.  Thomas  L.  McKenney, 
Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs.  They  reached  the  village  in 
boats  from  Mackinac. 

These  gentlemen  are  appointed  by  the  President  to  hold  the 
conferences  at  Fond  du  Lac. 

~LQth.  Everything  has  been  put  in  requisition  for  the  last  six 
days  fo  facilitate  the  necessary  embarkation.  Jason  could  not 
have  been  more  busy  in  preparing  for  his  famous  expedition  to 
Argos.  The  military  element  of  the  party  consisted  of  a  company 
of  the  2d  Infantry,  with  its  commissariat  and  medical  department, 
numbering,  all  told,  sixty-two  men.  It  was  placed  under  the 
command  of  Capt.  Boardman.  They  embarked  in  three  twelve- 
oared  barges,  and  formed  the  advance.  The  provisions,  presents 
of  goods,  and  subsistence  supplies  of  the  commissioners'  table, 
occupied  four  boats,  and  went  next.  I  proceeded  in  a  canoe 
allege  with  ten  men,  with  every  appendage  to  render  the  trip  conve 
nient  and  agreeable.  Col.  McKenney,  struck  with  "  the  coach- 
and-six"  sort  of  style  of  this  kind  of  conveyance,  determined  to  take 
a  seat  with  me,  and  relying  upon  our  speed  and  capacity  to  overtake 
the  heavy  boats,  we  embarked  a  day  later.  The  whole  expedition, 


244  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

with  flags  and  music,  was  spread  out  over  miles,  and  formed  an 
impressive  and  imposing  spectacle  to  the  natives,  who  saw  their 
"  closed  lake,"  as  Superior  was  called  in  1820,  yield  before  the 
Anglo-Saxon  power.  The  weather  was  fine,  the  scenery  enchant 
ing,  and  the  incidents  such  as  might  fill  a  volume.*  We  were 
eighteen  days  in  traversing  the  lake  by  its  shores  and  bays.  The 
distance  is  about  530  miles,  which  gives  an  average  of  thirty  miles 
per  day. 

On  reaching  the  post  of  Fond  du  Lac,  of  St.  Louis,  near  the 
point  where  that  bold  stream  deploys  below  the  Cabotian  Moun 
tains,  f  we  found  a  large  assemblage  of  Indians  from  every  part  of 
the  wide-spread  Chippewa  territories.  It  embraced  delegations 
from  the  extreme  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  the  Rainy  Lake  bor 
ders,  and  Old  Grand  Portage,  besides  the  entire  American  borders 
of  Lake  Superior  and  the  Rice  Lake  region,  the  sources  of  the 
Wisconsin,  Chippewa,  and  St.  Croix  valleys.  The  negotiations 
were  held  under  a  large  bower,  supported  by  posts,  and  provided 
with  rude  seats.  The  principles  of  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  of 
1825,  were  fully  explained  and  assented  to.  They  ceded  the  right 
to  explore  and  take  away  the  native  copper  and  copper-ores,  and  to 
work  the  mines  and  minerals  in  the  country.  They  agreed  to  sur 
render  the  murderers  still  inland,  who  belonged  to  the  misguided 
war  party  of  1824.  They  fully  acknowledged  the  sovereign  author 
ity  of  the  United  States,  and  disclaimed  all  connection  whatever 
with  foreign  powers.  They  stipulated  that  the  boundary  lines  of  the 
treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien  should  be  carried  out  in  1827  with  the 
Menomonies  and  Winnebagoes,  in  the  region  of  the  sources  of  the 
Fox,  Wisconsin,  and  Menornonee  rivers.  They  provided  for  an  In 
dian  school  at  St.  Mary's,  and  made  some  further  important  stipu 
lations  respecting  their  advance  in  the  arts  and  education,  through 
the  element  of  their  half-breeds.  The  effects  of  this  treaty  were  to 
place  our  Indian  relations  in  this  quarter  on  a  permanent  basis,  and 
to  ensure  the  future  peace  of  the  frontier.  My  agency  was  now 
fixed  on  a  sure  basis,  and  my  influence  fully  established  among  the 

*  Vide  "  Sketches  of  a  Tour  to  the  Lakes,  of  the  Character  and  Customs 
of  the  Chippewa  Indians,  and  of  Incidents  connected  with  the  Treaty  of  Fond 
du  Lac,  by  Thomas  L.  McKenney."  Baltimore,  Fielding  Lucas,  1827  ;  one 
vol.  8vo.,  493  pp. 

f  From  Cabot. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  245 

tribes.  During  the  treaty  I  had  been  the  medium  of  placing  about 
forty  silver  medals,  of  the  first,  second,  and  third  classes,  on  the 
necks  of  the  chiefs.  A  list  of  their  names  is  appended. 

While  the  Commissioners  were  engaged  in  the  treaty,  an  effort 
was  made,  under  their  direction,  to  get  out  the  large  copper- 
boulder  on  the  Ontonagon.  It  was  entrusted  to  Col.  Clemens,  of 
Mount  Clemens,  and  a  Mr.  Porter.  The  trucks  and  ropes  taken 
inland  by  them  proved  inadequate.  They  then  piled  up  the  dry 
trees  in  the  valley  on  the  rock,  and  set  them  on  fire.  They  found 
this  effort  to  melt  it  inefficacious.  They  then  poured  on  water 
from  the  river  on  whose  brink  it  lays.  This  cracked  off  some  of 
the  adhering  rock.  And  this  attempt  to  mutilate  and  falsify  the 
noblest  specimen  of  native  copper  on  the  globe  was  the  result  of 
this  effort. 

The  whole  expedition  re-embarked  on  the  9th  of  August,  and 
being  now  relieved  of  its  heavy  supplies  and  favored  with  winds, 
returned  to  the  Sault  St.  Marie  on  the  18th  of  that  month. 

No  sooner  were  we  arrived  at  St.  Mary's  than  we  were  informed 
of  the  remarkable  coincident  deaths,  on  the  4th  July,  1826,  of 
John  Adams  and  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  second  and  third  Pre 
sidents  of  the  United  States. 

Among  the  letters  accumulated  during  my  absence,  was  one 
of  Aug.  2d,  from  Gov.  Clinton,  requesting  some  wild  rice  for 
foreign  distribution. 

Another  one  was  from  my  excellent  friefld  Conant,  of  N.  Y.,  who, 
with  a  fine  sensitive  mind,  just  appreciation  of  facts,  and  no  ordi 
nary  capacity,  appears  to  be  literally  breaking  down  in  health  and 
spirits,  although  still  a  young  man.  In  a  joint  letter  to  Mrs.  S. 
and  myself,  he  says:  "It  appears  you  do  not  escape  afflictions 
and  visitations  to  teach  you  '  how  frail  you  are,'  how  liable  at  any 
moment  to  render  up  to  Him  who  gave  them,  your  spirit  and  your 
life.  Mr.  S.,"  he  adds,  in  evident  allusion  to  my  excess  of 
"  hope,"  "firm  in  body  and  ambitious  in  his  pursuits,  does  not,  I 
suppose,  give  over  yet,  and  can  scarcely  understand  how  anybody 
should  tire  of  life,  and  look  at  its  pursuits  with  disgust." 

Among  my  unread  letters  was  one,  Aug.  28th,  from  a  Mr. 
Myer  and  Mr.  Cocke,  of  Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  who 
propose  to  establish  a  periodical  to  be  called  "  The  Potomac 
Magazine,"  and  solicit  contributions.  These  abortive  attempts  to 


246  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

establish  periodicals  by  unknown  men  are  becoming  more  frequent 
as  population  increases  in  the  land.  It  is  felt  truly  that  the  num 
ber  of  readers  must  increase,  but  it  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that 
they  will  read  anything  but  the  very  best  matter  from  the  first 
sources,  European  and  American.  It  is,  at  any  rate,  a  mistake 
to  suppose  that  a  man  who  has  attained  reputation  in  any  branch 
of  science,  literature,  or  general  knowledge,  should  not  seek  the 
highest  medium  of  communicating  it,  or  that  he  would  throw  away 
his  time  and  efforts  in  writing  for  these  mere  idealities  of  maga 
zines  without  the  strong  inducements  of  either  fame,  money,  or,  at 
least,  personal  friendship. 

E.  A.  Brush,  Esq.,  of  Detroit,  writes  (Aug.  28th)  from  Mack- 
inac,  that  honors  were  performed  that  day  by  the  military  authori 
ties  on  the  island,  in  commemoration  of  the  deaths  of  Adams  and 
Jefferson.  "  The  obsequies  have  this  morning  commenced  here  ; 
but  at  this  moment  it  is  rather  difficult  to  select  the  report  of  a 
cannon,  at  intervals  of  half  an  hour,  from  the  claps  of  thunder  at 
those  of  half  a  minute.'' 

Aug.  20th.  Mr.  Robert  Stuart,  agent  of  the  A.  M.  Fur  Co., 
writes  a  letter  of  congratulations  on  the  good  policy  to  result  from 
placing  a  sub-agent  at  La  Pointe,  in  Lake  Superior,  a  location 
where  the  interior  tricks  of  the  trade  may  be  reported  for  the  no 
tice  of  the  government.  The  selection  of  the  sub-agent  appointed 
by  Commissioner  McKenney  is  gall  and  wormwood  to  him.  He 
strives  to  conceal  the  deep  chagrin  he  feels  at  the  selection  of 
Mr.  George  Johnston  as  the  incumbent. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  247 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

Epidemical  condition  of  the  atmosphere  at  Detroit' — Death  of  Henry  J.  Hunt 
and  A.  G.  Whitney,  Esqrs. — Diary  of  the  visits  of  Indians  at  St.  Mary's 
Agency — Indian  affairs  on  the  frontier  under  the  supervision  of  Col.  Mc- 
Kenney — Criticisms  on  the  state  of  Indian  questions — Topic  of  Indian 
eloquence — State  of  American  researches  in  natural  science — Dr.  Saml.  L. 
Mitchell. 

1826.  September.  SICKNESS,  which  often  assumed  a  mortal 
type,  broke  out  during  this  month  at  Detroit,  and  carried  away 
many  of  its  most  esteemed  citizens.  Col.  McKenney  writes  (Sep. 
13th)  that  the  Commissioners  reached  that  place  from  Mackinac 
in  ten  days,  and  that  an  alarming  sickness  prevails — one  hundred 
cases  !  Among  the  latter  is  Mrs.  Judge  Hunt,  an  esteemed  lady. 

Gov.  C.  (Sep.  14th)  announces  the  death  of  Col.  Henry  J. 
Hunt,  one  of  the  most  respectable  citizens  ;  a  man  who,  for  many 
years,  has  occupied  a  position  of  the  highest  respect  and  esteem. 
His  honor,  integrity,  and  general  usefulness,  urbanity  of  manners 
and  kindness  to  all  classes,  have  never  been  called  in  question, 
and  his  loss  to  society  will  create  a  vacancy  which  will  long  be 
felt.  Called  away  suddenly,  his  death  has  produced  a  shock  in 
all  classes,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest. 

Edmund  A.  Brush,  Esq.,  writes  (Sept.  17th):  "Our  unhappy 
mortality  prevails."  On  the  23d,  he  says:  "Mr.  Whitney  has 
been  lying  at  the  point  of  death  for  the  last  ten  or  twelve  days. 
We  hope  he  begins  to  improve."  These  hopes  were  delusive.  He 
died.  Mr.  Whitney  had  been  abroad ;  he  was  an  assiduous  and 
talented  advocate — a  native  of  Hudson,  N.  Y. — was  on  the  high 
road  to  political  distinction — a  moral  man  and  a  public  loss. 

I  amused  myself  this  fall  by  keeping  notes  of  the  official  visits 
of  my  Indian  neighbors.  They  may  denote  the  kind  of  daily 
wants  against  which  this  people  struggle. 

Oct.  2d.  Monetogeezhig  complained  that  he  had  not  been  able 


248  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

to  take  any  fish  for  several  days,  and  solicited  some  food  for  him 
self  and  family,  being  five  persons.  The  dress  and  general 
appearance  of  himself  and  wife  and  the  children,  nearly  naked, 
bore  evidence  to  the  truth  of  his  repeated  expressions,  that  they 
were  "poor,  very  poor,  and  hungry."  He  also  presented  a  kettle 
and  an  axe  to  be  repaired.  I  gave  him  a  ticket  on  the  Agency 
blacksmith,  and  caused  sixteen  rations  of  flour  and  pork  to  be 
issued  to  him. 

3d.  The  petty  chief,  Cheegud,  with  his  wife  and  two  children, 
arrived  from  Lake  Superior,  and  reported  that  since  leaving  the 
Taquimenon  he  had  killed  nothing.  While  inland,  he  had  broken 
his  axe  and  trap.  This  young  chief  is  son-in-law  of  Shingauba 
Wossin,  principal  chief  of  the  Chippewas.  He  is  one  of  the  home 
band,  has  been  intimate  at  the  agency  from  its  establishment,  and 
is  very  much  attached  to  the  government.  He  attended  the 
treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  in  1825,  and  the  treaty  of  Fond  du 
Lac,  in  1826,  and  received  at  the  latter  a  medal  of  the  third  size. 
He  has  always  properly  appreciated  the  presents  given  him,  and 
by  his  temperate,  consistent,  and  respectable  course  of  life,  merited 
attention.  Directed  a  ticket  on  the  shop  and  twenty  rations. 

6th.  An  Indian  woman,  wife  of  Sirdeland,  a  resident  Canadian, 
in  very  low  circumstances,  and  living  in  the  Indian  mode,  requested 
a  kettle  to  be  mended.  My  rule,  in  cases  of  this  sort,  excludes 
Indian  females  who  are  under  the  protection  of'  Canadian  hus 
bands  from  a  participation  in  the  presents  distributed  at  the  office. 
But  it  is  proper  to  make  exceptions,  in  some  instances,  where 
repairs  of  ironwork  are  solicited.  Directed  a  ticket  on  the  black 
smith. 

13th.  Issued  to  Waykwauking  and  family  twelve  rations. 

16th.  Shingwaukoance,  The  Little  Pine  (17th  July,  1822,  first 
visit),  accompanied  by  twenty  persons,  visited  the  office.  This  is 
one  of  the  signers  of  the  Treaty  of  St.  Mary  of  1820,  where  his  mark 
is  prefixed  to  his  French  name,  Augustin  Bart.  He  told  me  he 
had  come  to  visit  me,  attended  with  all  his  young  men,  and  re 
quested  I  would  listen  to  what  he  had  to  say.  He  made  a  speech 
at  great  length,  in  which  he  recapitulated  his  good  offices  and 
exertions  towards  the  Americans,  from  the  time  of  Gov.  Cass's 
arrival  in  1820.  He  stated  that  a  plot  had  then  been  formed  to 
cut  off  the  Gov.'s  party,  and  that  he  and  Mr.  G.  Johnston  had 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  249 

been  instrumental  in  thwarting^he  design.  He  was  glad  to  see 
the  fire  I  had  lighted  up  here  in  1822  was  kept  burning,  that 
the  Indians  might  come  and  warm  themselves  by  it.  He  had  now 
determined  to  come  and  live  permanently  on  the  American  side  of 
the  river,  and  put  himself  under  my  protection. 

He  repeated  his  friendship,  and  gave  a  "parole"  of  blue  wam 
pum  to  confirm  his  words.  One  of  his  party  then  lighted  a  pipe 
and  handed  it  to  me  to  smoke  in  the  usual  manner.  Caused 
tobacco  and  sixty  rations  of  food  to  be  distributed  among  'his 
band. 

20th.  Oshawano  solicited  food,  declaring  that  his  boys  had  not 
been  able  to  take  any  fish  from  the  rapids  for  several  days.  This 
is  an  old  man,  and  a  chief  resident  at  St.  Mary's.  I  told  him  that 
it  was  not  my  practice,  which  he  knew,  to  issue  provision  to  the 
families  of  fishermen  during  the  fishing  season,  and  that  I  expected 
his  children  to  supply  him;  that,  besides,  he  was  one  of  the  per 
sons  who  had  visited  the  B.  Post  at  D.  Isd.  during  the  last  summer, 
and  that  he  knew  I  made  no  presents  of  any  kind  to  Indians  who 
received  presents  there;  that  if  he  went  to  his  B.  father  in  the 
summer,  when  it  was  pleasant  weather,  he  must  also  go  in  the  fall 
and  winter,  when  the  weather  was  bad ;  that  if  they  gave  him 
presents  of  goods,  they  must  also  give  him  food.  He  looked 
very  grave,  and,  after  a  short  silence,  said  that  he  had  got  little 
or  nothing  at  D.  I.  He  said  his  home  was  here,  and  he  was  very 
poor,  &c.  Knowing,  from  personal  observation,  that  he  was  suf 
fering  for  food,  I  ordered  twenty-six  rations. 

21s£.  Cheegud  came  to  say  that  he  was  about  to  go  to  his  winter 
ing  grounds,  and  wished  some  provisions  to  commence  the  journey. 
This  young  chief  has  been  welcomed  at  the  agency,  and  is  friendly 
to  the  American  government.  He  attended  the  treaties  of 
P.  D.  C.  and  F.  du  Lac;  at  the  latter  he  received  a  medal. 
He  has  always  appreciated  attentions,  and  by  his  sober,  consist 
ent,  and  respectful  course  of  life,  merits  the  notice  of  the  office. 
I  gave  him  some  necessary  ironwork,  a  knife,  tobacco,  ammunition, 
provisions  (18). 

236?.  Visited  by  Shingauwosh  (4  p.) 

24th.  Akeewayzee  (4  per.) 

26th.  Keewikoance  and  band,  eleven  persons.     This  is  a  chief 


250  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

residing  on  the  lower  part  of  the  ^ver  St.  Mary.  Having  visited 
him  last  spring,  he  gave  me  an  ancient  clay  pot,  such  as  the  In 
dians  used  before  the  arrival  of  Europeans.  He  told  me  he  was 
the  seventh  chief,  in  a  direct  line,  since  the  French  first  arrived. 
He  and  his  band  plant  some  corn  and  potatoes  upon  an  island.  He 
appears  a  sensible  discreet  man,  and  has  a  good  deal  of  the  pride 
and  dignity  of  the  Indian  character.  He  is  in  the  British  interest, 
and  his  feelings  are  all  that  way,  being  always  received  at  D. 
I.  with  marked  attention.  He  has  a  British  medal,  but  wishes  to 
keep  on  friendly  terms  here. 

28t7i.  Metosh  came  in  the  office  and  said  :  "  My  father,  I  am  very 
poor ;  I  have  nothing,  not  even  an  axe  to  cut  wood.  Show  me 
pity."  Thirteen  rations. 

30th.  Visited  by  Wayishkee,  a  chief,  having  a  medal  of  the  first 
class,  formerly  of  La  Pointe,  in  Lake  Superior,  and  of  an  ancient 
line  of  chiefs,  but  for  the  last  three  years  a  resident  of  St.  Mary's. 
He  had  a  wife  and  nine  children.  Has  been  in  the  constant  habit 
of  visiting  the  office  since  its  establishment ;  but  it  is  only  within 
the  last  year  that  he  has  given  up  visiting  D.  I.  He  is  one  of  the 
signers  of  the  treaty  of  St.  Mary.  He  attended  the  treaty  of  F. 
du  Lac  last  summer.  Received  a  medal  and  flag  from  me  in  the 
spring.  Is  a  good  hunter  and  a  kind  and  affectionate  parent. 
Had  all  his  children  by  one  wife.  Came  to  inform  me  that  he  was 
on  his  way  to  make  his  first  hunt  on  Red  Carp  river,  L.  S.  Gave 
him  ironwork,  &c. 

30th.  Neegaubeyun,  The  West  Wind,  a  chief  by  descent  of  the 
home  band  ;  is  a  man  about  forty ;  has  lost  one  eye  ;  much  given 
to  intemperance,  and  generally  badly  clothed ;  will  sometimes  labor 
for  whisky;  visits  D.  I.  every  season.  In  consequence  of  his  poor 
character  and  political  bias,  has  never  been  recognized  by  me  as  a 
chief,  nor  honored  with  the  marks  of  one.  He  said  that  he  was  poor, 
and  did  not  come  to  trouble  me  often,  and  hoped  I  would  show  him 
charity.  I  told  him  he  must  not  construe  my  charity  into  appro 
bation  of  his  conduct,  particularly  his  visits  to  D.  I.,  which  were  dis 
pleasing  to  me  and  had  been  forbidden  by  his  American  Father  (3b.) 

30f/i.  Muckudaywuckooneyea.  This  is  a  young  man  about  18. 
His  father  was  a  steady  friend  to  the  American  cause  even  during 
the  late  war,  and  many  years  before  an  Agent  resided  here.  He 
had  received  a  Jefferson  medal  at  Detroit ;  was  drowned  in  the  St. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  251 

Mary  a  few  years  ago.  The  son  has  been  an  irregular  visitor  at 
the  office  for  the  last  four  years,  and  is  ambitious  to  be  invested 
with  the  authority  of  his  father,  but  possesses  neither  age,  ability, 
or  discretion.  In  consequence  of  his  visiting  D.  I-.,  contrary  to 
my  request  and  his  promise,  I  took  away  his  father's  medal  from 
him,  in  1823,  hanging  it  up  in  my  office,  and  telling  him  when  he 
was  worthy  of  it,  and  not  before,  he  should  have  it.  His  conduct 
of  late  has  been  more  considerate,  and  his  professions  of  friend 
ship  for  the  American  government  are  profuse;  but  he  has  not 
ceased  his  Canada  visits.  Ten  rations. 

Nov.  5th.  Ketuckeewagauboway.  This  being  Sunday,  I  told 
him  he  knew  very  well  that  I  never  listened  to  Indians  on  the 
Prayer  Day  unless  they  were  just  come  from  a  journey,  £c.  He 
went  away,  saying  he  had  forgot,  &c. 

6th.  Oshkinaway  and  brother,  18  p.,  of  the  British  shore. 
Brought  a  present  of  some  partridges. 

Yth.  Metacosegay.  This  man  resides  the  greater  part  of  the 
time  on  the  Canadian  side  of  the  river,  but  hunts  often  on  the 
American  shore.  He  resided  many  years  ago  with  a  French 
family  at  St.  Mary,  and  has  imbibed  something  of  the  French 
taste  and  manners,  always  wearing  an  ornamental  hat,  and  mak 
ing  a  bow  on  entering  and  leaving  the  office.  He  has  been  in  the 
regular  habit  of  visiting  me  from  the  year  1822,  and  generally 
applies  for  what  is  termed  nwappo  on  setting  out  for  his  fall  and 
winter  hunts.  His  elder  wife,  for  he  has  two,  is  a  Sioux  slave, 
taken  in  youth.  (3,  12  r.) 

1th.  Nauwequay  Wegauboway.     (4,  20.) 

Qth.  This  day  Bisconaosh  visited  me  for  the  first  time  since  my 
residence  here.  He  came  with  his  wife  and  two  children.  This 
man  is  of  the  ancient  band  of  the  Falls,  but  being  strongly  attached 
to  the  British  government,  has  been  shy  of  approaching  me. 
This  has  been  taken  advantage  of  by  Mr.  E.,  a  trader  on  the 
opposite  shore,  who  told  him  the  Americans  would  cause  him  to 
be  whipped,  with  other  idle  stuff  of  that  sort,  if  he  came  over.  He 
stated  these  facts  as  the  cause  for  his  not  coming  earlier  to  see 
me,  and  said  he  was  anxious  to  return  to  the  seat  of  his  forefathers, 
&c.  Presented  him  with  an  axe,  pair  of  spears,  ice-chisel,  knife, 
and  a  couple  of  flints,  and  with  sixteen  rations  of  flour,  pork, 
and  beans. 


252  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

10th.  Ketuckeewagauboway.  This  is  a  resident  Indian  of  this 
place.  He  is  a  fisherman  during  the  summer,  and  scarcely  ever 
does  more  in  the  winter  than  to  snare  hares  or  kill  partridges, 
which  he  exposes  for  sale.  He  also  makes  snow-shoes,  &c.  He 
is  intemperate  and  improvident,  wasting  in  liquor  what  would  be 
useful  to  his  family  if  laid  out  for  provisions,  &c.  It  is  impossible 
to  avoid  issues  to  such  persons  occasionally.  Advice  and  reproof 
lie  always  takes  well,  acknowledges  their  justice  with  good  nature, 
and  is  even  facetiously  pleasant.  This  man  used  formerly  to  come 
to  the  office  intoxicated ;  but  my  undeviating  rule  of  listening  to 
no  Indian  in  that  state,  has  had  good  effect. 

~LOth.  Kewazee,  a  fisherman  in  the  fall,  a  hunter  in  the  winter, 
is  the  eldest  son  of  the  old  hereditary  chief  Oshawano.  Keeps 
himself  well  clothed,  and  supports  his  family  of  four  persons  com 
fortably  in  the  Indian  way.  Having  concluded  to  stop  fishing  for 
the  season,  he  came  to  solicit  some  provision  to  go  inland.  This 
is  one  of  the  home  band  who  adheres  to  the  American  government, 
and  has  entirely  broken  off  all  visits  to  D.  I.,  even  contrary  to  the 
practice  of  his  father  and  all  the  other  members  of  his  family. 

13fA.  lawbeance,  The  Little  Male,  a  young  man. 

~L4:th.  Margret,  wife  of  Metakoosega,  came  in  the  name  of  her 
husband,  confined  by  a  sore  hand  and  unable  to  work.  3,  10. 

1.5th.  Wabishkipenaysee,  6,  18,  an  Ontonagon  Indian,  who 
thinks  he  is  abandoned  by  his  Manito. 

IQth.  Naugitshigome  and  band,  12,  48.  This  is  an  old  man,  a 
chief  by  descent,  but  has  neither  medal  nor  flag  from  the  British  or 
American  government.  His  followers,  consisting  of  some  rela 
tions,  entitle  him  to  some  -respect,  although  his  foreign  attachments 
have  prevented  my  receiving  him  as  a  chief.  His  visits  are,  how 
ever,  constant,  and  he  professes  himself  friendly.  His  prejudices 
have  evidently  given  way  a  good  deal,  and  the  kindness  and 
charity  shown  to  him,  mixed  with  admonition,  have  produced  a 
sensible  change  in  his  feelings. 

18th.   Caubaonaquet,  6,  36. 

2~Lst.  Moazomonee,  4,  14,  of  St.  Croix,  L.  S.,  made  a  speech, 
stating  the  circumstances  which  brought  him  down,  and  imploring 
charity  in  clothes,  &c.  Presented  a  pipe  to  him  ;  gave  him  an  axe, 
spears,  chisel,  fire-steel,  leggings,  &c. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  253 

Caugaugee,  Little  Crow,  4,  12,  a  son-in-law  of  Nau- 
gitchigome,  brought  some  hares  as  a  present. 

27^/4.  Ochipway,  a  stout,  athletic  young  Indian,  having  a  wife 
and  children.  He  said  his  youngest  child  was  ill,  and  requested 
a  physician  to  be  sent  to  see  him. 

27th.  Negaubeyun,  12,  36. 

Oshawano.  Told  him  to  come  some  other  time.  Axe  and 
spears. 

29th.  Akewaizee  applied  for  provisions  and  an  axe,  saying  his 
axe  had  been  stolen ;  that  he  wished  to  go  down  the  river.  I 
taxed  him  with  selling  his  axe  for  liquor,  but  he  denied  this,  saying 
that  he  never  sold  what  he  received  as  presents,  and  that  it  was 
stolen  while  he  was  fishing.  Gave  him  an  axe,  with  an  injunction 
that  he  must  take  better  care  of  it  than  he  did  of  the  last.  Ten 
rations. 

30fA.  Metacosseguay  and  wife.  Said  he  had  not  been  able  to 
hunt  or  fish  for  some  time,  and  had  been  disappointed  in  getting 
flour  for  some  fish  he  had  sold ;  that  the  trader  had  promised  him 
flour  when  the  vessel  came,  but  no  vessel  had-come.  This  being  the 
third  visit  of  this  man  and  family  within  three  weeks,  I  told  him 
that  while  he  was  unwell  I  had  given  him,  but  now  he  was  able  to 
hunt  or  trap  or  fish,  he  must  do  so ;  that  he  came  to  me  too  often, 
and  sometimes  after  he  had  sold  the  avails  of  his  hunt,  and  taken 
the  whole  in  liquor,  he  relied  upon  me  for  provisions  ;  that  I  saw 
clearly  what  was  going  on  about  me,  and  he  could  not  deceive  me 
by  idle  stories,  &c.  ;  that  he  was  constantly  calling  me  father,  and 
entreating  me  to  look  upon  him  as  a  child,  and  I  did  so,  not  only 
in  giving,  but  also  in  refusing ;  that  reasonable  children  did  not 
trouble  their  fathers  too  often,  and  never  requested  anything  but 
when  they  were  really  in  need,  &c.  I  ordered  him  a  plug  of  to 
bacco,  and  told  him  to  go  to  his  lodge  and  smoke  upon  my  words, 
and  he  would  find  them  good.  He  went  away  seemingly  as  well 
pleased  as  if  I  had  met  his  requests,  shaking  me  and  my  inter 
preter  cordially  by  the  hand,  and  his  Avife  dropping  a  curtsey  as 
she  left  the  office. 

30th.  Moazomonee,  nephew,  and  brother-in-law,  came  for  some 
muskrat  traps  I  had  promised  him  on  his  last  visit.  As  this  man 
belongs  to  a  band  on  the  head  of  River  St.  Croix,  700  miles 
inland,  and  will  return  there  in  the  spring,  the  opinions  he  may 


254  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

imbibe  of  our  government  may  have  an  important  influence  with 
his  relatives,  and  I  therefore  determined  to  make  a  favorable  im 
pression  upon  him  by  issuing  some  presents.  In  his  lodge  are  four 
men,  three  women,  and  a  number  of  children.  Issued  sixteen  ra 
tions. 

Deer.  1st.   Cath.  and  Gikkaw  applied  for  awls. 
2d.  Oshawano  and  his  youngest  son.     Said  he  had  three  daugh 
ters  who  had  to  cut  wood  every  day,  and  had  no  axe  of  their  own ; 
.that  he  was  in  want  of  an  ice- chisel ;  fever  in  family.     Gave  him 
twenty  rations.     Thanked  me  and  bade  me  good-day. 

4th.  Caubamossa,  nephew,  wife,  and  child.     Twelve  rations. 

"     Odawau.     Refused   provisions.      Elder  brother  to   Osha 
wano,  alias  Weenekiz. 

"     Getsha  Akkewaize.     Refused  provisions.     Told  him  that 
on  account  of  visits  to  D.  I.,  &c. 

"     Moazonee  came  for  traps  promised  him,  also  a  knife  and 
fire-steel.     Told  him  to  hunt  assiduously,  but  if  he  could  procure 
nothing,  to  come  to  me  for  provisions. 
1th.  Merchand.     Old  iron  to  mend. 

"     Nauwaquaygahig.     12,  axe,  &c. 
9th.  Namewunagunboway.     12. 
"     Merchand.     Twenty  rations,  five  persons. 
"     Meesho. 

13th.  Ketetckeewagauboway.     Axe  and  spears. 
"      Gitshee  Ojibway. 
"      Metackossegay. 

11th.  Naugitchigorne  called  at  house.  Sent  off  with  a  repri 
mand  never  to  call  on  Sunday. 

18th.  laubence  brought  some  birds.  Gave  rations. 
My  correspondence  during  the  autumn  was  by  no  means  neglect 
ed.  Col.  McKenney,  Com.  Ind.  Affairs,  writes  (Oct.  17th)  in  his 
usual  friendly  vein.  The  official  influence  of  his  visit  to  this  remote 
portion  of  the  country  is  seen  in  several  things.  He  has  placed 
a  sub-agent  at  La  Pointe.  He  has  approved  the  agent's  course 
of  policy  pursued  here,  and  placed  the  Indian  affairs  generally  on 
a  better  basis. 

In  his  "sketches"  of  his  recent  tour,  he  seeks  to  embody  per 
sonal  and  amusing  things  which  daily  befell  the  party — matters 
upon  which  he  was  quite  at  home.  I  had  mentioned  to  him,  while 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  255 

here,  that  the  time  and  labor  necessary  to  collect  information  on 
Indian  topics,  of  a  literary  character,  imposed  a  species  of  re 
search  worthy  of  departmental  patronage;  that  I  was  quite  will 
ing  to  contribute  in  this  way,  and  to  devote  my  leisure  moments 
to  further  researches  on  the  aboriginal  history  and  languages,  if 
the  government  would  appropriate  means  to  this  end.  I  took  the 
occasion  to  put  these  views  in  writing,  and,  by  way  of  earnest, 
enclosed  him  part  of  a  vocabulary. 

Nov.  list.  The  false  views  of  Indian  history  and  philology,  en 
gendered  in  some  degree  by  the  misapprehensions  of  Mr.  Hecke- 
welder  and  some  other  writers,  which  were  exposed  by  a  glowing 
article  in  the  North  American  Review  last  year,  have  had  the 
effect  to  provoke  further  discussion.  C.  is  disposed  to  prepare 
another  article  for  that  paper,  and  is  looking  about  him  keen 
ly  for  new  facts.  In  a  letter  of  this  date,  he  says :  "  I  am  ex 
tremely  anxious  for  your  conjugation  of  the  Chippewa  substantive 
verb.  Let  nothing  prevent  you  from  sending  it  to  me,  as  it  is 
more  essential  than  I  have  time  to  explain  to  you.  Send  me  also 
your  observations  on  the  Chippewa  language.  Let  them  come  as 
you  had  them.  Take  no  time  to  copy  them." 

llth.  Mr.  R.  S.  writes  one  of  his  peculiar  letters,  in  which 
the  sentiments  seem  to  be  compressed,  as  if  some  species  of 
finesse  were  at  work — an  attenuated  worldly  precaution  which 
leads  him  perpetually  to  half  conceal  sentiment,  purpose  and 
acts,  as  if  the  operations  and  business  of  life  were  not  ten 
times  better  effected  by  plain  straightforwardness  than  by  any 
other  mode.  He  has,  however,  so  long  dealt  with  tricky  fur- 
traders  and  dealers  in  interested  sentiment,  that  it  seems  his 
intellectual  habits  are  formed,  to  some  extent,  on  that  model. 
What  annoys  me  is,  that  he  supposes  himself  hid,  when,  like  the 
ostrich,  it  is  only  his  own  head  that  is  concealed  in  the  sand.  Yet 
this  man  is  alive  to  general  moral  effort,  unites  freely  in  all  the 
benevolent  movements  of  the  day,  and  has  the  general  air  of 
friendliness  in  his  personal  manners.  It  continually  seems  that 
all  the  outer  world's  affairs  are  well  judged  of,  but  when  he  comes 
to  draw  conclusions  of  moral  men  who  have  the  power  of  affecting 
his  own  interests,  there  is  apparent  constraint,  or  palpable  narrow- 
mindedness. 

29th.  Professor  Chas.  Anthon,  of  Columbia  College,  writes  for 


256  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

specimens  of  Indian  eloquence.  The  world  has  been  grossly  mis 
led  on  this  subject.  The  great  simplicity,  and  occasional 
strength,  of  an  Indian's  thoughts,  -have  sometimes  led  to  the  use 
of  figures  and  epithets  of  beauty.  He  is  surrounded  by  all  the 
elements  of  poetry  and  eloquence — tempests,  woods,  waters,  skies. 
His  mythology  is  poetic.  His  world  is  replete  with  spirits  and 
gods  of  all  imaginable  kinds  and  hues.  His  very  position — a  race 
falling  before  civilization,  and  obliged  to  give  up  the  bow  and 
arrow  for  the  plough — is  poetic  and  artistic.  But  he  has  no  sus 
tained  eloquence,  no  continuous  trains  of  varying  thought.  It  is 
the  flash,  the  crack  of  contending  elements.  It  is  not  the  steady 
sound  of  the  waterfall.  Such  was  the  eloquent  appeal  of  Logan, 
revised  and  pointed  by  Gibson.  Such  was  the  more  sustained 
speech  of  Garangula  to  La  Barrie,  the  Governor-General  of 
Canada,  with  La  Hontan  as  a  reporter.  Such  were  the  speeches 
of  Pontiac  and  the  eloquent  Sagoyawata,  or  Red  Jacket,  the  readiest 
reasoner  of  them  all,  which  were  diluted  rather  than  improved  by 
admiring  paragraphists.  Many  persons  have  purposed  to  write  a 
volume  of  Indian  eloquence.  Mr.  Conant's  design  on  this  subject 
is  fresh.  The  present  request  is  to  supply  Mr.  Barker,  the  pub 
lisher  of  "  Stephen's  Greek  Thesaurus,"  Cambridge,  England. 
What  under  the  sun  do  the  learned  world  suppose  the  Indians  arc 
made  of?  A  man  spending  his  time  painfully  to  catch  a  beaver, 
or  entrap  an  enemy,  without  stores  of  thought,  without  leisure, 
with  nothing  often  to  eat,  and  nothing  to  put  on  but  tatters  and 
rags,  and,  withal,  with  the  whole  Anglo-Saxon  race  treading  on 
his  toes  and  burning  out  his  vitals  with  ardent  spirits.  Such  is 
the  Indian. 

I  sent  the  learned  professor  some  perfectly  truthful  specimens, 
recently  delivered  here  on  the  occasion  of  a  surgeon  from  the  fort 
digging  up  the  body  of  an  Indian  woman  for  dissection.  They 
expressed  plain  truth  without  eloquence,  and  I  never  heard  any 
thing  more  of  the  professor. 

30£A.  Science  in  America. — I  received  a  friendly  letter  from 
Dr.  Samuel  L.  Mitchell,  N.  Y.  There  are,  of  recent  years,  more 
purely  scientific  men  in  the  land,  no  doubt,  than  the  venerable 
doctor.  But  could  this  have  been  said  truly  even  ten  years  ago? 
He  is  now,  perhaps,  the  best  ichthyologist  in  the  Union.  He  is  a 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  257 

well-read  zoologist,  an  intelligent  botanist  and  a  general  physiolo 
gist,  and  has  been  for  a  long  series  of  years  the  focus  of  the 
diffusion  of  knowledge  on  a  great  variety  of  subjects.  Gov. 
Clinton  has  well  called  him  the  "Delphic  Oracle"  in  one  of  his 
Letters  of  Hibernicus,  because  every  one  who  has  a  scientific  ques 
tion  to  ask  comes  to  him. 

"The  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,"  he  writes,  "is  going  on 
prosperously  in  the  collection  of  articles  and  in  the  publication  of 
intelligence.  The  museum  is  enlarging  and  the  annals  progress 
ing.  The  intercourse  of  New  York  city  with  almost  numberless 
parts  of  the  globe,  aided  by  the  enterprise  and  generosity  of  our 
navigating  citizens,  is  productive  of  an  almost  constant  supply  of 
natural  productions,  some  familiar,  some  known  to  naturalists,  but 
not  before  seen  by  us,  and  others  new  to  the  whole  class  of 
observers." 

Dec.  \st.  Much  leisure  during  the  four  years  I  have  been  at 
this  agency,  added  to  an  early  developed  distaste  for  the  ordinary 
modes  of  killing  time,  has  enabled  me  to  give  no  little  of  my  leisure 
to  literary  pursuits.  The  interesting  phenomena  of  the  Indian 
grammar  have  come  in  for  a  large  share  of  my  attention.  This  has 
caused  me  to  revise  and  extend  my  early  studies,  and  to  rummage 
such  books  on  general  grammar  and  philology  as  I  could  lay  my 
hands  on.  Every  winter,  beginning  as  soon  as  the  navigation  closes 
and  the  world  is  fairly  shut  out,  has  thus  constituted  a  season  of 
studies.  My  attention  has  been  perpetually  divided  between 
books  and  living  interpreters.  This  may  be  said  to  be  my  fourth 
year's  course  with  the  Johnstons  on  the  languages. 

I  have  also  resumed,  as  an  alternate  amusement,  "  The  Literary 
Voyager."  I  wrote  this  year  "  The  Man  of  Bronze,"  an  essay  on 
the  Indian  character,  which  has  contributed  to  my  own  amusement, 
nor  have  I  determined  to  show  it  to  a  human  eye. 

Let  others  write  what  others  deftly  may, 
I  aim  with  thought  to  fill  my  wintry  day. 


IT 


258  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

Mineralogy — Territorial  affairs — Vindication  of  the  American  policy  Iby  its 
treatment  of  the  Indians — New  York  spirit  of  improvement — Taste  for 
cabinets  of  natural  history — Fatalism  in  an  Indian — Death  of  a  first  born 
son — Fligh't  from  the  house — Territorial  matters — A  literary  topic — Pre 
parations  for  another  treaty — Consolations — Boundary  in  the  Northwest 
under  the  treaty  of  Ghent — -Natural  history — Trip  to  Green  Bay — Treaty 
of  Butte  des  Morts — Winnebago  outbreak — Intrepid  conduct  of  General 
Cass — Indian  stabbing — Investment  of  the  petticoat — Mohegan  language. 

1827.  January  ~LOth. — Mineralogy  became  a  popular  study  in 
the  United  States,  I  believe,  about  1817  or  thereabouts,  when 
Professor  Cleveland  published  the  first  edition  of  his  Elements  of 
Mineralogy,  and  Silliraan  began  his  Journal  of  Science.  It  is  true 
Bruce  had  published  his  Mineralogical  Journal  in  1814,  but  the 
science  can,  by  no  means,  be  said  to  have  attracted  much,  or  gene 
ral  attention  for  several  years,.  It  was  not  till  1819  that  Cleve 
land's  work  first  came  into  my  hands.  The  professor  writes  me  un 
der  this  date,  that  he  is  about  preparing  a  new  edition  of  the  work, 
and  he  solicits  the  communication  of  new  localities.  This  work 
has  been  about  ten  years  before  the  public.  It  was  the  first  work 
on  that  subject  produced  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  has 
acquired  great  popularity  as  a  text-book  to  classes  and  amateurs. 
It  adopts  a  classification  on  chemical  principles;  but  recognizes  the 
Wernerian  system  of  erecting  species  by  external  characters ;  and 
also  Hany's  system  of  crystallography,  so  far  as  it  extends,  as 
being  coincident,  in  the  respective  proofs  which  these  systems 
afford  to  the  chemical  mode  of  pure  analysis.  As  such  it  com 
mends  itself  to  the  common  sense  of  observers. 

20th.  Territorial  affairs  now  began  more  particularly  to  attract 
my  attention.  Robert  Irwin,  Jr.,  Esq.,  M.  C.  of  Detroit,  writes 
on  territorial  affairs,  growing  out  of  the  organization  of  a  new 
county,  on  the  St.  Mary's,  and  in  the  basin  of  Lake  Superior. 
I  had  furnished  him  the  choice  of  three  names,  Allegan,  Algonac, 
and  Chippewa. 

Major  R.  A.  Forsyth,  M.  C.,  says  (Jan.  22d),  "the  new 
county  bill  passed  on  the  last  of  December  (1826).  It  is  contem- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  259 

plated  to  tender  to  you  the  appointment  of  first  judge  of  the 
new  county.     We  have  selected  the  name  of  '  Chippewa.'  ' 

Mr.  C.  C.  Trowbridge  writes  (25th)  that  "  it  is  proposed  in  Con 
gress  to  lay  off  a  new  territory,  embracing  all  Michigan  west  of 
the  lake.  This  territory,  at  first  proposed  to  be  called  Huron,  was 
eventually  named  Wisconsin." 

25th.  Mr.  Cass  has  examined,  in  an  able  article  in  the  Nortli 
American  Review,  the  policy  of  the  American  government  in  its 
treatment  of  the  Indians,  in  contrast  with  that  of  Great  Britain. 
In  this  article,  the  charges  of  the  London  Quarterly  are  contro 
verted,  and  a  full  vindication  made  of  our  policy  and  treatment  of 
these  tribes,  which  must  be  gratifying  to  every  lover  of  our  institu 
tions,  and  our  public  sense  of  justice.  As  between  government  and 
government,  this  paper  is  a  powerful  and  triumphant  one.  As  a 
legal  question  it  is  not  less  so.  The  question  of  political  sove 
reignty  is  clear.  Did  our  English  Elizabeths,  James',  and 
Charles',  ever  doubt  their  full  right  of  sovereignty  ?  The  pub 
lic  sense  of  justice  and  benevolence,  the  Republic,  if  not  the 
parent  monarchy,  fully  recognized,  by  tracing  to  these  tribes  the 
fee  of  the  soil,  and  by  punctually  paying  its  value,  as  established 
by  public  treaties,  at  all  times. 

26th.  Mr.  T.  G.  Anderson,  of  Drummond  Island,  transmits  a 
translation  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  in  Odjibwa,  which  he  requests 
to  be  examined. 

Feb.  5th.  No  State  seems  comparable,  for  its  enterprise  and 
rapid  improvements,  to  New  York.  Mr.  E.  B.  Allen,  who  recently 
removed  from  this  remote  village  to  Ogdensburgh,  New  York,  ex 
presses  his  agreeable  surprise,  after  seven  years'  absence  in  the 
West,  at  the  vast  improvements  that  have  been  made  in  that 
State.  "  There  is  a  spirit  of  enterprise  and  energy,  that  is  deeply 
interesting  to  men  of  business  and  also  men  of  science." 

March  1st.  Dr.  Marty n  Paine,  of  New  York,  proposes  a  system 
of  philosophic  exchanges.  The  large  and  fine  collection  of  rnine- 
ralogical  and  geological  specimens  which  I  brought  from  Missouri 
and  other  parts  of  the  Mississippi  valley  in  1819,  appears  to  have 
had  an  effect  on  the  prevalent  taste  for  these  subjects,  and  at 
least,  it  has  fixed  the  eyes  of  naturalists  on  my  position  on  the 
frontiers.  Cabinets  of  minerals  have  been  in  vogue  for  about 
nine  or  ten  years.  Mr.  Maclure,  of  Philadelphia,  Colonel  Gibbs, 
of  New  Haven,  and  Drs.  De  Witt,  Bruce  and  Mitchill,  of  New 


260  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

York,  and  above  Profs.  Silliman  and  Cleveland,  may  be  said  to 
have  originated  the  taste.  Before  their  day,  minerals  were  regard 
ed  as  mere  "stones."  Now,  it  is  rare  to  find  a  college  or  academy 
without,  at  least,  the  nucleus  of  a  cabinet.  By  transferring  my 
collection  here,  I  have  increased  very  much  my  own  means  of  intel 
lectual  enjoyment  and  resistance  to  the  power  of  solitariness,  if  it 
has  not  been  the  means  of  promoting  discovery  in  others. 

& h.  Fatalism.  —  An  Indian,  called  Wabishkipenace,'  The 
White  Bird)  brings  an  express  mail  from  the  sub- agency  of  La 
Pointe,  in  Lake  Superior.  This  proved  to  be  the  individual  who, 
in  1820,  acted  as  one  of  the  guides  of  the  exploring  expedition  to 
the  Copper  Rock,  on  the  Ontonagon  River.  Trifles  light  as  air 
arouse  an  Indian's  suspicions,  and  the  circumstance  of  his  being 
thus  employed  by  the  government  agents,  was  made  use  of,  by  his 
fellows  to  his  prejudice.  They  told  him  that  this  act  was  displeas 
ing  to  the  Great  Spirit,  who  had  visited  him  with  his  displeasure. 
Whatever  influence  this  idea,  had  on  others,  on  Wabishkipenace  it 
seemed  to  tell.  He  looked  the  image  of  despair.  He  wore  his 
hair  long,  and  was  nearly  naked.  He  had  a  countenance  of  the 
most  melancholy  cast.  Poverty  itself  could  not  be  poorer.  Now, 
he  appears  to  have  taken  courage,  and  is  willing  once  more  to  enter 
into  the  conflicts  of  life.  But,  alas  !  what  are  these  conflicts  with 
an  Indian  ?  A  mere  struggle  for  meat  and  bread  enough  to  live. 

13fA.  This  is  a  day  long  to  be  remembered  in  my  domestic 
annals,  as  it  carried  to  the  tomb  the  gem  of  a  once  happy  circle, 
the  cherished  darling  of  it,  in  the  person  of  a  beloved,  beautiful, 
intellectually  promising,  and  only  son.  William  Henry  had  not 
yet  quite  completed  his  third  year,  and  yet  such  had  been  the 
impression  created  by  his  manly  precocity,  his  decision  of  cha 
racter,  perpetual  liveliness  of  temper  and  manners,  and  sweet  and 
classic  lineaments,  and  attachable  traits,  that  he  appeared  to  have 
lived  a  long  time.  The  word  time  is,  indeed,  a  relative  term,  and 
ever  means  much  or  little,  as  much  or  little  has  been  enjoyed  or 
suffered.  Our  enjoyment  of  him,  and  communion  with  him,  was 
intimate.  From  the  earliest  day  of  his  existence,  his  intelligence 
and  quick  expressive  eye  was  remarkable,  and  all  his  waking  hours 
were  full  of  pleasing  innocent  action  and  affectionate  appreciation. 

We  took  him  to  the  city  of  New  York  during  the  winter  of 
1824-25,  where  he  made  many  friends  and  had  many  ad- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  261 

mirers.  He  was  always  remembered  by  the  youthM  name  of 
Willy  and  Penaci,  or  the  bird — a  term  that  was  playfully  bestowed 
by  the  Chippewas  while  he  was  still  in  his  cradle.  He  was,  in 
deed,  a  bird  in  our  circle,  for  the  agility  of  his  motions,  the  liveli 
ness  of  his  voice,  and  the  diamond  sparkle  of  his  full  hazle  eyes, 
reminded  one  of  nothing  so  much.  The  month  of  March  was  more 
than  usually  changeable  in  its  temperature,  with  disagreeable  rains 
and  much  humidity,  which  nearly  carried  away  the  heavy  amount 
of  snow  on  the  ground.  A  cold  and  croup  rapidly  developed 
themselves,  and  no  efforts  of  skill  or  kindness  had  power  to  arrest 
its  fatal  progress.  He  sank  under  it  about  eleven  o'clock  at  night. 
Such  was  the  rapidity  of  this  fatal  disease,  that  his  silver  playful 
voice  still  seemed  to  ring  through  the  house  when  he  lay  a  placid 
corpse.  Several  poetic  tributes  to  his  memory  were  made,  but 
none  more  touching  than  some  lines  from  his  own  mother,  which 
are  fit  to  be  preserved  as  a  specimen  of  native  composition.* 

*  Who  vras  it  nestled  on  my  breast, 
And  on  my  cheek  sweet  kisses  prest, 
And  in  whose  smile  I  felt  so  blest  ? 

Sweet  Willy. 

Who  hail'd  my  form  as  home  I  stept, 
And  in  my  arms  so  eager  leapt, 
And  to  my  bosom  joyous  crept? 

My  Willy. 

Who  was  it  wiped  my  tearful  eye, 
And  kiss'd  away  the  coming  sigh, 
And  smiling,  bid  me  say,  "good  boy?" 

Sweet  Willy. 

Who  was  it,  looked  divinely  fair, 
Whilst  lisping  sweet  the  evening  pray'r, 
Guileless  and  free  from  earthly  care  ? 

My  Willy. 

Where  is  that  voice  attuned  to  love, 
That  bid  me  say  "  my  darling  dove  ?" 
But,  oh  !  that  soul  has  flown  above, 

Sweet  Willy. 

Whither  has  fled  the  rose's  hue  ?  . 
The  lily's  whiteness  blending  grew 
Upon  thy  cheek— so  fair  to  view, 

My  Willy. 


262  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Vltli.  This  being  St.  Patrick's  day,  we  dined  -with  our  excellent, 
warm-hearted,  and  truly  sympathizing  friend,  Mr.  Johnston,  in  a 
private  way.  He  is  the  soul  of  hospitality,  honor,  friendship,  and 
love,  and  no  one  can^  be  in  his  company  an  hour  without  loving 
and  admiring  a  man  who  gave  up  everything  at  home  to  raise  up 
a  family  of  most  interesting  children  in  the  heart  of  the  American 
wilderness.  No  man's  motives  have  been  more  mistaken,  no  one 
has  been  more  wronged,  in  public  and  private,  by  opposing  traders 
and  misjudging  governments,  than  he,  and  no  one  I  have  ever 
known  has  a  more  forgiving  and  truly  gentle  and  high-minded 
spirit. 

28th.  I  began  housekeeping,  first  on  my  return  from  the  visit  to 
New  York,  in  the  spring  of  1825,  in  the  so-called  Allen  House, 
on  the  eminence  west  of  the  fort,  having  purchased  my  furniture 
at  Buffalo,  and  made  it  a  pretty  and  attractive  residence.  But 
after  the  death  of  my  son,  the  place  became  insupportable  from 
the  vivid  associations  which  it  presented  with  the  scenes  of  his 
daily  amusements. 

Oft  have  I  gaz'd  with  rapt  delight, 
Upon  those  eyes  that  sparkled  bright, 
Emitting  beams  of  joy  and  light ! 

Sweet  Willy. 

Oft  have  I  kiss'd  that  forehead  high, 
Like  polished  marble  to  the  eye, 
And  blessing,  breathed  an  anxious  sigh, 

For  Willy. 

My  son  !  thy  coral  lips  are  pale — 
Can  I  believe  the  heart-sick  tale, 
That  I  thy  loss  must  ever  wail  ? 

My  Willy. 

The  clouds  in  darkness  seemed  to  low'r, 
The  storm  has  past  with  awful  pow'r, 
And  nipt  my  tender,  beauteous  flow'r  ! 

Sweet  Willy. 

But  soon  my  spirit  will  be  free, 
And  I  my  lovely  son  shall  see, 
For  God,  I  know  did  this  decree  ! 

My  Willy. 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  263 

I  determined  this  day  to  close  the  house,  and,  leaving  the  fur 
niture  standing,  we  took  refuge  at  Mr.  Johnston's.  Idolatry  such 
as  ours  for  a  child,  was  fit  to  be  rebuked,  and  the  severity  of  the 
blow  led  me  to  take  a  retrospect  of  life,  such  as  it  is  too  common 
to  defer,  but,  doubtless,  wise  to  entertain.  Why  Providence 
should  have  a  controversy  with  us  for  placing  our  affections  too 
deeply  on  a  sublunary  object,  is  less  easy  at  all  times  to  reconcile 
to  our  limited  perceptions  than  it  is  to  recognize  in  holy  writ  the 
existence  of  the  great  moral  fact.  "I  will  be  honored,"  says 
Jehovah,  "  and  my  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another."  It  is  clear 
that  there  is  a  mental  assent  in  our  attachments,  in  which  the 
very  principle  of  idolatry  is  involved.  If  so,  why  not  give  up  the 
point,  and  submit  to  the  dispensations  of  an  inevitable  and  far- 
seeing  moral  government,  of  affairs  of  every  sort,  with  entire 
resignation  and  oneness  of  purpose  ?  How  often  has  death  drawn 
his  dart  fatally  since  Adam  fell  before  it,  and  how  few  of  the 
millions  on  millions  that  have  followed  him  have  precisely  known 
why,  or  been  entirety  prepared  for  the  blow  !  To  me  it  seems  that 
it  has  been  the  temper  of  my  mind  to  fasten  itself  too  strongly 
on  life  and  all  its  objects  ;  to  hope  too  deeply  and  fully  under  all 
circumstances;  to  grapple,  as  it  were,  in  its  issues  with  as  "hooks 
of  steel,"  and  never  to  give  up,  never  to  despair;  and  this  blow, 
this  bereavement,  appears  to  me  the  first  link  that  is  broken  to 
loosen  my  hold  on  this  sublunary  trust.  My  thoughts,  three  years 
ago,  were  turned  strongly,  and  with  a  mysterious  power,  to  this 
point,  namely,  my  excessive  ardor  of  earthly  pursuits,  of  men's 
approbation.  Here,  then,  if  these  reflections  be  rightly  taken,  is 
the  second  admonition.  Such,  at  least,  has  been  the  current  of 
my  thoughts  since  the  13th  of  the  present  month,  and  they  were 
deeply  felt  when  I  took  my  Bible,  the  first  I  ever  owned  or  had 
bought  with  my  own  money,  and  requested  that  it  might  be  placed 
as  the  basis  of  the  little  pillow  that  supported  the  head  of  the  life 
less  child  in  his  coffin. 

April  30£/i.  A  progress  in  territorial  affairs,  in  the  upper  lakes, 
seems  to  have  commenced ;  but  it  is  slow.  Emigrants  are  carried 
further  south  and  west.  Slow  as  it  is,  however,  we  flatter  ourselves 
it  is  of  a  good  and  healthy  character.  The  lower  peninsula  is  filling 
up.  My  letters,  during  this  spring,  denote  this.  Our  county  or 
ganization  is  complete.  Colonel  McKenney,  on  the  10th,  apprises 


264  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

me  that  he  is  coming  north,  to  complete  the  settlement  of  the  Indian 
boundary,  began  in  1825,  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  that  his  sketches 
of  his  tour  of  last  year  is  just  issued  from  the  press.  He  adds, 
"'It  is  rather  a  ladies'  book.  I  prefer  the  sex  and  their  opinions. 
They  are  worth  ten  times  as  much  as  we,  in  all  that  is  enlightened, 
and  amiable,  and  blissful."  Undoubtedly  so  !  This  is  gallant.  I 
conclude  it  is  a  gossiping  tour ;  and,  if  so,  it  will  please  the  sex 
for  whom  it  is  mainly  intended.  But  will  not  the  graver  male  sex 
look  for  more  ?  Ought  not  an  author  to  put  himself  out  a  little  to 
make  his  work  as  high,  in  all  departments,  as  he  can? 

Governor  C.  informs  me  (April  10th)  that  he  will  proceed  to 
Green  Bay,  to  attend  the  contemplated  treaty  on  the  Fox  River, 
and  that  I  am  expected  to  be  there  with  a  delegation  of  the  Chip- 
pewas  from  the  midlands,  on  the  sources  of  the  Ontonagon,  Wis 
consin,  Chippewa,  and  Menominie  rivers. 

Business  and  science,  politics  and  literature,  curiously  mingle, 
as  usual,  in  my  correspondence.  Mr.  M.  Dousman  (April  10) 
writes  that  a  knave  has  worried  him,  dogged  his  heels  away  from 
home,  and  sued  him,  at  unawares.  Mr.  Stuart  (April  15)  writes 
about  the  election  of  members  of  council.  Dr.  Paine,  of  New  York, 
writes  respecting  minerals. 

May  10th.  An  eminent  citizen  of  Detroit  thus  alludes  to  my 
recent  bereavement :  "  We  sympathize  with  you  most  sincerely,  in 
the  loss  you  have  sustained.  We  can  do  it  with  the  deeper  interest, 
for  we  have  preceded  you  in  this  heaviest  of  all  calamities.  Time 
will  soothe  you  something,  but  the  solace  of  even  time  will  yet 
leave  too  much  for  the  memory  and  affections  to  brood  over." 

Another  correspondent,  in  expressing  his  sympathies  on  the  occa 
sion,  says :  "  The  lines  composed  by  Mrs.  Schoolcraft  struck  me 
with  such  peculiar  force,  as  well  in  regard  to  the  pathos  of  style, 
as  the  singular  felicity  of  expression,  that  I  have  taken  the  liberty 
to  submit  them  for  perusal  to  one  or  two  mutual  friends.  The 
G has  advised  me  to  publish  them." 

~L4:th.  National  boundary,  as  established  by  the  treaty  of 
Ghent.  Major  Delafield,  the  agent,  writes :  "  Our  contemplated 
expedition,  however,  is  relinquished,  by  reason  of  instructions  from 
the  British  government  to  their  commissioners.  It  had  been  agreed 
to  determine  the  par.  of  lat.  N.  49°,  where  it  intersects  the  Lake 
of  the  Woods  and  the  Red  River.  But  the  British  government,  for 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  265 

reasons  unknown  to  us,  now  decline  any  further  boundary  opera 
tions  than  those  provided  for  under  the  Ghent  treaty. 

"  We  have  been  prevented  closing  the  7th  article  of  that  treaty, 
on  account  of  some  extraordinary  claims  of  the  British  party. 
They  claim  Sugar,  or  St.  George's  Island,  and  inland,  by  the  St. 
Louis,  or  Fond  du  Lac.  Both  claims  are  unsupported  by  either 
reason,  evidence,  or  anything  but  their  desire  to  gain  something. 
We,  of  course,  claim  Sugar  Island,  and  will  not  relinquish  it  under 
any  circumstances.  We  also  claim  inland  by  the  Kamanistiquia, 
and  have  sustained  this  claim  by  much  evidence.  The  Pigeon  River 
by  the  Grand  Portage  will  be  the  boundary,  if  our  commissioners 
can  come  to  any  reasonable  decision.  If  not,  I  have  no  doubt,  upon 
a  reference,  we  shall  gain  the  Kamanistiquia,  if  properly  managed ; 
the  whole  of  the  evidence  being  in  favor  of  it." 

ORNITHOLOGY. — An  Indian  boy  brought  me  lately,  the  stuffed  skin 
of  a  new  species  of  bird,  which  appeared  early  in  the  spring  at  one 
of  the  sugar  camps  near  St.  Mary's.  u  We  are  desirous,"  he  adds, 
"  to  see  the  Fringilla,  about  which  you  wrote  me  some  time  ago." 

NATIVE  COPPER. — "  The  copper  mass  is  safe,  and  the  object  of 
admiration  in  my  collection.  Baron  Lederer  is  shortly  expected 
from  Austria,  when  he  will,  no  doubt,  make  some  proposition  con 
cerning  it,  which  I  will  communicate." 

29th.  Many  letters  have  been  received  since  the  13th  of  March, 
offering  condolence  in  our  bitter  loss ;  but  none  of  them,  from  a 
more  sincere,  or  more  welcome  source,  than  one  of  this  date  from 
the  Conants,  of  New  York. 

June  3rf.  Mr.  Carter  (N.  H.)  observes,  in  a  letter  of  this  date : 
"  If  there  be  any  real  pleasure  arising  from  the  acquisition  of  repu 
tation,  it  consists  chiefly  in  the  satisfaction  of  proving  ourselves 
worthy  of  the  confidence  reposed  in  our  talents  and  characters,  and 
in  the  strengthening  of  those  ties  of  friendship  which  we  are  anxious 
to  preserve." 

8th.  Mr.  Robert  Stuart  says,  in  relation  to  our  recent  afflic 
tion  :  "  Once  parents,  we  must  make  up  our  minds  to  submit 
to  such  grievous  dispensations,  for,  although  hard,  it  may  be  for 
the  best.'' 

I  embarked  for  Green  Bay,  to  attend  the  treaty  of  Butte  des 


266  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Marts  early  in  June,  taking  Mrs.  S.  on  a  visit  to  Green  Bay,  as  a 
means  of  diverting  her  mind  from  the  scene  of  our  recent  calamity. 
At  Mackinac,  we  met  the  steamboat  Henry  Clay,  chartered  to  take 
the  commissioners  to  the  bay,  with  Governor  Cass,  Colonel  Mc- 
Kenney,  and  General  Scott  on  board,  with  a  large  company  of 
visitors,  travelers  and  strangers,  among  them,  many  ladies.  We 
joined  the  group,  and  had  a  pleasant  passage  till  getting  into  the 
bay,  where  an  obstinate  head  wind  tossed  us  up  and  down  like  a  cork 
on  the  sea.  Sea-sickness,  in  a  crowded  boat,  and  the  retching  of 
the  waves,  soon  turned  everything  and  every  one  topsy-turvy  ; 
every  being,  in  fine,  bearing  a  stomach  which  had  not  been 
seasoned  to  such  tossings  among  anchors  and  halyards,  was  pros 
trate.  At  last  the  steamer  itself,  as  we  came  nearer  the  head 
of  the  bay,  was  pitched  out  of  the  right  channel  and  driven  a-muck. 
She  stuck  fast  on  the  mud,  and  we  were  all  glad  to  escape  and  go 
up  to  the  town  of  Navarino  in  boats.  After  spending  some  days 
here  in  an  agreeable  manner,  most  of  the  party,  indeed  nearly  all 
who  were  not  connected  with  the  commission,  returned  in  the  boat, 
Mrs.  S.  in  the  number,  and  the  commissioners  soon  proceeded  up 
the  Fox  River  to  Butte  des  Morts.  Here  temporary  buildings  of 
logs,  a  mess  house,  &c.,  were  constructed,  and  a  very  large  number 
of  Indians  were  collected.  We  found  the  Menomonies  assembled 
in  mass,  with  full  delegations  of  the  midland  Chippewas,  and  the 
removed  bands  of  Iroquois  and  Stockbridges,  some  Pottowattomies 
from  the  west  shores  of  Lake  Michigan,  and  one  band  of  the  Win- 
nebagoes.  Circumstances  had  prepared  this  latter  tribe  for  hosti 
lities  against  the  United  States.  The  replies  of  the  leading  chief, 
Four-Legs,  were  evasive  and  contradictory ;  in  the  meantime,  re 
ports  from  the  Wisconsin  and  the  Mississippi  rivers  denoted  this 
tribe  ripe  for  a  blow.  They  had  fired  into  a  boat  descending  the 
Mississippi,  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  committed  other  outrages. 
General  Cass  was  not  slow  to  perceive  or  provide  the  only  remedy 
for  this  state  of  things,  and,  leaving  the  camp  under  the  charge  of 
Colonel  Mc.Kenney  and  the  agents,  he  took  a  strongly  manned 
light  canoe,  and  passed  over  to  the  Mississippi,  and,  pushing  night 
and  day,  reached  St.  Louis,  and  ordered  up  troops  from  Jefferson 
Barracks,  for  the  protection  of  the  settlement.  In  this  trip,  he 
passed  through  the  centre  of  the  tribe,  and  incurred  some  extraor 
dinary  risks.  He  then  returned  up  the  Illinois,  and  through  Lake 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  267 

Michigan,  and  reached  the  Butte  des  Morts  in  an  incredibly  short 
space  of  time.  Within  a  few  days,  the  Mississippi  settlements  were 
covered ;  the  Winnebagoes  were  overawed,  and  the  business  of 
the  treaty  was  resumed,  and  successfully  concluded  on  the  llth  of 
August. 

During  the  long  assemblage  of  the  Indians  on  these  grounds,  I 
was  sitting  one  afternoon,  in  the  Governor's  log  shanty,  with  the 
doors  open,  when  a  sharp  cry  of  murder  suddenly  fell  on  our  ears. 
I  sprang  impulsively  to  the  spot,  with  Major  Forsyth,  who  was  pre 
sent.  Within  fifty  yards,  directly  in  front  of  the  house,  stood  two 
Indians,  who  were,  apparently,  the  murderers,  and  a  middle  aged 
female,  near  them,  bleeding  profusely.  I  seized  one  of  them  by 
his  long  black  hair,  and,  giving  him  a  sudden  wrench,  brought  him 
to  his  back  in  an  instant,  and,  placing  my  knees  firmly  on  his  breast, 
held  him  there,  my  hand  clenched  in  his  hair.  The  Major  had  done 
something  similar  with  the  other  fellow.  Inquiry  proved  one  of 
these  men  to  be  the  perpetrator  of  the  deed.  He  had  drawn  his 
knife  to  stab  his  mother-in-law,  she  quickly  placed  her  arms  over 
her  breast  and  chest  and  received  the  wounds,  two  strokes,  in  them, 
and  thus  saved  her  life.  It  was  determined,  as  her  life  was  saved, 
though  the  wounds  were  ghastly,  to  degrade  the  man  in  a  public 
assemblage  of  all  the  Indians,  the  next  day,  by  investing  him  ivith 
a  2)etticoat,  for  so  unmanly  an  act.  The  thing  was,  accordingly, 
done  with  great  ceremony.  The  man  then  sneaked  away  in  this 
imposed  matchcota,  in  a  stolid  manner,  slowly,  all  the  Indians  look 
ing  stedfastly,  but  uttering  no  sound  approvingly  or  disapprovingly. 

I  embraced  the  opportunity  of  the  delay  created  by  the  Winne- 
bago  outbreak,  and  the  presence  of  the  Stockbridges  on  the  treaty 
ground,  to  obtain  from  them  some  outlines  of  their  history  and  lan 
guage.  Every  day,  the  chiefs  and  old  men  came  to  my  quarters, 
and  spent  some  time  with  me.  Metoxon  gave  me  the  words  for  a 
vocabulary  of  the  language,  and,  together  with  Quinney,  entered  so 
far  into  its  principles,  and  furnished  such  examples,  as  led  me,  at 
once,  to  perceive  that  it  was  of  the  Algonquin  type,  near  akin,  in 
deed,  to  the  Chippewa,  and  the  conclusion  followed,  that  all  the 
New  England  dialects,  which  were  cognate  with  this,  were  of  the 
same  type.  The  history  of  this  people  clears  up,  with  such  disclo 
sures,  and  the  fact  shows  us  how  little  we  can  know  of  their  his 
tory  without  the  languages. 


268  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

Treaty  of  Biitte  ties  Morts  —  Rencontre  of  an  Indian  with  grizzly  bears  — 
Agency  site  at  Elmwood  —  Its  picturesque  and  sylvan  character  —  Legis 
lative  council  of  the  Territory  —  Character  of  its  parties,  as  hang-back 
and  toe-the-marks  —  Critical  Reviews  —  Christmas. 


1827.  August  llZ/i.  —  THE  treaty  of  Butte  des  Morts  was 
signed  this  day.  It  completes  the  system  of  Indian  boundaries, 
which  was  commenced  by  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  on  the 
19th  of  August,  1825,  and  continued  by  the  treaty  of  Fond  du 
Lac  of  the  5th  of  August,  1826.  These  three  conferences,  which 
may,  from  their  having  been  concluded  in  the  month  of  August  of 
the  respective  years,  be  called  the  Augustic  treaties,  embody  a 
new  course  and  policy  for  keeping  the  tribes  in  peace,  and  are 
founded  on  the  most  enlarged  consideration  of  the  aboriginal  right 
of  fee  simple  to  the  soil.  They  have  been  held  exclusively  at  the 
charges  and  expenses  of  the  United  States,  and  contain  no  ces 
sion  of  territory. 

As  soon  as  it  was  signed  I  embarked  for  Green  Bay,  on  a 
gloomy,  drizzling  day,  and  pursued  my  way  to  Michilimackinac 
and  the  Sault,  without  a  moment's  loss  of  time.  I  found  the 
place  still  active,  and  filled  with  the  summer  visiting  parties  of 
Indians  from  the  Lake  Superior,  the  Upper  Mississippi,  and  even 
from  Pembina  and  the  plains  of  Red  River  of  the  North. 

Among  the  latter  I  observed  a  small  and  lithe  Indian  called 
Annamikens,  or  Little  Thunder,  also  called  Joseph,  whose  face  had 
been  terribly  lacerated  in  a  contest  on  the  plains  west  of  Pem 
bina,  with  grizzly  bears.  The  wounds  were  now  closed,  but  the 
disfiguration  was  permanent.  He  told  me  the  following  story  of 
the  affair  :  — 

The  Sioux,  Chippewas,  Assinaboines,  Crees,  and  Mandans, 
called  by  him  in  general  Miggaudiwag,  which  means  fighters, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  269 

were  at  variance.  About  400  half-breeds  and  100  Chippewas 
went  out  from  Pembina  to  make  peace,  and  hunt  the  buffalo. 

On  the  fourth  day's  march  they  reached  the  open  plains,  and 
met  a  large  body  of  Assinaboines  and  Crees  encamped.  Their 
camp  was  fixed  on  eligible  ground,  and  the  lodges  extended  across 
the  plain.  Annamikens  and  his  followers  encamped  with  them. 
After  they  had  encamped,  they  observed  every  hour  during  the 
night  that  fresh  arrivals  of  Assinaboines  and  Crees  took  place. 
On  the  third  day  of  their  encampment  he  was  sent  for  to  Cuthbert 
Grant's  tent,  where  he  found  a  large  circle  of  Indians  formed,  and 
all  things  in  readiness  for  a  council  of  the  three  nations,  Assina 
boines,  Chippewas,  and  Crees.  Grant  was  the  trader  of  the  Pem 
bina  metifs,  and  had  followed  them  out.  In  the  centre  of  the 
ring,  buffalo  robes  were  spread,  and  he  with  others  was  given  a 
seat  there.  The  object  of  this  council  was  to  decide  upon  a  plan 
to  attack  a  body  of  200  Sioux  lodges,  which  had  been  discovered 
at  half  a  day's  ride  on  horseback  distant.  The  principal  chiefs, 
&c.,  were  agreed  as  to  the  propriety  of  an  attack.  He  was  asked 
to  unite  with  them.  He  said  he  felt  not  only  for  the  chiefs  and 
young  men,  but  also  for  the  women  and  children,  hereby  express 
ing  his  dissent.  Two  of  the  principal  chiefs  stood  up,  each  hold 
ing  a  pipe.  He  was  then  asked  to  take  one  of  the  pipes  and 
hand  it  to  the  bravest  man,  giving  him  the  power  to  elect  the  war 
chief.  He  gave  it  to  one  he  knew  to  be  brave. 

This  chief  had  no  sooner  received  it  than  he  presented  it  to 
Francis,  his  brother,  to  hand  it  round,  thereby  hoping  that  he 
would  not  refuse  to  smoke  the  war-pipe  when  handed  by  his  bro 
ther.  He  took  the  pipe  in  both  hands  and  smoked,  then  handed 
it  to  his  brother,  who  also  smoked  it,  and  handed  it  to  a  chief  who 
stood  next  to  him,  and  it  went  round.  He  said,  however,  after 
smoking,  "  I  do  not  consent  to  go  to  war,  I  am  against  it."  After 
some  talk  the  council  broke  up,  it  beginning  to  be  late.  At  night 
he  heard  that  some  movement  was  on  foot.  He  went  to  the 
quarter  of  the  camp  indicated,  and  used  his  influence  against  the 
plan.  He  had  scarcely  reached  his  tent  when  other  reports  of  a 
like  nature  were  brought  from  various  parts  of  the  camp,  and  he 
was  most  of  the  night  busied  in  controverting  the  war  spirit. 

In  the  morning  he  made  a  descent  through  the  camp,  speaking 
openly  against  the  meditated  attack  on  the  Sioux,  and  con- 


2TO  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

eluded  by  saying  that  for  himself  and  the  metifs,  he  had  one  thing 
to  say,  that  they  wished  to  preserve  peace  with  all,  and  they  should 
join  and  fight  for  the  nation  first  attacked,  and  against  whoever 
might  raise  a  war-club.  About  100  Crees,  however,  were  deter 
mined  to  go,  and  in  about  four  hours  the  whole  camp  was  broken 
up  and  dispersed.  He  broke  up  his  camp  rather  in  anger,  mounted 
his  horse,  put  his  family  in  the  cart,  and  set  out  for  home.  Many 
followed  him.  Francis,  not  seeing  his  brother  go,  also  set  out, 
and  many  followed  him,  a  greater  number  in  fact  than  had  fol 
lowed  Joseph.  At  night  the  hunters  from  each  party  met,  and 
they  found  the  two  parties  had  traveled  the  same  distance.  On 
hearing  this  Francis  sent  a  despatch  in  the  morning  to  his  brother, 
but  they  found  he  had  departed,  and,  the  country  being  a  grassy 
plain,  they  could  not  exactly  tell  their  course. 

Meantime  Joseph  and  his  party  had  reached  a  point  of  woods, 
being  the  first  woods  seen  since  leaving  Pembina,  at  about  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Here  they  encamped  at  this  early  hour. 
He  caught  two  wild  geese,  and  told  his  wife  to  cook  them.  His 
followers  all  dispersed  to  hunt  buffalo,  as  they  were  plenty  about. 
He  then  put  a  new  flint  in  his  gun,  and  stripped  himself  all  but 
his  breechcloth,  and  went  out  to  explore  the  route  he  should  pass 
on  the  next  day. 

He  came  into  a  ravine,  and  discovered  three  white  bears'  lairs 
fresh,  saw  several  carcasses  of  buffaloes  lying  round,  more  or  less 
eaten  and  decayed,  and  smelt  quite  a  stench  from  them.  One 
particularly  was  fresh  killed,  and  partly  eaten  by  the  bears.  He 
passed  on  across  a  brook,  and  after  looking  farther  returned  to 
the  lairs.  On  returning  to  the  brook  he  found  several  sticks  in 
the  way  of  his  passage  for  the  carts  on  the-  following  day,  which 
he  commenced  removing,  having  set  his  gun  against  a  tree.  One 
stick  being  larger  than  the  rest,  some  exertion  was  necessary  to 
displace  it,  and  while  in  the  act  of  doing  this  he  heard  a  noise  of 
some  animal,  and  saw  at  a  distance  what  he  took  to  be  a  buffalo, 
as  these  animals  were  plenty,  and  running  in  all  directions.  He 
then  took  up  his  gun  and  went  on,  when  the  sounds  were  repeated 
close  behind  him,  and  looking  over  his  shoulder  he  saw  three  white 
bears  in  full  pursuit  of  him. 

He  turned,  cocked  his  gun,  and  took  deliberate  aim  at  the  head 
of  the  foremost,  which  proved  to  be  the  dam,  and  his  gun  missed 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  271 

fire.  He  re-cocked  his  piece  and  again  snapped.  At  this  moment 
the  bear  was  so  near  that  the  muzzle  nearly  touched  it.  He 
knows  not  exactly  how  the  bear  struck  him,  but  at  the  next  mo 
ment  his  gun  flew  in  one  direction  and  he  was  cast  about  ten 
feet  in  another.  He  lit  on  his  feet.  The  bear  then  raised  on  her 
paws  and  took  his  head  in  her  mouth,  closing  her  jaws,  not  with 
force,  but  just  sufficient  to  make  the  tusks  enter  the  top  of  his 
shoulders.  He  at  this  moment,  with  the  impulse  of  fear,  put  up 
his  hands  and  seized  the  bear  by  her  head,  and,  making  a  violent 
exertion,  threw  her  from  her  balance  to  one  side ;  in  the  act  of 
falling  she  let  go  his  head. 

At  this  time  one  of  the  cubs  struck  his  right  leg,  being  covered 
with  metasses  of  their  leather,  and  drew  him  down  upon  the 
ground,  and  he  fell  upon  his  right  side,  partly  on  his  right  arm. 
The  right  arm,  which  was  extended  in  falling,  was  now  drawn 
under  his  body  by  another  blow  from,  one  of  the  cubs,  and  his 
hand  was  by  this  motion  brought  into  contact  with  the  handle  of 
his  knife  (a  large  couteau  used  for  cutting  up  buffalo-meat),  and 
this  bringing  the  knife  to  his  recollection,  he  drew  it,  and  struck 
a  back-handed  blow  into  the  right  side  of  the  dam,  whom  he  still 
held  by  the  hair  with  his  left.  The  knife  went  in  to  the  hilt.  On 
withdrawing  it,  one  of  the  cubs  struck  his  right  hand,  her  nails 
piercing  right  through  it  in  several  places.  He  then  let  go  of  the 
dam  and  took  the  knife  in  his  left  hand,  and  made  a  pass  at  the 
cub,  and  struck  it  about  half  its  length,  the  knife  going  into  it,  it 
being  very  bloody.  The  stroke  was  impeded,  and  the  knife  partly 
slipped.  The  left  arm  was  then  struck  by  one  of  the  cubs,  and 
the  knife  dropped  from  his  grasp.  He  was  now  left  with  his  naked 
hand  to  make  such  resistance  as  he  could.  The  dam  now  struck 
him  upon  the  abdomen  with  a  force  that  deprived  him  for  awhile 
of  breath,  and  tore  it  open,  so  that  when  he  rose  his  bowels  fell 
upon  his  knees.  He  at  first  supposed  that  it  was  his  powder-horn 
that  had  fallen  upon  his  knees,  but  looking  down,  saw  his  entrails. 
The  dam  then  repeated  her  blow,  striking  him  upon  the  left  cheek, 
the  forenail  entering  just  below  the  left  eye,  and  tore  out  the 
cheek-bone,  a  part  of  the  jaw,  including  three  teeth,  maimed  his 
tongue,  and  tore  down  the  flesh  so  that  it  hung  upon  his  left 
shoulder. 

He  now  fell  back  exhausted  with  the  loss  of  blood,  and  being 


272  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

conquered,  the  bears  ceased  to  molest  him.  But  consciousness 
was  not  gone  ;  he  heard  them  walk  off.  He  lay  some  time.  He 
opened  and  shut  his  hands,  and  found  he  had  not  lost  the  use  of 
them.  He  moved  his  neck,  and  found  it  had  its  natural  motion. 
He  then  raised  himself  up  into  a  sitting  posture,  and  gathering  up 
some  grass,  put  it  first  to  his  left  eve  and  cheek  to  wipe  off  the 
blood,  but  found  that  it  struck  the  bone.  He  then  passed  it  to  his 
right  cheek,  wiped  down  the  blood,  and  opening  his  eye,  found  he 
could  see  clearly.  He  saw  his  gun,  powder-horn,  and  knife  scattered 
about.  He  then  got  up,  having  bound  his  wounds. 

He  had  at  this  time  no  clothing  upon  his  body  but  the  moccasin 
upon  his  left  foot.  He  took  his  gun,  re-primed  it,  and  while  in 
the  act  of  priming,  heard  the  peculiar  noise  this  animal  utters,  and 
turning,  saw  the  old  bear  close  upon  him.  He  put  the  muzzle 
into  her  mouth,  and  again  missed  fire.  All  hope  now  w^s  lost, 
and  all  idea  of  resistance.  They  pawed  and  tore  him  at  will,  he 
knows  not  how  long.  At  one  time  they  seized  him  by  the  neck 
and  dragged  him  some  distance.  They  then  once  more  left  him. 

After  they  left  him,  he  lay  some  time.  He  then  bethought 
himself  that  possibly  he  might  still  be  able  to  rise  and  return  to 
his  camp,  which  was  not  distant.  After  some  exertion  and  pre 
paration,  he  got  up,  and  again  took  his  gun  and  powder-horn  and 
knife.  He  picked  the  flint,  addressing  his  gun,  saying,  "  that  the 
bears  could  not  kill  it,  and  that  he  hoped  the  gun  would  have  more 
courage,"  &c.,  and  putting  it  on  his  shoulder,  commenced  his  way 
to  his  camp. 

He  had  not  proceeded  far  when  the  snorting  of  the  old  dam 
before  him  reminded  him  of  his  danger.  He  found  his  limbs  stiff 
and  swollen,  and  that  he  could  not  bring  up  the  gun  to  his  shoul 
der  to  take  aim.  He  held  it  before  him,  and  when  the  dam,  still 
in  front,  advanced  near  him,  fired  at  her  head,  and  the  ball  entered 
just  behind  the  shoulder.  She  fell  dead.  He  saw  the  smoke 
issue  from  the 'wound. 

One  of  the  yearlings  now  rose  on  his  hind  paws  and  growled. 
He  raised  his  knife  (which  was  in  his  left  hand,  upon  which  the\ 
gun  rested  on  firing),  and  made  a  pass  at  the  bear,  which  the  latter 
avoided  by  throwing  himself  to  one  side.  The  third  bear  now 
rose  up  before  him.  but  at  a  greater  distance  than  the  second,  and 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  273 

he  made  a  pass  at  him,  but  found  him  out  of  reach.  Yet  the  bear 
threw  himself  to  one  side,  as  the  former  had  done. 

Having  them  now  on  the  run,  he  followed  a  short  distance,  but 
soon  felt  very  faint.  A  darkness  seemed  before  his  eyes,  and 
he  sank  down.  In  this  act  the  blood  gushed  from  his  body. 
This  appeared  to  relieve  him.  After  sitting  some  time,  he  rose 
and  proceeded  homeward.  He  saw  no  more  of  the  two  year 
ling  bears.  Before  reaching  the  lodge,  he  was  met  by  a  party 
who  had  been  seeking  him.  As  he  walked  along,  he  felt  some 
thing  striking  the  calf  of  his  right  leg,  and  found  it  to  be  a  piece 
of  flesh  from  his  thigh  behind.  There  were  six  open  holes  in  his 
body  through  which  air  escaped,  one  in  each  side,  one  in  his 
breast,  abdomen,  and  stomach,  besides  the  torn  cheek.  He  found, 
on  reaching  home,  he  could  not  speak,  but,  after  being  bandaged, 
his  utterance  revived.  On  the  next  day  the  physician  from  the 
forks  of  Red  River  arrived  and  attended  him. 

20th.  Annamikens  resumed  his  narrative: — 

"  On  the  next  day,  I  have  said,  the  doctor  arrived,  but  not  hav 
ing  medicine  sufficient  to  dress  all  my  wounds,  he  put  what  he  had 
on  the  principal  wounds.  On  the  same  day  my  brother  and  the 
party  who  had  separated  on  the  council-ground  also  arrived.  They 
remained  that  and.  the  next  day,  and  on  the  third  day  all  moved 
for  Pembina.  To  carry  me  they  constructed  a  litter,  carried  by 
four  persons;  but  I  found  the  motion  too  great  to  endure.  They 
then  formed  a  bier  by  fastening  two  poles  to  a  horse's  sides,  and 
placing  such  fixtures  upon  them,  behind  the  horse,  as  to  permit 
my  being  carried.  I  found  this  motion  easier  to  endure.  The 
Chippewas  accompanied  me,  and  were  resolved,  if  I  died,  to  go 
Immediately  to  war  against  the  Sioux.  My  condition  was,  at  this 
moment,  such  that  they  hourly  expected  my  death.  I  was  pre 
pared  for  it,  and  directed  that  I  should  be  buried  at  the  spot 
where  I  might  die.  On  the  third  day  we  reached  Pembina. 
For  nine  days  I  resisted  food,  feigning  that  I  could  not  eat, 
but  wishing  to  starve  myself,  as  I  was  so  disfigured  and  in 
jured  that  I  had  no  wish  to  survive,  and  would  have  been 
ashamed  to  show  myself  in  such  a  state.  On  the  ninth  day  my 
hunger  was  so  great  that  I  called  for  a  piece  of  fish,  and  swal 
lowed  it ;  in  about  two  hours  after  I  called  for  another  piece  of 
fish,  and  also  ate  it.  Six  days  after  my  arrival,  Mr.  Plavier,  and 
18 


274  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

another  priest  from  Red  River,  arrived  to  baptize  me.  I  resisted, 
saying  that  if  there  was  no  hope  of  living  I  would  consent,  but  not 
otherwise.  After  fifteen  days,  I  was  so  much  recovered  that  the 
priest  returned,  as  I  had  every  appearance  of  recovery.  I  would 
neither  permit  white  nor  Indian  doctors  to  attend  me  after  my  arri 
val  ;  but  had  myself  regularly  washed  in  cold  water,  my  wounds 
kept  clean,  and  the  bandages  properly  attended  to.  In  about  one 
month  from  the  time  I  could  walk ;  but  it  was  two  years  before 
the  wounds  were  closed." 

I  requested  Dr.  Z.  Pitcher,  the  Post  surgeon,  to  examine 
Annamikens,  with  a  view  to  test  the  narrative,  and  to  determine  on 
the  capacity  of  the  human  frame  to  survive  such  wounds.  He 
found  portions  of  the  cheek-bones  gone,  and  cicatrices  of  fearful 
extent  upon  that  and  other  parts  of  the  body,  which  gave  the 
narrative  the  appearance  of  truthfulness. 

On  returning  from  Green  Bay,  I  gave  my  attention,  with  re 
newed  interest,  to  the  means  of  expediting  the  completion  of  the 
Agency  buildings,  and  occupying  the  lot  and  grounds.  I  have 
alluded  to  the  success  of  my  reference  of  this  subject  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  War,  in  1825.  A  site  was  selected  on  a  handsomely 
elevated  bank  of  the  river,  covered  with  elms,  about  half  a  mile 
east  of  the  fort,  where  the  foundation  of  a  spacious  building  and 
office  were  laid  in  the  autumn  of  1826,  and  the  frame  raised  as 
early  in  the  ensuing  spring  as  the  snow  left  the  ground. 

Few  sites  command  a  more  varied  or  magnificient  view.  The 
broad  and  limpid  St.  Mary,  nearly  a  mile  wide,  runs  in  front  of 
the  grounds.  The  Falls,  whose  murmuring  sound  falls  pleasantly 
on  the  ear,  are  in  plain  view.  The  wide  vista  of  waters  is  per 
petually  filled  by  canoes  and  boats  passing  across  to  the  opposite 
settlement  on  the  British  shore.  The  picturesque  Indian  costume 
gives  an  oriental  cast  to  the  moving  panorama.  The  azure  moun 
tains  of  Lake  Superior  rise  in  the  distance.  Sailing  vessels  and 
steamboats  from  Detroit,  Cleaveland,  and  Buffalo,  occasionally 
glide  by,  and  to  this  wide  and  magnificent  view,  as  seen  by 
daylight,  by  sunset,  and  by  moonlight,  the  frequent  displays  of 
aurora  borealis  give  an  attraction  of  no  ordinary  force. 

In  selecting  this  spot,  I  had  left  standing  a  large  part  of  the 
fine  elms,  maples,  mountain  ash,  and  other  native  forest  trees,  and 
the  building  was,  in  fact,  embowered  by  tall  clumps  of  the  richest 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  275 

foliage.  I  indulged  an  early  taste  in  horticulture,  and  planting 
trees  to  add  to  the  natural  attractions  of  the  spot,  which,  from  the 
chief  trees  upon  it,  was  named  "Elmwood,"  and  every  flowering 
plant  and  fruit  that  would  thrive  in  the  climate,  was  tried.  Part 
of  the  grounds  were  laid  down  in  grass.  Portions  of  them  on 
the  water's  edge  that  were  low  and  quaggy,  were  sowed  with  the 
redtop,  which  will  thrive  in  very  moist  soil,  and  gives  it  firmness. 
The  building  was  ample,  containing  fifteen  rooms,  including  the 
office,  and  was  executed,  in  all  respects,  in  the  best  modern  style. 

In  addition  to  these  arrangements  for  insuring  domestic  com 
fort  and  official  respect,  my  agency  abroad  among  the  tribes  was 
now  well  established,  to  the  utmost  sources  of  the  Mississippi. 
The  name  and  power  of  "  Chimoqemon"  (American)  among  the 
northern  tribes,  was  no  longer  a  term  of  derision,  or  uncertainty 
of  character.  The  military  post  established  at  these  ancient  falls, 
where  the  power  of  France  was  first  revealed  as  early  as  1652 ; 
the  numerous  journeys  I  had  made  into  the  interior,  often  in  com 
pany  with  the  highest  civil  and  military  functionaries;  the  pre 
sents  annually  issued;  the  firm  basis  of  a  commissariat  for  all 
visiting  and  indigent  Indians ;  the  mechanics  employed  for  their 
benefit ;  the  control  exercised  over  the  fur  traders,  and  the  gene 
ral  effects  of  American  opinions  and  manners;  had  placed  the 
agency  in  the  very  highest  point  of  view.  It  was  a  frontier  agency, 
in  immediate  juxtaposition  with  Canada  and  Hudson's  Bay,  fifteen 
hundred  miles  of  whose  boundary  closed  upon  them,  separated  only 
by  the  chain  of  lakes  and  rivers.  Questions  of  national  policy 
frequently  came  up,  and  tended  much  to  augment  the  interest, 
which  grew  out  of  the  national  intercourse. 

I  had  now  attained  that  position  of  repose  and  quiet  which 
were  so  congenial  to  my  mind.  The  influence  I  exercised ;  the 
respect  I  enjoyed,  both  as  an  officer  and  as  a  scientific  and  literary 
man ;  every  circumstance,  in  fact,  that  can  add  to  the  enjoyment 
of  a  man  of  moderate  desires,  seeking  to  run  no  political  race, 
was  calculated  to  insure  my  happiness.  And  I  was  happy.  No 
part  of  my  life  had  so  completely  all  the  elements  of  entire  con 
tentment,  as  my  residence  at  the  wild  and  picturesque  homestead 
of  Elmwood.  I  removed  my  family  to  this  spot  in  October,  hav 
ing  now  a  little  daughter  to  enlarge  my  family  circle,  and  take 


276  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

away,  in  a  measure,  the  solitariness  effected  by  the  loss  of  my  son, 
William  Henry. 

I  resumed  iny  Indian  researches  with  twofold  interest.  The 
public  duties  of  an  agent  for  Indian  affairs,  if  an  industrious  man, 
leave  him  a  good  deal  of  leisure  on  his  hands,  and,  in  a  position 
so  remote  as  this,  if  a  man  have  no  inclination  for  studies  or 
belles  lettres,  he  must  often  be  puzzled  to  employ  his  leisure.  I 
amused  myself  by  passing  from  one  literary  study  to  another,  and 
this  is  ever  refreshing  to  the  mind,  which  tires  of  one  thing.  Thus, 
such  amusements  as  the  Appeal  of  Pontiac,  Rise  of  the  West,  and 
the  Man  of  Bronze,  found  place  among  graver  matters.  In  this 
manner,  a  man  without  literary  society  may  amuse  and  instruct 
himself. 

Nov.  1st.  I  have  been  elected  a  member  of  the  Legislative 
Council  of  the  territory — an  office  not  solicited,  and  which  is  not 
declined.  Party  spirith  as  not  yet  reached  and  distracted  this 
territory.  So  far  as  I  know,  political  divisions  of  a  general  cha 
racter,  have  not  entered  into  society.  The  chief  magistrate 
is  an  eminently  conservative  man,  and  by  his  moderation  of 
tone  and  suavity  of  manners,  has  been  instrumental  in  keep 
ing  political  society  in  a  state  of  tranquillity.  All  our  parties 
have  been  founded  on  personal  preference.  If  there  has  been 
any  more  general  principles  developed  in  the  legislature,  it  has 
been  a  promptly  debt  paying,  and  a  not  promptly  debt  paying 
party — a  non  divorce,  and  a  divorce  party.  I  have  been  ever  of 
the  former  class  of  thinkers  ;  and  shall  let  my  votes  tell  for  the 
right  and  good  old  way — i.  e.  pay  your  debts  and  keep  your  wife. 
Dec.  2%d.  My  study  of  the  Indian  language  and  history  has 
not  only  enlarged  my  own  sources  of  intellectual  gratification,  but 
it  has,  without  my  seeking  it,  procured  me  a  number  of  highly 
intellectual  philosophic  correspondents,  whose  letters  operate  as 
an  aliment  to  further  exertion.  My  natural  assiduity  is  thus 
continually  stimulated,  and  I  find  myself  begrudging  a  single 
hour,  spent  in  gossiping  hum-drum  society — for  even  here  there  is 
society,  or  an  apology  for  society. 

The  editor  of  the  North  American  Review,  inviting  me  to  write 
for  its  pages,  says  (Sept.  1st):  "Your  knowledge  and  experience 
will  enable  you  to  say  much  concerning  the  western  country,  arid 
its  aboriginal  inhabitants,  which  will  be  interesting  to  the  commu- 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  277 

nity  of  readers.  You  cannot  be  too  full  in  your  facts  and  reflec 
tions  on  Indians  and  Indian  character." 

Judge  H.  Chipman,  of  Detroit,  says  (Oct.  21st):  "If  it  were 
just  cause  of  offence,  that  men  should  estimate  differently  the  merits 
of  opposing  candidates,  popular  elections  would  be  the  greatest 
curse  that  could  be  inflicted  upon  a  people." 

Mr.  Everett  (Hon.  E.)  says:  "I  beg  leave  to  unite  with  Mr. 
Sparks  in  expressing  the  hope  that  you  will  become  a  contributor 
to  its  pages  (North  American  Review],  as  often  as  your  leisure, 
the  seasonableness  of  topics,  and  the  appearance  of  works  to  be 
noticed,  may  admit." 

24th.  This  day  brought  one  of  Mr.  Johnston's  warm-hearted 
notes,  to  take  a  Christmas  dinner  with  him  to-morrow.  "  I  anti 
cipate,"  he  says,  "great  pleasure  in  seeing  many  dear  relatives 
about  me,  on  one  of  the  greatest  festivals  the  world  has  ever 
witnessed." 

It  was  the  last  festival  of  that  kind  he  ever  enjoyed,  though 
nothing  could  be  further  from  our  imaginations  then ;  for  before 
its  recurrence  in  1828,  we  were  called  to  follow  his  body  to  the 
grave. 


2T8  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Retrospect — United  States  Exploring  Expedition  to  the  South  Sea — Humanity 
of  an  Indian — Trip  to  Detroit  from  the  Icy  Straits — Incidental  action  of  the 
Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island  Historical  Societies,  and  of  the  Montreal 
Natural  History  Society — United  States  Exploring  Expedition — Climato 
logy — La  ke  vessels  ill  found — Poetic  view  of  the  Indian — United  States 
Exploring  Expedition — Theory  of  the  interior  world — Natural  History — 
United  States  Exploring  Expedition. — History  of  early  legislation  in 
Michigan — Return  to  St.  Mary's — Death  of  Governor  De  Witt  Clinton. 

1828.  January  1st. — DURING  ten  years,  omitting  1823,  I  had 
now  performed,  each  year,  a  journey  or  expedition  of  more  or  less 
peril  and  adventure  in  the  great  American  wilderness,  west  of  the 
Alleghanies.  I  had  now  attained  a  point,  ardently  sought,  for 
many  years,  where  I  was  likely  to  be  permitted  to  sit  down  quietly 
at  home,  and  leave  traveling  to  others.  I  had,  in  fact,  just  re 
moved  into  a  quiet  home,  a  retired,  convenient,  tasteful,  and  even 
elegant  seat,  which  filled  every  wish  of  retired  intellectual  enjoy 
ment,  where  I  was  encompassed  by  books,  studies,  cabinets,  and 
domestic  affections.  At  this  moment,  when  there  appeared  nothing 
in  the  prospect  to  call  me  to  new  fields  of  observation,  I  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  legislative  council,  which  opened  a  civic  and  quite 
different  scene  of  duties.  This  step,  I  found,  pleased  my  friends. 
The  executive  of  the  territory  writes  from  Detroit,  February  22d : 
"  We  have  understood  that  you  have  been  elected  a  member  of  the 
legislative  council,  and  there  is  a  prevalent  wish  that  this  report 
may  prove  true.  I  mention  the  subject  now,  to  inform  you  that 
the  council  will  probably  be  convened  about  the  beginning  of  May, 
in  order  that  you  may  make  the  necessary  preparations  for  visiting 
this  place  at  that  time." 

Feb.  5th.  An  exploring  expedition  for  discoveries  in  the  South 
Sea,  has,  for  some  time,  been  under  consideration  in  the  Senate  of 
the  United  States,  to  be  organized  in  the  navy,  and  to  go  out  under 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  279 

the  patronage  of  the  Secretary,  Mr.  Southard.  Mr.  G.  N.  Rey 
nolds  invites  me  to  take  a  position  in  the  scientific  corps,  to  ac 
company  it,  under  an  official  sanction. 

A  friend  from  Washington  writes  me  (Feb.  6th),  on  the  same 
topic :  "  Whether  matrimony  has  stripped  you  of  your  erratic  notions 
and  habits,  f  and  brought  you  within  narrower  limits,'  or  whether  the 
geography  of  the  earth  is  no  longer  of  interest  to  you,  I  cannot,  of 
course,  pretend  to  say.  But  considering  you,  as  I  do,  a  devotee  to 
science,  I  had  thought  it  possible  that  you  might  feel  a  desire  to 
engage  in  her  cause  to  the  South,  by  occupying  some  eminent  sta 
tion  in  the  expedition." 

The  reasons  which  I  have  mentioned,  at  the  opening  of  the  year, 
have  inclined  me  to  seek  repose  from  further  travel.  Besides  which, 
my  position  as  a  married  man,  and  the  peculiar  relations  I  have 
thereby  assumed,  impress  me,  very  deeply,  with  the  opinion  that 
my  sphere  of  duty,  whatever  may  be  my  ambition,  lies  nearer  at 
home  than  the  proposed  and  very  attractive  field  of  discovery.  I 
therefore  wrote  declining  the  offer. 

April  7th.  A  DOMESTIC  CURTAIN  LIFTED. — My  sister  Helen 
Margaret  writes,  from  New  York :  "This  afternoon,  as  I  was  sitting 
by  the  fire,  having  become  the  prey  of  ill  health,  a  thought  struck 
my  mind  to  write  a  few  lines  to  you,  not,  however,  to  give  you 
much  news,  but  merely  to  acquaint  you  that  we  are  still  in  the  land 
of  the  living,  and  that,  though  our  friends  are  far  removed,  we  still 
live  among  them  in  imagination.  Yes,  dear  brother,  believe  me, 
my  imagination  has  often  wandered,  and  passed  hours  with  you — 
hours ,  during  the  silence  of  the  night,  which  should  have  been  sacred 
to  sleep. 

"  I  have  been  out  of  health  about  five  weeks;  the  complaint  under 
which  I  labor  is  chronic  inflammation  of  the  liver,  but  I  have, 
under  the  pain  of  sickness,  forced  my  mind  to  forget  its  troubles. 
Most  of  my  time,  last  winter,  has  been  spent  with  Debby ;  while 
at  home,  my  time  has  been  devoted  to  reading,  mapping,  and  the 
study  of  philosophy. 

"  Probably  James  has  acquainted  you  of  the  illness  of  Margaret. 
She  is  now  very  low,  and  is,  to  all  human  appearance,  soon  to  leave 
this  world  for  a  better,  6  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling, 
and  the  weary  are  at  rest.'  Her  sufferings  are  great;  she  has  not 
been  able  to  sit  up,  more  than  nine  minutes  at  one  time,  for  two 


280  PERSONAL  MEMOIKS. 

months.  Her  mind  is  calm.  She  is  ready  and  willing  to  leave 
this  vain  world,  whenever  it  is  the  will  of  God  to  take  her. 

"  Mother's  health  is  poor,  and  has  been  during  all  last  winter; 
yet  notwithstanding  her  daily  sufferings,  in  her  harassed  body,  she 
vigorously  wrestles  with  ill  luck.  As  it  pains  me  to  write,  I  must 
close  with  a  few  words.  I  have  frequently  thought,  should  I  be 
bereft  of  my  mother,  what  other  friend,  like  her,  would  watch  over 
the  uneasy  hours  of  sickness  ?  What  other  friend  would  bear  its 
petulance,  and  smooth  its  feverish  pillow?" 

This  proved  to  be  her  last  earthly  message  to  me.  She  died  on 
the  12th  of  April,  1829,  aged  twenty-three. 

18th.  I,  this  day,  had  an  official  visit  from  Magisaunikwa 
(Wampum-hair),  a  Chippewa  Indian,  who,  recently,  rescued  the 
Inspector  of  Customs  of  the  place,  John  Agnew,  Esq.,  from  drown 
ing.  This  gentleman  was  returning  from  Mackinac,  on  the  ice, 
with  a  train  de  glis,  drawn  by  dogs.  Having  ascended  the  straits 
to  the  rapids  of  the  South  Nebishe  channel,  he  found  the  ice  faulty 
and  rotten,  and,  after  some  exertions  to  avoid  the  bad  places,  fell 
in,  with  train  and  dogs.  The  struggle  to  get  out  only  involved  him 
worse,  and,  overcome  by  fatigue  and  false  footings,  he  at  length 
gave  over  the  strife,  and,  but  as  a  last  resort,  uttered  a  yell. 

It  chanced  that  Magisaunikwa  was  encamped  in  the  woods,  at  a 
distance,  and,  with  the  ever  ready  ear  of  the  aborigines,  caught  the 
sounds  and  came  to  his  relief.  By  this  time  he  had  relinquished 
the  struggle,  and  resigned  himself  to  his  fate.  By  arts  known  to 
a  people  who  are  familiar  with  such  dangers,  he  rescued  him  from 
the  water,  but  in  an  insensible  state.  He  then  put  the  body  on  a 
sled  and  drew  it  to  his  lodge,  where  he  disrobed  it,  and,  placing  it 
before  the  fire,  succeeded  in  restoring  him. 

I  invested  him  with  a  silver  medal  for  the  act,  and  gave  him  a 
chiefs  flag,  with  goods  and  cutlery,  &c.  to  the  value  of  above  fifty 
dollars. 

My  attention  was  now  turned  to  Detroit:  "You  are  elected," 
says  a  friend,  "  a  member  of  the  council.  It  is  essential  you 
should  be  here  as  speedily  as  possible.  Leave  everything  to 
Audrain,  and  come  down.  You  can  return  before  the  busy  season." 

21th.  I  left  the  Sault  this  day,  for  Detroit,  to  attend  the 
Legislative  Council.  Patches  of  snow  still  lined  the  banks  of  the 
St.  Mary's,  and  fields  of  ice  were  yet  in  Muddy  Lake.  It  was  not 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  281 

until  entering  the  St.  Clair,  and  passing  down  beyond  the  chilling 
influences  of  Lake  Huron,  that  spring  began  to  show  striking  evi 
dences  of  her  rapid  advances,  and  on  reaching  Detroit,  the  state  of 
horticulture  and  fruit  trees  betokened  a  quite  different  and  benign 
climate.  The  difference  in  latitude,  in  this  journey,  is  full  four 
degrees,  carrying  the  voyager  from  about  46J°  to  about  42^°. 
This  fact,  which  it  is  difficult  to  realize  from  the  mere  inspection  of 
maps,  and  reading  of  books,  it  is  important  at  all  times  to  bear  in 
mind,  in  setting  a  just  value  on  the  country  and  its  agricultural  ad 
vantages. 

On  reaching  the  city,  and  before  the  organization  of  the  legis 
lature,  I  received  a  letter  from  the  Hon.  John  Davis,  President  of 
the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  suggesting  the  publication 
of  my  researches  on  Indian  language. 

"  Mr.  Pickering  concurs  with  me,  that  it  is  very  desirable  to 
have  this  publication  effected.  Some  tracts  of  this  description 
have  been  occasionally  published  in  the  collections  of  our  society, 
and  we  have  no  doubt  that  this  course  would  be  pursued  with  your 
work,  if  such  should  be  your  wish,  and  no  preferable  mode  of  pub 
lication  should  occur." 

29th. — I  received  from  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society,  a 
copy  of  their  publication  of  Roger  Williams'  Key  to  the  Indian 
languages.  This  tract  was  greatly  needed  by  philologists.  The 
language  commented  on  is  clearly  of  the  Algonquin  stock.  Dr. 
Edwards,  in  his  "  Observations  on  the  Mukhekanieu,"  demon 
strates  that  the  old  Mohecan,  as  spoken  on  the  Housatonic,  was 
also  of  this  type. 

He  says,  indeed,  that  the  difference  in  all  the  New  England 
languages  spoken  by  the  nations  were  merely  dialectic.  What  I 
have  heard  of  Eliot's  Bible  of  the  Natic,  or  Massachusetts  lan 
guage,  favors  the  same  conclusion.  All  this  shows  that  the  ances 
tors  of  the  present  lake  tribes  who  speak  these  dialects,  must  have 
overspread  all  New  England.  History  is  thus  taught  by  lan 
guage.  The  lake  tribes  have  only  this  tradition  respecting  the 
fact,  that  they  came  from  the  East. 

Wth. — Dr.  A.  E.  Homes  transmits  me  a  diploma  of  member 
ship  of  the  Montreal  Natural  History  Society. 

May  ~L4:tJi. — Mr.  Reynolds  recurs  to  the  subject  of  the  Ex. 
Expedition,  which  he  announced  to  me  on  the  5th  of  February. 


282  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

"It  is  probable,"  he  observes,  "that  an  expedition  to  the  South 
Sea  will  sail  from  the  City  of  New  York  in  September  next.  I 
wish,  and  so  do  several  members  of  the  national  cabinet,  that  you 
would  join  it,  and  be  the  head  of  the  scientific  corps.  Your 
salary  shall  be  almost  anything  you  ask,  and  your  relation  to  the 
general  government  shall  not  be  prejudiced  by  a  temporary  ab 
sence.  The  expedition  will  be  absent  about  eighteen  months  or 
two  years.  Will  you  not  feel  some  ambition  in  being  connected 
with  the  first  American  expedition  of  discovery?" 

20th. — Death  is  ever  busy,  thinning  the  ranks  of  our  friends  and 
relatives.  Mr.  Shearman,  of  N.  Y.,  communicates  the  death  of  my 
niece,  Margaret  Catharine  (S.)  at  Yernon,  New  York.  She  was 
a  young  lady  of  pleasing  manners,  and  many  fine  personal  and 
mental  traits.  She  conversed  on  her  fate  with  perfect  composure, 
and  selected  hymns  to  be  sung  at  her  funeral. 

I  accomplished  my  passage  to  Detroit  I  think  on  the  21st  of 
May,  being  twenty-four  days  from  St.  Mary's,  without  counting  the 
trip  in  that  season  one  of  unusual  length,  and  without  any  serious 
mishaps,  which  is,  perhaps,  remarkable,  as  all  our  lake  vessels  are 
ill  found,  and  I  attribute  more  of  success  to  good  luck,  or  rather 
Providence,  than  to  any  amount  of  seamanlike  precaution.  It  is, 
indeed,  remarkable  that  a  hundred  vessels  are  not  every  year  lost 
on  the  upper  lakes  where  one  now  is,  by  being  ill  supplied  or  equip 
ped,  or  through  foolhardy  intrepidity. 

28th. — A  friend  sent  me  the  manuscript  of  his  poem  of  "  Sa- 
nillac"  to  read,  and  to  furnish  some  notes.  The  subject  of  the  In 
dian  is,  certainly,  susceptible  of  being  handled  by  the  Muses,  in  a 
manner  to  interest  and  amuse ;  and  I  regard  every  attempt  of  the 
kind  as  meritorious,  although  it  may  be  the  lot  of  but  few  to  suc 
ceed.  The  writer  on  the  frontier,  who  fills  up  a  kind  of  elegant 
leisure  by  composition,  not  only  pleases  himself,  which  is  a  thing 
nobody  can  deprive  him  of,  but  dodges  the  coarser  amusements  of 
bowling,  whist,  and  other  resorts  for  time-killing.  He  forgets  his 
remote  position  for  the  time,  and  hides  from  himself  the  feeling 
of  that  loneliness  which  is  best  conquered  by  literary  employ 
ment. 

SQth.  Mr.  Reynolds  again  writes,  pressing  the  matter  of  the 
contemplated  expedition,  and  the  prospect  it  opens  for  discovery, 
and  its  advantage  every  way.  He  couples  his  offer  with  most 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  283 

liberal  and  exalted  sentiments,  and  with  the  opinions  of  distin 
guished  men,  whose  approval  is  praise.  But  notwithstanding  all, 
there  is  something  about  the  getting  up  and  organization  of  the 
expedition,  which  I  do  not  altogether  like;  and  there  is  considerable 
doubt  whether  Congress  will  not  cripple  it,  by  voting  meagre  sup 
plies  and  outfits,  if  they  do  not  knock  it  in  the  head. 

The  expedition  itself  is  a  measure  of  the  highest  national 
moment,  as  it  is  connected  with  scientific  discovery,  and  reflects 
the  greatest  credit  on  the  projectors.  The  experiments  of  Dr. 
Maskelyn  denote  a  greater  specific  gravity  in  the  central  portions 
of  the  globe,  than  in  its  crust,  and  consequently  do  not  favor  the 
theory  advocated  by  Mr.  R.,  of  an  interior  void.  Yet  we  are 
advertised,  by  the  phenomena  of  earthquakes,  that  this  interior 
abounds  with  oxygen,  hydrogen  gas,  caloric,  and  sulphur;  and 
that  extraordinary  geological  changes  are  effected  by  their  ac 
tion.  It  does  seem  improbable  that  the  proposed  expedition 
will  trace  any  open  connection  "  with  such  an  interior  world;" 
but  it  may  accumulate  facts  of  the  highest  importance.  I  am 
not,  therefore,  insensible  of  the  high  honor  of  this  offer,  and  how 
ever  I  may  glow  with  the  secret  ardor  of  discovery,  and  the  honor 
of  place,  my  present  engagements,  domestic  and  public,  have 
woven  about  me  such  a  web,  that  it  is  impossible  suddenly  to 
break  from  it.  On  full  consideration  and  reconsideration,  there 
fore,  I  declined  going.* 

June  1st.  Major  Delafield,  of  New  York,  transmits  a  box  of 
duplicate  specimens  of  mineralogy  from  England. 

"  The  box  you  forwarded  for  the  Lyceum  has  not  yet  been  sent 
to  the  rooms.  The  catalogue  I  will  present  in  your  name  to-night. 
The  several  objects  will  prove  extremely  interesting.  The  lake 
tortoise  we  have  been  endeavoring  to  obtain  for  a  year  past,  to 
complete  a  paper  relative  to  these  animals.  Cooper  is  in  Phila 
delphia  editing  the  second  volume  of  Bonaparte's  Ornithology. 
He  will  be  disappointed  in  not  receiving  the  grosbeak,  f  of  which 
I  had  spoken  to  him." 

The  study  of  Natural  History  presents  some  of  the  most  pleas- 

*  The  expedition  was,  in  fact,  checked  by  various  causes,  and  the  project 
lingered  for  some  years.  At  length,  the  expedition  started  under  the  orders 
of  Captain  Charles  Wilkes,  United  States  Navy. 

f  A  new  species  discovered  by  me  at  Sault  St.  Marie. 


284  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

ing  evidences  of  exactitude  and  order,  in  every  department  of 
creation,  and  adds  to  life  many  hours  of  the  most  innocent  and 
exalted  enjoyment.  It  drops,  as  it  were,  golden  tissues  in  the 
•walks  of  life,  which  there  is  a  perpetual  enjoyment  in  unraveling. 

IQtJi.  Mr.  Reynolds  writes  again,  without  having  received  my 
last  reply,  respecting  the  exploring  expedition.  He  says:  "Mr. 
Southard,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  has  expressed  his  deep  regret 
that  you  will  not  be  able  to  find  it  convenient  to  go  on  the  expe 
dition." 

Mr.  Reynolds  again  writes  (June  22d):  "  I  had  a  conversation 
to-day  with  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  relation  to  your  join 
ing  the  expedition.  He  informs  me  that  the  President,  as  well  as 
himself,  was  anxious  that  you  should  do  so ;  and  that  in  case  you 
did,  an  Assistant  Agent  might  be  appointed  to  do  your  duties,  as 
United  States  Agent,  and  thus  reserve  your  office  until  yeur  re 
turn." 

Nothing,  certainly,  could  exceed  this  spirit  of  liberality  and 
kind  appreciation. 

No  reasons  for  altering  my  prior  decisions  appeared,  however, 
weighty  enough  to  change  them. 

July  1st. — The  legislative  council  organized  in  due  form,  being 
sworn  in  by  the  governor.  The  first  assemblage  of  this  kind  in  the 
Territory  met,  I  believe,  four  years  ago.  Prior  to  that  era,  the 
governor  and  judges  were  authorized  to  adopt  laws  from  the  "  old" 
States,  which  led  to  a  system  rather  objectionable,  and  certainly 
anomalous,  so  far  as  it  made  the  judges  both  makers  and  ex 
pounders  of  the  laws ;  for  it  was  said,  I  know  not  how  truly,  that 
they  picked  out  a  clause  here  and  there,  to  fit  exigencies,  or  cases 
in  hand,  and  did  not  take  whole  statutes.  It  was  said  that  when 
the  judges,  in  the  exercise  of  their  judicial  functions,  got  to  a 
"  tight  place,''  they  adjourned  the  court,  and  devoted  their  legal 
acumen  to  picking  out  clauses  from  the  statutes  of  the  old  States, 
to  be  adopted,  in  order  to  meet  the  circumstances ;  but  these 
stories  were,  probably,  to  be  received  a  little  after  the  manner  of 
the  slanderous  reports  of  the  Van  Twiller  administration,  of 
Knickerbocker  memory.  It  is  certain  that  their  honors,  Judges 
Woodward,  Griffin,  and  Witherall,  the  latter  of  whom  was  gene 
rally  voted  down,  have  acquired  no  small  popular  notoriety  as 
judicial  and  legislative  functionaries,  and  they  must  figure  largely 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  285 

in  the  early  annals  of  Michigan,  especially  should  this  territory 
ever  prove  so  fortunate  as  to  have  a  Cervantes  or  an  Irving  for 
its  historian. 

I  found  the  members  of  the  council  to  be  nearly  all  of  the  old 
residents  of  Michigan,  one  a  Frenchman,  several  sent  in  by 
French  votes,  one  or  two  old  volunteer  officers  of  Hull's  day,  one 
an  Indian  captive,  and  three  lawyers  by  profession.  When  assem 
bled  they  presented  a  body  of  shrewd,  grave,  common-sense  men, 
with  not  much  legal  or  forensic  talent,  perhaps,  and  no  eloquence 
or  power  of  speaking.  There  were  just  thirteen  men,  only  one 
of  whom  was  a  demagogue,  and  had  gained  his  election  by  going 
about  from  house  to  house  and  asking  votes.  The  worst  trait  in 
the  majority  was  a  total  want  of  moral  courage,  and  a  disposition 
to  favor  a  negligent  and  indebted  population,  by  passing  a  species 
of  stop  laws,  and  divorce  laws,  and  of  running  after  local  and  tem 
porary  expedients,  to  the  lowering  of  the  tone  of  just  legislation. 
I  had  no  constituents  at  home  to  hold  me  up  to  promises  on  these 
heads.  I  was  every  way  independent,  in  a  political  sense,  and 
could  square  my  course  at  all  times,  by  pursuing  the  right,  instead 
of  being  forced  into  the  expedient,  in  cases  where  there  was  a  con 
flict  between  the  two.  This  made  my  position  agreeable. 

I  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  committee  on  expenditures, 
and  a  member  of  the  judiciary,  &c.  I  directed  my  attention  to 
the  incorporation  of  a  Historical  Society;  to  the  preparation  of  a 
system  of  township  names  derived  from  the  aboriginal  languages  ; 
and  to  some  efforts  for  bettering  the  condition  of  the  natives,  by 
making  it  penal  to  sell  or  give  them  ardent  spirits,  and  thus  de 
sired  to  render  my  position  as  a  legislator  useful,  where  there  was 
but  little  chance  of  general  action.  As  chairman  of  the  commit 
tee  on  expenditures,  I  kept  the  public  expenditures  snug,  and,  in 
every  respect,  conformable  to  the  laws  of  congress.  The  session 
was  closed  about  the  first  of  July — early  enough  to  permit  me  to 
return  to  St.  Mary's,  to  attend  to  the  summer  visits  of  the  in 
terior  traders  and  Indians. 

lOz/fc.  While  engaged  in  the  council,  a  friend  writing  from  New 
York,  who  is  a  close  watcher  of  political  movements,  alludes  to  the 
sudden  and  lamented  death  of  Governor  Clinton,  last  winter,  and  its 
effects  on  the  political  parties  of  that  State.  Heavy,  indeed,  is 
the  blow  that  removes  from  the  field  of  action  a  man  who  had  oc- 


286  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

cupied  so  wide  a  space  in  the  public  esteem  ;  and  long  will  it  be 
till  another  arises  to  concentrate  and  control  public  opinion  as  he 
did.  To  me,  as  a  personal  friend,  and  one  who  early  counselled 
and  directed  me  in  my  investigations  in  natural  history,  it  is  a 
loss  I  feel  deeply.  Politicians  spring  up  daily,  but  men  like  him, 
who  take  a  wider  view  of  things,  belong  to  their  country. 


•:* ' ' 
PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  287 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

Official  journal  of  the  Indian  intercourse — Question  of  freedmen,  or  persons 
not  bonded  for — Indian  chiefs,  Chacopee,  Neenaby,  Mukwakwut,  Terns 
Convert,  Shingabowossin,  Guelle  Plat,  Grosse  Guelle — Further  notice  of 
Wampum-hair — Red  Devil — Biographical  notice  of  Guelle  Plat,  or  Flat 
ISIimth—Brechet — Meeshug,  a  widow — lauwind — Mongazid,  chief  of  Fond 
du  Lac — Chianokwut — White  Bird — Annamikens,  the  hero  of  a  bear 
fight,  &c.  &c. 

t 

1828.  July  6th. — MY  return  to  the  Agency  at  the  Sault  was 
in  the  midst  of  its  summer  business.  Indians  and  Indian  traders 
from  remote  interior  positions,  were  encamped  on  every  green 
spot.  No  trader  had  yet  renewed  his  license  from  the  government 
to  return.  It  would  be  difficult  to  indicate  a  place  more  favorable 
than  this  was,  to  observe  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Indiansr 
and  the  peculiar  questions  connected  with  the  Indian  trade.  I 
amused  myself  a  few  days,  by  keeping  minutes  of  the  visits  of  the 
mixed  Indian  and  metif  multitude. 

12^..  Antoine  Mauce,  Alexis  Blais,  and  Joseph  Montre,  freed- 
rnen,  of  Indian  blood  or  connections,  ordered  from  the  Indian 
villages  last  fall,  presented  themselves  for  a  ^decision  on  their 
respective  cases. 

Mauce  stated  several  facts  in  extenuation  of  his  offence.  He 
said  he  had  served  as  a  boatman  in  the  Indian  trade  ten  years, 
had  married  an  Indian  wife  and  raised  a  family,  and  during  all 
this  time,  with  the  exception  of  short  visits  to  Mackinac  with  his 
bourgeois,  had  resided  in  the  Indian  country.  On  the  expiration 
of  his  last  engagement  he  went  to  St.  Peters,  and  while  there, 
made  eight  canoes  for  Mr.  Bailly,  from  whom  he  got  the  few 
goods  that  were  seized  at  Sandy  Lake  by  Mr.  Johnston.  He  had 
intended,  however,  to  go  to  Mr.  Johnston  for  a  license,  and  he 
had  used  the  goods,  in  a  great  measure,  to  procure  a  mere  support 
for  his  family.  He  had  left  Sandy  Lake  last  fall,  passed  the  win- 


288  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

ter  at  La  Pointe,  and  had  come  down  early  in  the  spring,  and,  as 
he  had  lost  a  great  deal  of  time,  and  performed  a  very  long  jour 
ney,  leaving  his  family  behind  him,  he  requested  that  he  might  be 
allowed  to  return  with  a  permit  to  trade.  I  told  him  that  his  re 
maining  inland,  after  the  expiration  of  his  engagement,  was  con 
trary  to  instructions.  That,  being  a  Canadian  by  birth,  he  could 
not  be  licensed  as  a  trader.  That  he  might  go  inland  in  his  old 
capacity  of  a  boatman,  should  any  American  citizen  be  willing  to 
employ  him,  and  give  a  bond  for  his  future  conduct,  and  that  I 
should  refer  the  final  decision  upon  his  goods  and  peltries  to  Mr. 
Johnston,  on  account  of  my  imperfect  knowledge  of  some  circum 
stances  necessary  to  a  correct*  decision. 

Alexis  Blais  pleaded  ignorance  of  the  instructions  which  were 
given  to  traders.  He  had  no  other  object  in  remaining  inland 
than  to  get  a  livelihood.  He  came  out  as  soon  after  being  notified 
as  his  health  would  allow.  And  he  supposed,  had  he  been  willing 
to  serve  Mr.  Aikin  at  Sandy  Lake,  or  to  give  him  the  avails  of  his 
hunt,  no  complaints  would  have  been  made  against  him.  No  goods 
or  peltries  were  found  in  his  possession,  and  he  did  not  desire  to 
return  to  the  Indian  country.  I  informed  him  that  the  construc 
tion  put  on  the  Indian  laws  prohibited  any  white  man  from  follow 
ing  the  pursuits  of  a  hunter  on  Indian  land ;  that  it  also  forbids 
the  residence  of  boatmen  at  Indian  camps  or  villages,  after  they 
have  served  out  their  engagements,  &c. 

Joseph  Montre  is  a  metif,  step-son  of  Mauce.  Says  he  was 
born  and  brought  up  in  the  Indian  country,  and  has  subsisted  by 
hunting.  Is  unacquainted  with  the  laws,  but  will  follow  the  direc 
tions  given  him.  I  took  pains  to  impress  upon  his  mind,  through 
the  medium  of  an  interpreter,  the  situation  in  which  he  was  placed 
with  respect  to  our  government  and  laws,  and  the  steps  it  would 
be  necessary  for  him  hereafter  to  pursue. 

CHACOPEE  (The  Six),  a  minor  chief,  from  Snake  River,  on  the 
St.  Croix,  visited  the  office,  accompanied  by  seven  young  warriors. 
He  brought  a  note  from  the  Sub-agent  at  La  Pointe,  in  which  he 
is  recommended  as  "a  deserving  manly  Indian,  attached  to  the 
U.  S.  Government."  As  he  had  been  several  days  without  food  on 
his  voyage  through  Lake  Superior,  I  directed  a  requisition  to  be 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  289 

made  out  for  him  and  his  young  men,  and  told  them  to  call  on  me 
after  they  had  appeased  their  hunger. 

Necnaby  (the  person  who  hitches  on  his  seat),  of  Sault  St. 
Marie,  lodged  a  complaint  against  Mr.  Butterfield  and  one  of  his 
runners  (i.  e.  persons  employed  to  look  after  credits  given  to  In 
dians,  or  carry  on  a  petty  traffic  by  visiting  their  camps).  He 
states  that,  in  making  the  traverse  from  Point  Iroquois  across  the 
straits  of  St.  Mary,  he  was  met  by  young  Holiday,  who  lashed 
his  canoe  alongside,  and,  after  giving  him  a  drink  of  whisky,  per 
suaded  him  to  land  on  the  Canada  shore,  where  they  are  out  of 
reach  of  the  trade  and  intercourse  laws.  They  landed  at  Point 
aux  Chenes,  where  H.'s  tent  was  found  pitched,  who  invited  him 
into  it,  and  gave  him  more  drink.  H.  then  went  to  the  Indian's 
canoe,  and  brought  in  his  furs.  Something  was  then  given  him  to 
eat,  and  they  embarked  together  in  H.'s  canoe,  taking  the  furs, 
and  leaving  his  own  canoe,  with  his  wife,  to  follow.  On  reaching 
St.  Marie's  he  was  conducted  to  Mr.  B.'s  store,  and  told  to  trade. 
He  consented  to  trade  six  large  and  two  small  beavers,  arid  twenty 
muskrats,  for  which  he  acknowledged  to  have  received  satisfac 
tion.  He  was  freely  supplied  with  whisky,  and  strongly  urged  to 
trade  the  other  pack,  containing  the  principal  part  of  his  hunt, 
but  he  refused,  saying  he  had  brought  it  to  pay  a  credit  taken  of 
Mr.  Johnston.  This  pack,  he  says,  consisted  of  six  large  and  two 
small  beavers,  two  otters,  six  martins,  ninety  muskrats,  and  four 
minks.  As  an  equivalent  for  it,  they  proceeded  to  lay  out  for  him, 
as  he  was  told  and  shown  next  morning,  a  blanket,  hat,  pair  of 
leggins  of  green  cloth,  two  fathoms  strouds,  one  barrel  of  flour, 
one  bag  of  corn,  and  three  kegs  of  whisky.  He,  however,  on 
examining  it,  refused  to  receive  it,  and  demanded  the  pack  of  furs 
to  go  and  pay  his  credit.  Decision  deferred  for  inquiry  into  the 
facts. 

12th.  Chegud,  accompanied  by  a  train,  £c.,  made  a  visit  of  con 
gratulation  on  my  return  (after  a  temporary  absence). 

14th.  Revisited  by  Chacopee  and  his  young  men.  He  addressed 
me  in  a  fine  manly  tone  and  air.  He  referred  to  his  attendance 
and  conduct  at  the  treaties  of  Prairie  du  Chien  and  Fond  du  Lac, 
as  an  era  from  which  it  might  be  known  that  he  was  attached  to 
our  government  and  counsel.  The  object  of  his  present  visit  was 
to  renew  the  acquaintance  he  had  formed  with  me  at  those  places, 
19 


290  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

to  say  that  he  had  not  forgotten  the  good  advice  given  him,  and 
to  solicit  charity  for  his  followers.  He  presented  an  ornamented 
pipe  as  an  evidence  of  his  friendship. 

15th.  Visited  by  Monomine  Kashee  (the  Rice  Maker),  a  chief 
from  Post  Lake  in  that  part  of  the  Chippewa  country  bordering 
on  Green  Bay.  He  was  accompanied  by  Mukwakwut  (Satan's 
Ball  in  the  Clouds),  and  five  other  persons  composing  their  families. 
In  the  speech  made  by  this  chief,  whose  influence  and  authority 
are,  I  believe,  quite  limited,  he  said  that  his  visit  to  me  had  been 
produced  by  the  favorable  impressions  he  had  received  while 
attending  the  treaty  of  Butte  des  Morts  (Wisconsin).  That  he 
had  preserved  the  words  which  had  been  uttered  in  council  by  his 
American  fathers,  and  was  happy  that  all  cause  of  difference  with 
their  neighbors,  the  Winnebagoes  and  Menomonies  had  been  taken 
away  by  fixing  the  lines  of  their  lands,  £c.  He  presented  four 
stands  of  wampum  to  confirm  his  professions  of  good  will.  His 
companion  also  got  up,  and  spoke  for  several  minutes,  and  con 
cluded  by  requesting  "  that  his  father  would  not  overlook  him,  in 
distributing  any  presents  he  intended  to  make  them."  He  pre 
sented  a  pipe.  After  he  was  seated,  I  asked,  as  I  was  pen 
ning  these  minutes,  the  signification  of  his  name,  Mukwakwut,  as 
the  meaning  did  not  appear  obvious.  He  smiled  and  replied  "  that 
in  former  times  his  ancestors  had  seen  devils  playing  ball  in  the 
air,  and  that  his  name  was  in  allusion  to  the  ball." 

16th.  Visited  by  Terns  Couvert  (the  Lowering  or  Dark  Cloud), 
a  noted  war  chief  of  Leech  Lake,  upper  Mississippi.  He  states 
that  Mr.  Oaks  took  from  him,  two  years  ago,  ninepins,*  and  has  not 
yet  paid  him,  together  with  a  medal,  which  last  was  not  returned 
to  him  until  his  arrival  at  Fond  du  Lac  this  spring.  He  also 
states  that  Mr.  Warren  took  from  him,  while  he  was  at  La  Pointe 
on  his  way  out,  a  pack  of  thirty  obiminicquaf  (equal  to  thirty 
full-sized,  seasonable  beavers),  and  has  not,  as  yet,  offered  him  any 
thing  in  payment. 

Shingabowossin  (the  Image  Stone),  Shewabeketon  (the  Jin 
gling  Metals),  and  Wayishkee  (the  First-born  Son),  the  three 
principal  chiefs  of  the  Home  Band,  with  seventy-one  men,  women 

*  Plus,  Fr.     A  skin's  worth. 

f  OUminicqua,  Alg.     The  value  of  a  full  beaver  skin. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  291 

and  children,  visited  me  to  congratulate  me  on  my  safe  return 
from  Detroit.  The  old  chief  inquired  if  there  was  any  news,  and 
whether  all  remains  quiet  between  us  and  the  English. 

Guelle  Plat,  or  Ashkebuggecoash  (the  Flat  Mouth),  of  Leech 
Lake,  upper  Mississippi,  announced  his  arrival,  with  sixty  persons, 
chiefly  warriors  and  hunters.  He  brought  a  letter  from  one  of 
the  principal  traders  in  that  quarter,  backed  by  the  Sub-agent  of 
La  Pointe,  recommending  him  as  "the  most  respectable  man  in  the 
Chippewa  nation."  He  is  said  by  general  consent  to  be  the  most 
influential  man  in  the  large  and  pOAverful  band  of  Leech  Lake, 
comprising,  by  my  latest  accounts,  seventeen  hundred  souls.  His 
authority  is,  however,  that  of  a  village  or  civil  chief,  his  coadjutor, 
the  Lowering  Cloud,  having  long  had  the  principal  sway  with  the 
warriors. 

Being  his  first  visit  to  this  agency,  although  he  had  sent  me  his 
pipe  in  1822,  and,  as  he  said,  the  first  time  he  had  been  so  far 
from  his  native  place  in  a  south-easterly  course,  I  offered  him  the 
attentions  due  to  his  rank,  and  his  visit  being  an  introductory  one, 
was  commenced  and  ended  by  the  customary  ceremonies  of  the 
pipe. 

The  chief,  Grosse  Guelle  (Big  Throat),  together  with  Majega- 
bowe,  and  the  Breche's  son,  all  of  Sandy  Lake,  arrived  this  day, 
accompanied  by  four  other  persons,  and  were  received  with  the 
customary  respect  and  attention.  Having  come  a  long  distance, 
their  first  and  most  pressing  want  was  food.  It  is  indeed  aston 
ishing  that  the  desire  of  showing  themselves  off  as  men  of  conse 
quence  in  their  nation,  the  expectation  of  any  presents  or  gratifi 
cations,  or  the  hope  of  any  notice  or  preferment  whatever  should 
induce  these  people  to  undertake  such  long  and  hazardous  journeys 
with  such  totally  inadequate  means. 

Vlth.  The  Grrosse  G-uelle  repeated  his  visit,  saying  that  his 
family  had  been  so  long  without  a  meal  of  hearty  food  that  the 
issue  of  yesterday  had  not  sufficed  to  satisfy  them. 

Magisaunikwa  (Wampum-hair)  applied  for  provisions  for  him 
self  and  family,  to  enable  them  to  return  to  his  usual  place  of 
dwelling.  This  man's  case  has  been  previously  noticed.  He  hap 
pened  to  be  sitting  in  front  of  his  lodge  last  spring,  in  a  copse  of 
woods  near  the  banks  of  Muddy  Lake,  at  the  instant  when  the  In 
spector  of  Customs  of  St.  Mary's  (Mr.  Agnew)  had  broken  through 


292  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  ice  with  his  dog-train,  and  had  exhausted  himself  in  vain 
efforts  to  extricate  himself.  A  cry  reached  the  ever-open  ear  of 
the  Indian,  who  hastened  to  the  shore,  and,  after  much  exertion 
and  hazard,  aided  by  his  father  and  family,  was  the  means  of  pre 
serving  Mr.  A.'s  life.  After  getting  the  body  out  of  the  water, 
they  drew  it  upon  a  small  train  to  his  lodge,  where  they  applied 
dry  clothing,  prepared  a  kind  of  tea,  and  were  unremitting  in 
their  attentions.  When  sufficiently  restored,  they  conducted  him 
safely  to  St.  Mary's. 

I  invested  him  with  a  medal  of  the  first  class  for  this  noble  act, 
wishing  by  this  mark  of  respect,  and  the  presents  of  clothing  and 
food  accompanying  it,  to  forcibly  impress  his  mind  with  the  high 
respect  and  admiration  such  deeds  excite  among  civilized  people, 
and  in  the  further  hope  that  it  might  prove  a  stimulus  to  the 
lukewarm  benevolence  of  others,  if,  indeed,  any  of  the  natives  can 
be  justly  accused  of  lukewarmness  in  this  respect.  On  visiting 
Fort  Brady,  Lt.  C.  F.  Morton,  of  N.  Y.,  presented  him  a  sword- 
knot,  belt,  &c.  Some  other  presents  wrere,  I  believe,  made  him,  in 
addition  to  those  given  him  by  Mr.  Agnew  himself. 

18fA.  Miscomonetoes  (the  Red  Insect,  or  Red  Devil;  the  term 
may  mean  both),  and  family  and  followers,  twelve  persons  in  all, 
visited  the  office.  His  personal  appearance,  and  that  of  his  family, 
bespoke  wretchedness,  and  appeared  to  give  force  to  his  strong 
complaints  against  the  traders  who  visit  Ottowa  Lake  and  the 
headwaters  of  Chippewa  River  of  the  Mississippi.  He  observed 
that  the  prices  they  are  compelled  to  pay  are  extortionate,  that 
their  lands  are  quite  destitute  of  the  larger  animals,  and  that  the 
beaver  is  nearly  destroyed. 

He  also  complained  of  white  and  half-breed  hunters  intruding 
on  their  grounds,  whose  means  for  trapping  and  killing  animals 
are  superior  to  those  of  the  Indians.  According  to  his  statement, 
as  high  as  four  plus  (about  $20)  have  been  paid  for  a  fathom  of 
strouds,  and  the  same  for  a  twro-and-a-half  point  blanket,  two  plus 
for  a  pair  of  scarlet  leggins,  &c. 

ISth.  Ten  separate  parties  of  Indians,  numbering  ninety-four 
souls,  presented  themselves  at  the  office  this  day,  in  addition  to 
the  above,  from  various  parts  of  the  interior,  and  were  heard  on 
the  subject  of  their  wants  and  wishes. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  293 

19th.  Guelle  Plat  repeated  his  visit  with  his  followers,  and 
made  a  speech,  in  which  he  took  a  view  of  his  intercourse  with  the 
English  and  Americans.  He  had  passed  his  youth  in  the  plains 
west  of  Red  River,  and  was  first  drawn  into  an  intercourse  with 
the  British  agents  at  Fort  William  (L.  S.),  where  he  received  a 
medal  from  the  late  Wm.  McGrilvray.  This  medal  was  taken  by 
Lieut.  Pike,  on  visiting  Leech  Lake,  in  1806.  He  has  visited  the 
agency  at  St.  Peter's,  but  complains  that  his  path  to  that  post  has 
been  marked  with  blood.  He  was  present  during  the  attack  made 
upon  the  Chippewa  camp  by  the  Sioux,  near  Fort  Snelling,  in  the 
summer  of  1827.  Is  not  satisfied  with  the  adjustment  of  this 
affair,  but  is  inclined  to  peace,  and  has  recommended  it  to  his 
young  men.  They  can  never,  however,  he  says,  count  upon  the 
good-will  of  the  enemy,  and  are  obliged  to  live  in  a  constant  state 
of  preparation  for  war.  They  go  out  to  hunt  as  if  they  were 
going  on  a  war  party.  They  often  meet  the  Sioux  and  smoke 
with  them,  but  they  cannot  confide  in  them. 

Speaking  of  the  authority  exercised  over  their  country  for  the 
purpose  of  trade,  he  said :  "  The  Americans  are  not  our  masters  ; 
the  English  are  not  our  masters  ;  the  country  is  ours."  He  wished 
that  traders  should  be  allowed  to  visit  them  who  would  sell  their 
goods  cheaper,  and  said  that  more  than  one  trader  at  each  trading 
post  was  desired  by  him  and  his  people. 

He  modestly  disclaimed  authority  over  his  band  ;  said  he  was 
no  chief.  The  Indians  sometimes  followed  his  advice  ;  but  they 
oftener  followed  their  own  will.  He  said  Indians  were  fond  of 
change,  and  were  always  in  hopes  of  finding  things  better  in 
another  place.  He  believed  it  would  be  better  if  they  would  not 
rove  so  much.  He  had  ever  acted  on  this  principle,  and  recom 
mended  it.  He  had  never  visited  this  place  before,  but  now  that 
he  had  come  this  far,  it  was  his  wish  to  go  to  Michilimackinao,  of 
which  he  had  heard  much,  and  desired  to  see  it.  He  was  in  hopes 
his  journey  would  prove  of  some  service  to  him,  &c.  He  solicited 
a  rifle  and  a  hat. 

The  Breclie,  alias  Catawabeta  (Broken  Tooth),  entered  the  office 
with  one  or  two  followers,  in  company  with  the  preceding.  Seeing 
the  office  crowded,  he  said  he  would  defer  speaking  till  another 
day.  This  venerable  chief  is  the  patriarch  of  the  region  around 
Sandy  Lake,  on  the  Upper  Mississippi.  He  made  his  first  visit 


294  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

to  me  a  few  days  after  the  landing  of  the  troops  at  this  post,  in 
1822.  In  turning  to  some  minutes  of  that  date,  I  find  he  pro 
nounced  himself  "  the  friend  and  advocate  of  peace,"  and  he 
referred  to  facts  to  prove  that  his  practice  had  been  in  accordance 
with  his  professions.  He  discountenanced  the  idea  of  the  Indians 
taking  part  in  our  wars.  He  said  he  was  a  small  boy  at  the  taking 
of  old  Mackinac  (1763).  The  French  wished  him  to  take  up  the 
war-club,  but  he  refused.  The  English  afterwards  thanked  him 
for  this,  and  requested  him  to  raise  the  tomahawk  in  their  favor, 
but  he  refused.  The  Americans  afterwards  thanked  him  for  this 
refusal,  buttthey  did  not  ask  him  to  go  to  war.  "  They  all  talked 
of  peace,"  he  said,  "but  still,  though  they  talk  of  peace,  the 
Sioux  continue  to  make  war  upon  us.  Very  lately  they  killed 
three  people." 

The  neutral  policy  which  this  chief  so  early  unfolded,  I  have 
found  quite  characteristic  of  his  oratory,  though  his  political  feelings 
are  known  to  be  decidedly  favorable  to  the  British  government. 

Omeeshug,  widow  of  Ningotook,  of  Leech  Lake,  presented 
a  memorandum  given  by  me  to  her  late  husband,  during  my 
attendance  at  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  in  1825,  claiming 
a  medal  for  her  infant  son,  in  exchange  for  a  British  medal  which 
had  been  given  up.  On  inquiry,  the  medal  surrendered  originally 
belonged  to  Waukimmenas,  a  prior  husband,  by  whom  she  also  had 
a  son  named  Tinnegans  (Shoulder  Blade),  now  a  man  grown,  and 
an  active  and  promising  Indian.  I  decided  the  latter  to  be  the 
rightful  heir,  and  intrusted  a  new  medal  of  the  second  size  to  Mr. 
Roussain,  to  be  delivered  to  him  on  his  arrival  <tt  Leech  Lake, 
with  the  customary  formalities. 

lauwind  announced  himself  as  having  arrived  yesterday,  with 
twenty-eight  followers  belonging  to  the  band  of  Fond  du  Lac. 
He  had,  it  appeared,  visited  Drummond  Island,  and  took  occa 
sion  in  his  speech  to  intimate  that  he  had  not  been  very  favor 
ably  received.  Before  closing,  he  ran  very  nearly  through  the 
catalogue  of  Indian  wants,  and  trusted  his  "  American  father " 
would  supply  them.  He  concluded  by  presenting  a  pipe.  I  in 
formed  him  that  he  had  not  visited  Drummond's  in  ignorance  of 
my  wishes  on  the  subject,  and  that  if  he  did  not  receive  the  pre 
sents  he  expected  from  me3  he  could  not  mistake  the  cause  of  their 
being  withheld. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  295 

The  Red  Devil  came  to  take  leave,  as  lie  had  sent  his  canoe 
to  the  head  of  the  rapids,  and  was  ready  to  embark.  He  made 
a  very  earnest  and  vehement  speech,  in  which  he  once  more  de 
picted  the  misery  of  his  condition,  and  begged  earnestly  that  I 
would  consider  the  forlorn  and  impoverished  situation  of  himself  and 
his  young  men.  He  presented  a  pipe.  I  told  him  it  was  contrary  to 
the  commands  of  his  great  father,  the  President,  that  presents  should 
be  given  to  any  of  his  red  children  who  disregarded  his  wishes  so 
much  as  to  continue  their  visits  to  foreign  agencies.  That  such  visits 
were  very  injurious  to  them  both  in  a  moral  and  economical  point  of 
view.  That  they  thereby  neglected  their  hunting  and  gardens, 
contracted  diseases,  and  never  failed  to  indulge  in  the  most  im 
moderate  use  of  strong  drink.  That  to  procure  the  latter,  they 
would  sell  their  presents,  pawn  their  ornaments,  &c.,  and,  I  verily 
believed,  were  their  hands  and  feet  loose,  they  would  pawn  them, 
so  as  to  be  forever  after  incapable  of  doing  anything  towards  their 
own  subsistence.  I  told  him  that  if,  under  such  circumstances,  I 
should  give  him,  or  any  other  Indian,  provisions  to  carry  them 
home,  they  must  not  construe  it  into  any  approbation  of  their  late 
conduct,  but  must  ascribe  it  wholly  to  feelings  of  pity  and  com 
miseration  for  their  situation,  &c. 

Mongazid  (the  Loon's  Foot),  a  noted  speaker,  and  Jossa- 
keed,  or  Seer  of  Fond  du  Lac,  arrived  in  the  afternoon,  attended 
by  eleven  persons.  He  had  scarcely  exchanged  salutations  with 
me  when  he  said  that  his  followers  and  himself  were  in  a  starving- 
condition,  having  had  very  little  food  for  several  days. 

Oshogay  (the  Osprey),  solicited  provisions  to  return  home. 
This  young  man  had  been  sent  down  to  deliver  a  speech  from 
his  father,  Kabamappa,  of  the  river  St.  Croix,  in  which  he  re 
gretted  his  inability  to  come  in  person.  The  father  had  first 
attracted  my  notice  at  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  after 
wards  received  a  small  medal,  by  my  recommendation,  from  the 
Commissioners  at  Fond  du  Lac.  He  appeared  to  consider  him 
self  under  obligations  to  renew  the  assurance  of  his  friendship, 
and  this,  with  the  hope  of  receiving  some  presents,  appeared  to 
constitute  the  object  of  his  son's  mission,  who  conducted  himself 
with  more  modesty  and  timidity  before  me  than  prudence  after 
wards;  for,  by  extending  his  visit  to  Drummond  Island,  where 


296  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

both  he  and  his  father  were  unknown,  he  got  nothing,  and  forfeited 
the  right  to  claim  anything  for  himself  on  his  return  here. 

I  sent,  however,  in  his  charge,  a  present  of  goods  of  small 
amount,  to  be  delivered  to  his  father,  who  has  not  countenanced 
his  foreign  visit. 

Thirteen  separate  parties,  amounting  to  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
three  souls,  visited  the  office  and  received  issues  of  provisions  this 
day. 

2~Lst.  Mikkeingwum,  of  Ottoway  Lake,  made  complaint  that  his 
canoe  had  been  stolen,  and  he  was  left  with  his  family  on  the 
beach,  without  the  means  of  returning.  On  inquiring  into  the 
facts,  and  finding  them  as  stated,  I  purchased  and  presented  him 
a  canoe  of  a  capacity  suitable  to  convey  his  family  home. 

Chianokwut  (Lowering  Cloud),  called  Terns  Convert  by  the 
French,  principal  war  chief  of  Leech  Lake,  addressed  me  in  a 
speech  of  some  length,  and  presented  a  garnished  war-club,  which 
he  requested  might  be  hung  up  in  the  office.  He  said  that  it  was 
not  presented  as  a  hostile  symbol.  He  had  done  using  it,  and  he 
wished  to  put  it  aside.  He  had  followed  the  war  path  much  in 
his  youth,  but  he  was  now  getting  old.,  and  he  desired  peace.  lie 
had  attended  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  to  assist  in  fixing  the 
lines  of  their  lands.  He  recollected  the  good  counsel  given  to 
him  at  that  place.  He  should  respect  the  treaty,  and  his  ears 
were  open  to  the  good  advice  of  his  great  American  father,  the 
President,  to  whose  words  he  had  listened  for  the  last  ten  years. 
He  referred  to  the  treachery  of  the  Sioux,  their  frequent  violation 
of  treaties,  &c.  He  hoped  they  should  hear  no  bad  news  (alluding 
to  the  Sioux)  on  their  return  home,  &c. 

Wabishke  Penais  (the  White  Bird)  solicited  food.  This  young 
chief  had  volunteered  to  carry  an  express  from  the  Sub-agency 
of  La  Pointe  in  the  spring,  and  now  called  to  announce  his  in 
tention  of  returning  to  the  upper  part  of  Lake  Superior.  His 
attachment  to  the  American  government,  his  having  received 
a  small  medal  from  his  excellency  Governor  Cass,  on  his  visit  to 
the  Ontonagon  River,  in  1826,  added  to  the  circumstance  of  his 
having  served  as  a  guide  to  the  party  who  visited  the  mass  of 
native  copper  in  that  quarter  in  1820,  had  rendered  him  quite  un 
popular  with  his  band,  and  led  to  his  migration  farther  west.  He 
appears,  however,  recently  to  have  reassumed  himself  of  success. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  297 

and  is  as  anxious  as  ever  to  recommend  himself  to  notice.  This 
anxiety  is,  however,  carried  to  a  fault,  being  unsupported  by.  an 
equal  degree  of  good  sense. 

Annamikens  (Little  Thunder),  a  Chippewa  of  mixed  blood, 
from  Red  River,  expressed  a  wish  to  speak,  preparatory  to  his  re 
turn,  and  drew  a  vivid  outline  of  his  various  journeys  on  the  fron 
tier,  and  his  intercourse  with  the  Hudson's  Bay  and  Canadian 
governments.  This  man  had  rendered  himself  noted  upon  the 
frontier  by  a  successful  encounter  with  three  grizzly  bears,  and 
the  hairbreadth  escape  he  had  made  from  their  clutches.  He 
made,  however,  no  allusion  to  this  feat,  in  his  speech,  but  referred 
in  general  terms  to  the  Indians  present  for  testimonies  of  his  cha 
racter  as  a  warrior  and  hunter.  He  said  he  had  now  taken  the 
American  government  fast  by  the  hand,  and  offered  to  carry  any 
counsel  I  might  wish  to  send  to  the  Indians  on  Red  River, 
Red  Lake,  &c.,  and  to  use  his  influence  in  causing  it  to  be  re 
spected. 

His  appeal  to  the  Indians,  was  subsequently  responded  to  by 
the  chief,  Terns  Couvert,  who  fully  confirmed  his  statements,  &c. 

Dugah  Beshue  (Spotted  Lynx),  of  Pelican  Lake,  requested 
another  trader  to  be  sent  to  that  place.  Complains  of  the  high 
prices  of  goods,  the  scarcity  of  animals,  and  the  great  poverty  to 
which  they  are  reduced.  Says  the  traders  are  very  rigorous  in 
their  dealings  ;  that  they  take  their  furs  from  their  lodges  without 
ceremony,  and  that  ammunition,  in  particular,  is  so  high  they 
cannot  get  skins  enough  to  purchase  a  supply. 

Visited  by  nine  parties,  comprising  ninety-one  souls. 

22cZ.  Received  visits  from,  and  issued  provisions  to  eighty-one 
persons. 

23t?.  Wayoond  applied  for  food  for  his  family,  consisting  of  six 
persons,  saying  that  they  had  been  destitute  for  some  time.  I 
found,  on  inquiry,  that  he  had  been  drinking  for  several  days 
previous,  and  his  haggard  looks  sufficiently  bespoke  the  excesses 
he  had  indulged  in.  On  the  following  day,  being  in  a  state  of 
partial  delirium,  he  ran  into  the  river,  and  was  so  far  exhausted 
before  he  could  be  got  out,  that  he  died  in  the  course  of  the  night. 
It  is  my  custom  to  bury  all  Indians  who  die  at  the  post,  at  the 
public  expense.  A  plain  coffin,  a  new  blanket,  and  shirt,  and 


298  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

digging  a  grave,  generally  comprises  this  expense,  which  is  paid 
out  of  the  contingent  fund  allowed  the  office. 

Mizye  (the  Catfish)  called  on  me,  being  on  his  return  voyage 
from  Drummond  Island,  begging  that  I  would  give  him  some  food 
to  enable  him  to  reach  his  home  at  La  Pointe.  This  Indian  has 
the  character  of  being  very  turbulent,  and  active  in  the  propaga 
tion  of  stories  calculated  to  keep  up  a  British  feeling  amongst  the 
Indians  of  Lapointe.  The  reprimands  he  has  received,  would 
probably  have  led  him  to  shun  the  office,  were  he  not  prompted 
by  hunger,  and  the  hope  of  relief. 

Whole  number  of  visitors  one  hundred  and  thirty-five. 

24th.  Mongazid  entered  the  office  with  his  ornamented  pipe, 
and  pipe-bearer,  and  expressed  his  wish  to  speak.  He  went  at 
some  length  into  the  details  of  his  own  life,  and  the  history  of  the 
Pond  du  Lac  band,  with  which  he  appears  to  be  very  well  ac 
quainted.  Referred  to  the  proofs  he  had  given  of  attachment  to 
government,  in  his  conduct  at  the  treaties  of  Prairie  du  Chien 
and  Fond  du  Lac;  and  to  his  services  as  a  speaker  for  the  Fond 
du  Lac  band,  which  had  been  acknowledged  by  the  Chippewas 
generally,  and  procured  him  many  followers.  Said  the  influence  of 
the  old  chief  at  Fond  du  Lac  (Sappa)  had  declined,  as  his  own  had 
extended,  &c.  He  complained  in  general  terms  of  the  conduct  of 
the  traders  of  that  post,  but  did  not  specify  any  acts.  Said  he 
had  advised  his  young  men  to  assent  to  their  father's  request  re 
specting  the  copper  lands  on  Lake  Superior,  Sac. 

Having  alluded  in  his  speech  to  the  strength  of  the  band,  and 
the  amount  of  their  hunt,  I  asked  him,  after  he  had  seated  him 
self,  what  was  the  population  of  Fond  du  Lac  post.  He  replied, 
with  readiness,  two  hundred  and  twenty,  of  whom  sixty-six  were 
males  grown,  and  fifty-four  hunters.  He  said  that  these  fifty-four 
hunters  had  killed  during  the  last  year  (1828)  nine  hundred  and 
ninety-four  bears — that  thirty-nine  packs  of  furs  were  made  at 
the  post,  and  ninety  packs  in  the  whole  department. 

Grosse  Guelle  made  a  formal  speech,  the  drift  of  which  was 
to  show  his  influence  among  the  Indians,  the  numerous  places  in 
which  he  had  acted  in  an  official  capacity  for  them,  and  the  proofs 
of  attachment  he  had  given  to  the  American  government.  He 
rested  his  merits  upon  these  points.  He  said  he  and  his  people 
had  visited  the  agency  on  account  of  what  had  been  promised  at 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  299 

Fond  du  Lac.  Several  of  his  people  had,  however,  gone  home, 
fearing  sickness ;  others  had  gone  to  Drummond  Island  for  their 
presents.  For  himself,  he  said,  he  should  remain  content  to  take 
what  his  American  father  should  see  fit  to  offer  him. 

I  inquired  of  him,  if  his  influence  with  his  people  and  attach 
ment  to  the  American  government  were  such  as  he  had  represented, 
how  it  came,  that  so  many  of  the  Sandy  Lake  Indians,  of  whom 
he  was  the  chief,  had  gone  to  Drummond  Island? 

Shingabowossin  requested  that  another  Chippewa  interpreter 
might  be  employed,  in  which  he  was  seconded  by  Kagayosh  (A  Bird 
in  Everlasting  Flight),  Wayishkee,  and  Shewabekaton,  chiefs  of  the 
home  band.  They  did  not  wish  me  to  put  the  present  interpreter  out 
of  his  place,  but  hoped  I  would  be  able  to  employ  another  one,  whom 
they  could  better  understand,  and  who  could  understand  them 
better.  They  pointed  out  a  person  whom  they  would  be  pleased 
with.  But  his  qualifications  extended  only  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
Chippewa  and  French  languages.  He  was  deficient  in  moral  cha 
racter  and  trustworthiness ;  and  it  was  sufficiently  apparent  that 
the  person  thus  recommended  had  solicited  them  to  make  this 
novel  application. 

28th.  The  wife  of  Metakoossega  (Pure  Tobacco)  applied  for 
food  for  her  husband,  whom  she  represented  as  being  sick  at  his 
lodge,  and  unable  to  apply  himself.  The  peculiar  features  and 
defective  Chippewa  pronunciation  of  this  woman  indicated  her 
foreign  origin.  She  is  a  Sioux  by  birth,  having  been  taken  cap 
tive  by  the  Chippewas  when  quite  young.  A  residence  of  proba 
bly  thirty  years  has  not  been  sufficient  to  give  her  a  correct 
knowledge  of  the  principles  or  pronunciation  of  the  language. 
She  often  applies  animate  verbs  and  adjectives  to  inanimate 
nouns,  &c.,  a  proof,  perhaps,  that  no  such  distinctions  are  known 
in  her  native  tongue. 

Chacopa,  a  chief  of  Snake  River,  intimated  his  wish  to  be 
heard.  He  said  he  had  visited  the  agency  in  the  hope  that 
some  respect*  would  be  shown  the  medal  he  carried.  The  govern 
ment  had  thought  him  worthy  of  this  honor;  the  traders  had  also 
thought  him  deserving  of  it;  and  many  of  the  young  men  of 

f  This  term  was  not  meant  to  apply  to  personal  respect,  but  to  presents  of 
goods. 


300  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Snake  River  looked  up  to  him  to  speak  for  them.  "But  what," 
he  asked,  "can  I  say?  My  father  knows  how  we  live,  and  what 
we  want.  We  are  always  needy.  My  young  men  are  expecting 
something.  I  do  not  speak  for  myself;  but  I  must  ask  my  father 
to  take  compassion  on  those  who  have  followed  me,  &c.  We  ex 
pect,  from  what  our  great  father  said  to  us  at  the  treaty  of  Fond 
du  Lac,  that  they  would  all  be  clothed  yearly." 

Ahkakanongwa  presented  a  note  from  Mr.  Johnston,  Sub- 
agent  at  La  Pointe,  recommending  him  as  "  a  peaceable  and  obedi 
ent  Indian."  He  requested  permission  to  be  allowed  to  take  a  keg 
of  whisky  inland  on  his  return,  and  to  have  a  permit  for  it  in 
writing.  I  asked  him  the  name  of  the  trader  who  had  sold  him 
the  liquor,  and  who  had  sent  him  to  ask  this  permit. 

Wayoond's  widow  requested  provisions  to  enable  her  to  return 
to  her  country.  Granted. 

30th.  Chegud,  a  minor  chief  of  Tacquimenon  River,  embraced 
the  opportunity  presented  by  his  applying  for  food  for  his  family, 
to  add  some  remarks  on  the  subject  of  the  School  promised  them 
at  the  signing  of  the  treaty  of  Fond  du  Lac.  He  was  desirous  of 
sending  three  of  his  children.  The  conduct  of  this  young  man  for 
several  years  past,  his  sobriety,  industry  in  hunting,  punctuality 
in  paying  debts  contracted  with  the  traders,  and  his  modest,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  manly  deportment,  have  attracted  general  notice. 
He  is  neat  in  his  dress,  wearing  a  capot,  like  the  Canada  French, 
is  emulous  of  the  good  will  of  white  men,  and  desirous  to  adopt,  in 
part,, their  mode  of  living,  and  have  his  children  educated.  I  in 
formed  him  that  the  United  States  Senate,  in  ratifying  the  treaty, 
had  struck  out  this  article  providing  for  a  school. 

31s£.  Shanegwunaibe,  a  visiting  Indian  from  the  sources  of 
Menomonie  River  of  Green  Bay,  stated  his  object  in  making  so  cir 
cuitous  a  journey.  (He  had  come  by  way  of  Michilimackinac),  to 
visit  the  agency.  He  had  been  induced,  from  what  he  had  heard 
of  the  Lake  Superior  Indians,  to  expect  that  general  presents  of 
clothing  would  be  issued  to  all  the  Chippewas. 

"Nothing,"  observes  the  Sub-agent  at  La  Pointe,  " but  their 
wretchedness  could  induce  the  Indians  to  wander." 

Aug.  3d.  Guelle  Plat  returned  from  his  visit  to  Michilimackinac  ; 
states  that  the  Agent  at  that  post  (Mr.  Boyd)  had  given  him  a 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  301 

sheep,  but  had  referred  him  to  me,  when  speaking  on  the  subject 
of  presents,  &c.,  saying  that  he  belonged  to  my  agency. 

Finding  in  this  chief  a  degree  of  intelligence,  united  to  habits  of 
the  strictest  order  and  sobriety,  and  a  vein  of  reflection  which  had 
enabled  him  to  observe  more  than  I  thought  he  appeared  anxious 
to  communicate,  I  invited  him  into  my  house,  and  drew  him  into 
conversation  on  the  state  of  the  trade,  and  the  condition  of  the 
Indians  at  Leech  Lake,  &c.  He  said  the  prices  of  goods  were  high, 
that  the  traders  were  rigorous,  and  that  there  were  some  practices 
which  he  could  wish  to  see  abolished,  not  so  much  for  his  own  sake,* 
as  for  the  sake  of  the  Indians  generally;  that  the  traders  found  it 
for  their  interest  to  treat  him  and  the  principal  chiefs  well ;  that 
he  hunted  diligently,  and  supplied  himself  with  necessary  articles. 
But  the  generality  of  the  Indians  were  miserably  poor  and  were 
severely  dealt  by.  He  said,  the  last  thing  that  they  had  enjoined 
upon  him,  on  leaving  Leech  Lake,  was  to  solicit  from  me  another 
trader.  He  had  not,  however,  deemed  it  proper  to  make  the  request 
in  public  council. 

He  states  that  the  Indians  are  compelled  to  sell  their  furs  to  one 
man,  and  to  take  what  he  pleases  to  give  them  in  return.  That 
the  trader  fixes  his  own  prices,  both  on  the  furs  and  on  the  goods 
he  gives  in  exchange.  The  Indians  have  no  choice  in  the  matter. 
And  if  it  happens,  as  it  did  last  spring  (1828),  that  there  is  a  defi 
ciency  in  the  outfit  of  goods,  they  are  not  permitted  quietly  to  bring 
out  their  surplus  furs,  and  sell  them  to  whom  they  please.  He 
says  that  he  saw  a  remarkable  instance  of  this  at  Point  au  PinSj 
on  his  way  out,  where  young  Holiday  drew  a  dirk  on  an  Indian 
on  refusing  to  let  him  take  a  pack  of  furs  from  his  canoe.  He  said, 
on  speaking  of  this  subject,  "I  wish  my  father  to  take  away  the 
sword  that  hangs  over  us,  and  let  us  bring  down  our  furs,  and  sell 
them  to  whom  we  please." 

He  says  that  he  killed  last  fall,  nearly  one  thousand  muskrats, 
thirteen  bears,  twenty  martins,  twelve  fishers.  Beavers  he  killed 
none,  as  they  were  all  killed  off  some  years  ago.  He  says,  that 
fifty  rats  are  exacted  for  cloth  for  a  coat  (this  chief  wears  coats) 
the  same  for  a  three  point  blanket,  forty  for  a  two-and-a-half  point 
blanket,  one  hundred  for  a  Montreal  gun,  one  plus  for  a  gill  of 

*  lie  was  flattered  and  pampered  by  them. 


302  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

powder,  for  a  gill  of  shot,  or  for  twenty-five  bullets,  thirty  martins 
for  a  beaver  trap,  fifteen  for  a  rat  trap. 

Speaking  of  the  war,  which  has  been  so  long  waged  between  the 
Chippewas  and  Sioux,  to  the  mutual  detriment  of  both,  he  said  that 
it  had  originated  in  the  rival  pretensions  of  a  Sioux  and  Chippewa 
chief,  for  a  Sioux  woman,  and  that  various  causes  had  since  added 
fuel  to  the  flame.  He  said  that,  in  this  long  war,  the  Chippewas 
had  been  gamers  of  territory,  that  they  were  better  woodsmen  than 
the  Sioux,  and  were  able  to  stand  their  ground.  But  that  the  fear 
of  an  enemy  prevented  them  from  hunting  some  of  the  best  beaver 
land,  without  imminent  hazard.  He  had  himself,  in  the  course  of 
his  life,  been  a  member  of  twenty-five  different  war  parties,  and 
had  escaped  without  even  a  wound,  though  on  one  occasion,  he  with 
three  companions,  was  compelled  to  cut  his  way  through  the  enemy, 
two  of  whom  were  slain. 

These  remarks  were  made  in  private  conversation.  Anxious  to 
secure  the  influence  and  good-will  of  a  man  so  respectable  both  for 
his  standing  and  his  understanding,  I  had  presented  him,  on  his 
previous  visit  (July  19),  with  the  President's  large  medal,  accompa 
nied  by  silver  wrist-bands,  gorget,  &c.,  silver  hat-band,  a  hat  for  him 
self  and  son,  &c.  I  now  added  full  patterns  of  clothing  for  himself 
and  family,  kettles,  traps,  a  fine  rifle,  ammunition,  &c.,  and,  ob 
serving  his  attachment  for  dress  of  European  fashion,  ordered  an 
ample  cloak  of  plaid,  which  would,  in  point  of  warmth,  make  a  good 
substitute  for  the  blanket. 

On  a  visit  which  he  made  to  Fort  Brady  on  the  following  day, 
Dr.  Pitcher  presented  his  only  son,  a  fine  youth  of  sixteen,  a  gilt 
sword,  and,  I  believe,  some  other  presents  were  made  by  the  officers 
of  the  2d  Regiment. 

5th.  Issued  an  invoice  of  goods,  traps,  kettles,  &c.  to  the 
Indians,  who  were  assembled  in  front  of  the  office,  and  seated 
upon  the  green  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  proper  distribution.  I 
took  this  occasion  to  remind  them  of  the  interest  which  their  great 
father,  the  President,  constantly  took  in  their  welfare,  and  of  his 
ardent  desire  that  they  might  live  in  peace  and  friendship  with  each 
other,  and  with  their  ancient  enemies,  the  Sioux.  That  he  was 
desirous  to  see  them  increase  in  numbers,  as  well  as  prosperity,  to 
cultivate  the  arts  of  peace,  so  far  as  they  were  compatible  with  their 
present  condition  and  position,  to  participate  in  the  benefits  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  303 

instruction,  and  to  abstain  from  the  use  of  ardent  spirits,  that  they 
might  continue  to  live  upon  the  lands  of  their  forefathers,  and  in 
crease  in  all  good  knowledge.  I  told  them  they  must  consider  the 
presents,  that  had  now  been  distributed,  as  an  evidence  of  these 
feelings  and  sentiments  on  the  part  of  the  President,  who  expected 
that  they  would  be  ready  to  hearken  to  his  counsels,  &c. 

I  deemed  this  a  suitable  opportunity  to  reply  to  some  remarks 
that  had  fallen  from  several  of  the  speakers,  in  the  course  of  their 
summer  visits,  on  the  subject  of  the  stipulations  contained  in  the 
treaty  of  Fond  da  Lac,  and  informed  them  that  I  had  put  the  sub 
stance  of  their  remarks  into  the  shape  of  a  letter  to  the  department 
(see  Official  Let.,  Aug.  2d,  1828),  that  this  letter  would  be  sub 
mitted  to  the  President,  and  when  I  received  a  reply  it  should  be 
communicated  to  them. 

Qt7i.  Shingabowossin  and  his  band  called  to  take  leave  pre 
vious  to  their  setting  out  en  their  fall  hunts.  He  thanked  me  in 
behalf  of  all  the  Indians,  for  the  presents  distributed  to  them  yes 
terday. 

Wayishkee  (the  First  Born),  a  chief  of  the  home  band,  on 
calling  to  take  leave  for  the  season,  stated  that  he  had  been  dis 
abled  by  sickness  from  killing  many  animals  during  the  last  year, 
that  his  family  was  large,  and  that  he  felt  grateful  for  the  charity 
shown  to  his  children,  &c. 

This  chief  is  a  son  of  the  celebrated  war  chief  Waubodjeeg  (the 
White  Fisher),  who  died  at  La  Pointe  about  thirty  years  ago,  from 
whom  he  inherited  a  broad  wampum  belt  and  gorget,  delivered  to 
his  grandfather  (also  a  noted  chief)  by  Sir  Wm.  Johnson,  on  the 
taking  of  Fort  Niagara,  in  1759. 

.  The  allusion  made  to  his  family  recalled  to  my  mind  the  fact, 
that  he  has  had  twelve  children  by  one  wife,  nine  of  whom  are  now 
living ;  a  proof  that  a  cold  climate  and  hardships  are  not  always 
adverse  to  the  increase  of  the  human  species. 

7th.  Annamikens  made  a  speech,  in  which  he  expressed  himself 
very  favorably  of  our  government,  and  said  he  should  carry  back  a 
good  report  of  his  reception.  He  contrasted  some  things  very 
adroitly  with  the  practices  he  had  observed  at  Red  lliver,  Fort  Wil 
liam,  and  Drummond's  Island.  Deeming  it  proper  to  secure  the  influ 
ence  of  a  person  who  stands  well  with  the  Indians  on  that  remote 


/ 

/ 


304  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

frontier,  I  presented  him  a  medal  of  the  second  class,  accompanying 
it  by  some  presents  of  clothing,  &c.,  and  an  address  to  be  delivered 
to  the  Chippewas,  at  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  in  which  I  re 
ferred  to  the  friendly  and  humane  disposition  of  our  government, 
its  desire  that  the  Indians  should  live  in  peace,  refrain  from 
drink,  &c. 

Terns  Couvert,  in  a  short  speech,  expressed  himself  favorably 
towards  Annamikens,  corroborating  some  statements  the  latter 
had  made. 

Chacopee  came  to  make  his  farewell  speech,  being  on  the  point 
of  embarking.  He  recommended  some  of  his  followers  to  my 
notice,  who  were  not  present  when  the  goods  were  distributed  on 
the  fifth  instant.  He  again  referred  to  the  wants  and  wishes  of  the 
Indians  of  Snake  River,  who  lived  near  the  boundary  lines,  and 
were  subject  to  the  incursions  of  the  Sioux.  Says  that  the1  Sioux 
intrude  beyond  the  line  settled  at  the  Erairie,  &c.  Requests  per 
mission  to  take  inland,  for  his  own  use,  two  kegs  of  whisky,  which 
had  been  presented  to  him  by  Mr.  Dingley  and  Mr.  Warren. 
[This  mode  of  evading  the  intercourse  act,  by  presenting  or  selling 
liquor  on  territory  where  the  laws  of  Congress  do  not  operate, 
shifting  on  the  Indians  the  risk  and  responsibility  of  taking  it  in 
land,  is  a  new  phase  of  the  trade,  and  evinces  the  moral  ingenuity 
of  the  American  Fur  Company,  or  their  servants.] 

8th.  Grosse  Guelle  stated  that,  as  he  was  nearly  ready  to  re 
turn,  he  wished  to  say  a  few  words,  to  which  he  hoped  I  would 
listen.  He  complained  of  the  hardness  of  times,  high  prices  of 
goods,  and  poverty  of  the  Indians,  and  hoped  that  presents  would 
be  given  to  them.*  He  alleged  these  causes  for  his  visit,  and 
that  of  the  Sandy  Lake  Indians  generally.  Adverted  to  the 
outrage  committed  by  the  Sioux  at  St.  Peters,  and  to  the  treaty 
of  Prairie  du  Chien,  at  which  his  fathers  (alluding  to  Gen.  Clarke 
and  Gov.  Cass)  promised  to  punish  the  first  aggressors.  Re 
quested  permission  to  take  in  some  whisky — presses  this  topic, 
and  says,  in  reply  to  objections,  that  "  Indians  die  whether  they 
drink  whisky  or  not."  He  presented  a  pipe  in  his  own  name,  and 

*  By  visiting  Drummond's  Island  contrary  to  instructions,  this  chief  and 
his  band  had  excluded  themselves  from  the  distribution  made  on  the  5th  of 
August. 


0 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  305 

another  in  the  names  of  the  two  young  chiefs  Wazhus-Kuk-Koon 
(Muskrat's  Liver),  and  Nauganosh,  who  both  received  small  medals 
at  the  treaty  of  Fond  du  Lac. 

Katewabeda,  having  announced  his  wish  to  speak  to  me  on 
the  6th  instant,  came  into  the  office  for  that  purpose.  He  took  a 
view  of  the  standing  his  family  had  maintained  among  the  Sandy 
Lake  Indians  from  an  early  day,  and  said  that  he  had  in  his  pos 
session  until  very  lately  a  French  flag,  which  had  been  presented 
to  some  of  his  ancestors,  but  had  been  taken  to  exhibit  at  Montreal 
by  his  son-in-law  (Mr.  Ermatinger,  an  English  trader  recently 
retired  from  business).  He  had  received  a  muzinni'egun*  from 
Lieut.  Pike,  on  his  visit  to  Sandy  Lake,  in  1806,  but  it  had  been 
lost  in  a  war  excursion  on  the  Mississippi.  He  concluded  by 
asking  a  permit  to  return  with  some  mdz.  and  liquor,  upon  the 
sale  of  which,  and  not  on  hunting,  he  depended  for  his  support,  f 
I  took  occasion  to  inform  him  that  I  had  been  well  acquainted 
with  his  standing,  character,  and  sentiments  from  the  time  of  my 
arrival  in  the  country  in  the  capacity  of  an  agent ;  that  I  knew 
him  to  be  friendly  to  the  traders  who  visited  the  Upper  Mississippi, 
desirous  to  keep  the  Indians  at  peace,  and  not  less  desirous  to 
keep  up  friendly  relations  with  the  authorities  of  both  the  British 
and  American  governments ;  but  that  I  also  very  well  knew  that 
whatever  political  influence  he  exerted,  was  not  exerted  to  instil 
into  the  minds  of  the  Indians  sentiments  favorable  to  our  system 
of  government,  or  to  make  them  feel  the  importance  of  making 
them  strictly  comply  with  the  American  intercourse  laws,  &c.  I 
referred  to  the  commencement  of  my  acquaintance  with  him, 
twenty  days  after  my  first  landing  at  St.  Mary's,  and  by  narrating 
facts,  and  naming  dates  and  particulars,  endeavored  to  convince 
him  that  I  had  not  been  an  indifferent  observer  of  what  had  passed 
both  within  and  without  the  Indian  country.  I  also  referred  to 
recent  events  here,  to  which  I  attributed  an  application  to  trade, 
which  he  had  not  thought  proper  or  deemed  necessary  to  make  in 
previous  years. 

*  A  paper  ;  any  written  or  printed  document. 

f  This  is  one  of  the  modern  modes  of  getting  goods  into  the  country  in 
contravention  of  law,  Mr.  Ermatinger  being  a  foreigner  trading  on  the  Cana 
dian  side  of  the  river. 
20 


306  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

I  concluded  by  telling  him  that  he  would  see  that  it  was  im 
possible,  in  conformity  with  the  principles  I  acted  upon,  and  the 
respect  which  I  claimed  of  Indians  for  my  counsels,  to  grant  his 
request. 

11th.  Guelle  Plat  came  to  take  leave  preparatory  to  his  re 
turn.  He  expressed  his  sense  of  the  kindness  and  respect  with 
which  he  had  been  treated,  and  intimated  his  intention  of  repeating 
his  visit  to  the  Agency  during  the  next  season,  should  his  health 
be  spared.  He  said,  in  the  course  of  conversation,  that  "  there 
was  one  thing  in  which  he  had  observed  a  great  difference  between 
the  practice  of  this  and  St.  Peter's  Agency.  There  whisky  is 
given  out  in  abundance ;  here  I  see  it  is  your  practice  to  give 
none." 

12th.  Invested  Oshkinahwa  (the  Young  Man  of  the  totem  of 
the  Loon  of  Leech  Lake),  with  a  medal. 

15th.  Issued  provisions  to  the  family  of  Kussepogoo,  a  Chippe- 
wyan  woman  from  Athabasca,  recently  settled  at  St.  Mary's.  It 
seems  the  name  by  which  this  remote  tribe  is  usually  known  is  of 
Chippewa  origin  (being  a  corruption  of  Ojeegewyan,  a  fisher's 
skin),  but  they  trace  no  affinity  with  the  Chippewa  stock,  and  the 
language  is  radically  different,  having  very  little  analogy  either  in 
its  structure  or  sounds.  It  is  comparatively  harsh  and  barren, 
and  so  defective  and  vague  in  its  application  that  it  even  seems 
questionable  whether  nouns  and  verbs  have  number. 

18th.  Visited  by  the  Little  Pine  (Shingwaukonce),  the  leading 
chief  on  the  British  shore  of  the  St.  Mary's,  a  shrewd  and  politic 
man,  who  has  united,  at  sundry  periods,  in  himself  the  offices  and 
influence  of  a  war  chief,  a  priest,  or  Jossakeed,  and  a  civil  ruler. 
The  giving  of  public  presents  on  the  5th  had  evidently  led  to  his 
visit,  although  he  had  not  pursued  the  policy  expected  from  him, 
so  far  as  his  influence  reached  among  the  Chippewas  on  the  Ame 
rican  shores  of  the  straits.  He  made  a  speech  well  suited  to  his 
position,  and  glossed  off  with  some  fine  generalities,  avoiding  com 
mitments  on  main  points  and  making  them  on  minor  ones,  con 
cluding  with  a  string  of  wampum.  I  smoked  and  shook  hands 
with  him,  and  accepted  his  tenders  of  friendship  by  re-pledging 
the  pipe,  but  narrowed  his  visit  to  official  proprieties,  and  refused 
his  wampum. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  307 

22c?.  Magisanikwa,  or  the  Wampum-hair,  renewed  his  visit, 
gave  me  another  opportunity  to  remember  his  humane  act  in  the 
spring,  and  had  his  claims  on  this  score  allowed.  The  Indians 
never  forget  a  good  act  done  by  them,  and  we  should  not  permit 
them  to  surpass  us  in  this  respect. 


808  PERSOKAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

Natural  history  of  the  north-west— Northern  zoology — Fox — Owl — Reindeer 
— A  dastardly  attempt  at  murder  by  a  soldier — 'Lawless  spread  of  the 
population  of  northern  Illinois  o^7er  the  Winnebago  land — New  York 
Lyceum  of  Natural  History— TJ.  S.  Ex.  Ex. — 'Fiscal  embarrassments  in  the 
Department  — Medical  cause  of  Indian  depopulation  —  Remarks  of  Dr. 
Pitcher — -Erroneous  impressions  of  the  Indian  character — Reviews — -Death 
of  John  Johnston,  Esq. 

* 

1828.  July  24th.  THE  ardor  with  which  I  thought  it  proper  to 
address  myself  to  the  Indian  duties  of  my  office,  did  not  induce 
me,  by  any  means,  to  neglect  my  correspondence  or  the  claims  of 
visitors  to  Elmwood. 

This  day  Lt.  Col.  Lindsay  and  Capt.  Spotts,  U.  S.  A.,  being  on 
court  martial  duty  at  Fort  Brady,  paid  their  respects  to  me,  and 
the  Col.  expressed  his  pleasure  and  surprise  at  the  taste,  order, 
and  disposition  of  the  grounds  and  the  Agency. 

Nor  did  the  official  duties  of  my  position  interfere  with  the 
investigation  of  the  natural  history  of  the  country. 

A  large  box  of  stuffed  birds  and  quadrupeds,  containing  twenty- 
three  specimens  of  various  species,  was  sent  to  the  Lyceum  of  Na 
tural  History  at  New  York,  in  the  month  of  April.  Mr.  William 
Cooper  writes,  under  this  date,  that  they  have  been  received  and 
examined.  "  The  lynx  appears  to  be  the  northern  species,  different 
from  that  common  in  this  part  of  the  country,  and  very  rarely  seen 
here  even  in  the  public  collections.  Several  of  the  birds,  also,  I  had 
never  had  an  opportunity  of  examining  before.  The  spruce  par 
tridge,  Tetrse  Canadensis,  is  very  rare  in  the  United  States. 
There  is  no  other  species  in  this  city  besides  yours.  It  was  en 
tirely  unknown  to  Wilson ;  but  it  is  to  appear  in  the  third  vol.  of 
Bonaparte's  continuation  of  Wilson,  to  be  published  in  the  ensuing 
autumn.  The  circumstance  of  its  being  found  in  the  Michigan 
Territory,  is  interesting  on  account  of  the  few  localities  in  which 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  309 

this  bird  has  been  found  in  our  boundaries.  The  three-toed  wood 
pecker,  Picus  tridactylus,  was  equally  unknown  to  Wilson,  and 
the  second  volume  of  Bonaparte,  now  about  to  be  issued,  contains 
an  elegant  figure  and  history  of  this  bird,  which  also  inhabits  the 
north  of  Europe  and  Asia.  The  other  birds  and  quadrupeds  of 
your  collection,  though  better  known,  were  very  interesting,  as 
affording  materials  for  the  history  of  their  geographical  distribu 
tion,  a  subject  now  become  exceedingly  interesting.  The  plover 
of  the  plain  is  the  turnstone,  strepsilus  interpres. 

"The  large  fish  is  one  of  the  genus  Amia,  and  Dr.  Dekay  is 
inclined  to  think  it  different  from  the  A.  caloa  found  in  our 
southern  rivers,  but  of  much  smaller  size.  The  tortoises  belong 
to  three  species,  viz.,  T.  scabra,  T.  pieta,  and  T.  serpentina.  It 
is  the  first  information  I  have  obtained  of  their  inhabiting  so  far 
to  the  north-west.  There  are  also  others  found  in  your  vicinity, 
which,  if  it  would  not  be  asking  too  much,  I  should  be  much 
pleased  if  you  could  obtain  for  the  Lyceum." 

"  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me,  if  I  take  the  liberty  to  recommend 
to  you,  to  direct  your  observation  more  particularly  to  those  birds 
which  come  to  you  in  winter,  from  the  north,  or  in  any  direction 
from  beyond  the  United  States  territory.  It  is  among  these 
that  you  may  expect  to  find  specimens  new  to  our  ornithology. 

"  The  beautiful  Fringtila,  which  you  sent  to  us  a  few  years 
since,  is  figured  and  described  from  your  specimen,  and  in  an  ele 
gant  manner,  in  the  volume  just  about  to  be  published  of  Bona 
parte's  work." 

Mr.  G.  Johnston  of  La  Pointe,  Lake  Superior,  writes :  "  Since 
I  had  the  honor  of  receiving  a  printed  letter  from  the  Lyceum 
of  Natural  History,  I  have  been  enabled  to  procure,  at  this  place, 
two  specimens  of  the  jumping  mouse. 

"The  history  the  Indians  give  of  its  habits  is  as  follows:  It 
burrows  under  ground,  and  in  summer  lives  on  the  bark  of  small 
trees.  It  provides  and  lays  up  a  store  of  corn,  nuts,  &c.,  for 
winter  consumption.  It  also  climbs  and  lives  in  hollow  parts  of 
trees.  It  is  also  possessed  of  a  carnivorous  habit,  it  being  pecu 
liarly  fond  of  burrowing  in  old  burying  places,  where  it  lives,  prin 
cipally  on  the  corpse.  It  is  never  seen  in  winter." 

There  is  something  in  the  northern  zoology  besides  the  deter 
mination  of  species,  which  denotes  a  very  minute  care  in  prepar- 


310  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

ing  animals  for  the  particular  latitudes  the  several  species  are 
designed  for,  by  protecting  the  legs  and  feet  against  the  power  of 
intense  cold.  And  the  dispersion  and  migration  of  birds  and 
quadrupeds  are  thus  confined  to  general  boundaries.  The  fox,  in 
high  northern  latitudes,  is  perfectly  white  except  the  nose  and  tips 
of  the  ears,  which  are  black,  and  the  hair  extends  so  as  to  cover 
its  nails.  The  various  kinds  of  owls,  and  the  Canada  jay,  which 
winter  in  these  latitudes,  have  a  feathery,  half-hairy  protection  to 
the  toes.  The  American  species  of  the  reindeer,  which  under  the 
name  of  cariboo,  inhabits  the  country  around  the  foot  of  Lake 
Superior,  has  its  hoof  split  in  such  a  manner  that  it,  in  fact,  serves 
as  a  kind  of  snow  shoe,  spreading  quite  thin  over  about  forty 
superficial  inches,  which  enables  it  to  walk  on  the  crusted  snow. 

29th.  Dr.  William  Augustus  Ficklin,  of  Louisiana  (Jackson), 
recalls  my  attention  to  the  U.  S.  Exploring  Expedition,  the  pro 
gramme  of  which  embraces  my  name.  "  You  will  want  a  physician 
and  surgeon  attached  to  the  expedition.  Is  the  place  yet  filled?" 
My  acquaintance  with  this  young  gentleman,  then  a  lad  at  his 
father's  house,  in  Missouri,  recalls  many  pleasing  recollections, 
which  gives  me  every  inducement  to  favor  his  wishes. 

August  2d.  Mr.  Robert  Irwin,  Junr.,  of  Green  Bay,  writes  that 
a  most  diabolical  attempt  was  recently  made  at  that  place,  a  few 
days  ago,  to  take  the  life  of  Maj.  Twiggs,  by  a  corporal  belonging 
to  his  command.  The  circumstances  were  briefly  these  :  About 
two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  major  had  retired  to  his  room  to 
repose  himself.  Soon  after  the  corporal  entered  the  room  so 
secretly  that  he  presented  a  loaded  musket  within  a  few  inches  of 
his  head,  and,  as  Providence  would  have  it,  the  gun  missed  fire. 
The  noise  awoke  the  major,  who  involuntarily  seized  the  muzzle, 
and,  while  looking  the  fellow  full  in  the  face,  he  cocked  the  gun 
and  again  snapped  it ;  but  it  missed  fire  the  second  time.  With 
that  the  major  sprang  up  in  bed  and  wrenched  the  gun  out  of  the 
assassin's  hands,  and  with  the  breech  knocked  the  fellow  down, 
fracturing  his  skull  so  much  that  his  life  was  for  many  days  de 
spaired  of. 

4:th.  Gov.  Cass,  who  has  proceeded  to  Green  Bay  as  a  Commis 
sioner  for  treating  with  the  Indians,  writes  :  "  I  am  waiting  here 
very  impatiently  for  arrivals  from  the  Indian  country.  But 
nothing  comes,  as  yet,  except  proof  stronger  and  stronger  of  the 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  811 

injustice  done  to  the  Winnebagoes  by  the  actual  seizure  of  their 
country."  To  repress  this  spirit  of  the  people  of  northern  Illinois, 
much  time  and  negotiation  was  required.  By  his  knowledge  of 
the  Indian  and  frontier  character,  an  arrangement  was  at  length 
concluded  for  the  occupation  of  the  Kock  River  and  Galena 
country. 

23d.  An  official  letter  of  the  New  York  Lyceum  of  Natural 
History  expresses  their  thanks  for  recent  donations.  Dr,  Van 
Rensselaer  says :  "  Your  birds,  reptiles,  and  quadrupeds  have 
been  most  graciously  received.  *  *  The  expedition  to  the 
South  Seas  (heretofore  noticed  in  this  journal)  will  afford  a  field 
for  some  naturalist  to  labor  in.  Dr.  Dekay  intends  to  apply  for 
the  situation.  We  are  at  present  engaged  in  drawing  up  some 
instructions  for  the  naturalist  (whoever  he  may  be),  which  we  shall 
hand  to  Mr.  Southard,  who  is  now  here  and  has  requested  it. 
We  trust  the  expedition  will  add  something  to  our  knowledge  as 
well  as  to  our  pecuniary  wealth." 

27th.  Fiscal. —  Something  has  been  out  of  kelter  at  Washington 
these  two  years  with  regard  to  the  rigid  application  of  appropria 
tions,  at  least  in  the  Indian  Department.  We  have  been  literally 
without  money,  and  issuing  paper  to  public  creditors  and  em 
ployees.  Surely  a  government  that  collects  its  own  revenues 
should  never  want  funds  to  pay  its  agents  and  officers. 

Mr.  Trowbridge  writes  :  "  The  money  pressure  is  nearly  or 
quite  over  in  New  York,  but  we  feel  it  here  in  a  dreadful  degree. 
The  want  of  public  disbursements  this  year,  upon  which  we  have 
always  rested  our  hopes  with  so  much  confidence,  added  to  the 
over-introduction  of  goods  for  a  year  or  two  past,  has  produced 
this  state  of  things,  and  I  sometimes  'think  that  there  will  be  no 
great  improvement  in  this  generation." 

29th.  Medical  Causes  of  Depopulation. — The  causes  of  Indian 
depopulation  are  wars,  the  want  of  abundance  of  food,  intemper 
ance,  and  idleness.  Dr.  Pitcher,  in  a  letter  of  this  date,  says :  "  In 
your  note  (to  'Sanillac')  on  the  subject  of  the  diminution  in  num 
bers  of  our  aboriginal  neighbors,  you  have  seized  upon  the  most 
conspicuous,  and,  during  their  continuance,  the  most  fatal  causes 
of  their  decline.  With  the  small-pox  you  might,  however,  asso- 


312  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

ciate  the  measles,  which,  in  consequence  of  their  manner  of  treating 
the  fever  preceding  the  eruption,  viz.,  the  use  of  vapor  and  cold 
baths  combined,  most  commonly  tends  to  a  mortal  termination. 
To  these  two  evils,  propagated  by  the  diffusion  of  a  specific  virus, 
may  be  added  the  prevalence  of  general  epidemics,  such  as  influ 
enza,  &c.,  whose  virulence  expends  its  force  without  restraint 
upon  the  Indians.  They  are  not  (as  you  are  aware)  a  people  who 
draw  much  instruction  from  the  school  of  experience,  particularly 
in-  the  department  of  medicine,  and,  when  by  the  side  of  this  fact 
you  place  the  protean  forms  which  the  diseases  of  epidemic  sea 
sons  assume,  the  inference  must  follow  that  multitudes  of  them 
perish  where  the  civilized  man  would  escape  (of  which  I  could 
furnish  examples). 

"It  is  the  province  of  the  science  of  medicine  to  preserve  to 
society  its  feeble  and  invalid  members,  which,  notwithstanding  the 
war  it  wages  upon  the  principle  of  political  economists,  augments 
considerably  the  sum  of  human  life.  The  victims  of  the  diseases 
of  civilization  do  not  balance  the  casualties,  &c.  of  a  ruder  state 
of  society,  as  may  be  seen  by  inspecting  the  tables  of  the  rates  of 
mortality  for  a  century  past. 

"  I  will  suggest  to  you  the  propriety  of  improving  this  oppor 
tunity  for  setting  the  public  right  on  one  point,  and  that  is  the 
effects  of  aboriginal  manners  upon  the  physical  character.  For 
my  part,  I  have  long  since  ceased  to  believe  that  they  are  indebted 
to  their  mode  of  life  for  the  vigor,  as  a  race,  which  they  exhibit, 
but  that  the  naturally  feeble  are  destroyed  by  the  vicissitudes  to 
which  they  are  exposed,  and  which,  in  part,  gives  them  an  appear 
ance,  hardy  and  athletic,  above  their  civilized  neighbors." 

Erroneous  impressions  of  Indians. — Maj.  Whiting,  of  Detroit, 
says  (27th  inst.):  "I  dare  say  I  may  find  many  things  which  will 
suit  our  purposes  well.  Something  new  and  genuine  is  what 
we  want,  and  the  source  giveg  assurance  these  things  all  bear  that 
character.  It  is  time  the  public  should  know  that  neither  ladies 
nor  gentlemen  who  have  never  crossed  the  lakes  or  the  Alleghany, 
can  have  any  but  vague  ideas  of  the  children  of  the  forest.  An 
Indian  might  not  succeed  well  in  portraying  life  in  New  York, 
because  he  does  not  read  much,  and  would  have  to  trust  pretty 
much,  if  not  altogether,  to  imagination ;  but  his  task  would  differ 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  313 

only  in  degree  from  that  of  the  literary  pretender  who  has 
never  traveled  West  beyond  the  march  of  fresh  oysters  (though 
by  the  way,  these  have  been  seen  in  Detroit),  and  yet  thinks 
he  can  penetrate  the  shadows  and  darkness  of  the  wilderness. 
They  put  a  hatchet  in  his  hand,  and  stick  a  feather  in  his  cap, 
and  call  him  'Nitche  Nawba.'  If  I  recollect  right,  in  Yamoy- 
den  a  soup  was  made  of  some  white  children.  Indians  have  not 
been  over  dainty  at  times,  and  no  doubt  have  done  worse  things ; 
but  on  such  occasions  their  modus  operandi  was  not  likely  to  be 
so  much  in  accordance  with  the  precepts  of  Madam  Glass." 

Reviews. — "  I  read  over  your  last  article  in  the  N.  A.,  and 
thought  it  had  rather  less  point  and  connection  than  you  had  pro 
bably  given  it ;  but  it  still  has  much  to  recommend  it.  The 
remarks  on  language  were  more  intelligible  to  me  than  any  I  have 
before  seen,  and  have  given  me  many  clues  which  I  have  vainly 
sought  for  in  preceding  dissertations  of  the  kind." 

Sept.  22d.  This  day  the  patriarch  of  the  place,  John  Johnston, 
Esq.,  breathed  his  last.  He  had  attained  the  age  of  sixty-six. 
A  native  of  the  county  of  Antrim,  in  the  north  of  Ireland ;  a 
resident  for  some  thirty-eight  years  of  this  frontier  ;  a  gentleman 
in  manners ;  a  merchant,  in  chief,  in  the  hazardous  fur  trade ;  a 
man  of  high  social  feelings  and  refinements ;  a  cotemporary  of  the 
long  list  of  men  eminent  in  that  department ;  a  man  allied  to 
bishops  and  nobles  at  home;  connected  in  marriage  with  a  cele 
brated  Chippewa  family  of  Algonquins  ^  he  was  another  Rolfe,  in 
fact,  in  his  position  between  the  Anglo-Saxon  and  the  Indian 
races;  his  life  and  death  afford  subjects  for  remark  which  are  of 
the  deepest  interest,  and  would  justify  a  biography,  not  a  mere 
notice.  I  wrote  a  brief  sketch  for  the  New  York  Albion,  and 
transmitted  copies  of  the  paper  to  some  of  his  connections  in 
Ireland. 

His  coming  out  from  that  country  was  during  the  first  presi 
dency  of  Washington,  and  a  few  years  before  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Irish  Rebellion.  He  had  a  deep  sense  of  his  country's  in 
juries,  and  of  the  effect  of  the  laws  which  pressed  so  heavily  on 
her  energies,  political  and  commercial ;  but  was  entirely  loyal,  and 
maintained  the  highest  tone  of  loyalism  in  argument.  He  saw 


314  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

deeply  the  evils,  but  not  the  remedy,  which  he  thought  to  lay 
rather  in  future  and  peaceful  developments. 

He  suffered  greatly  and  unjustly  in  the  war  of  1812,  in  which 
his  place  was  pillaged  by  the  American  troops,  and  some  forty 
thousand  dollars  of  his  private  property  destroyed,  contrary  to  the 
instructions  of  the  American  commandant.  Low-minded  persons 
who  had  been  in  his  service  as  clerks,  and  disliked  his  pretensions 
to  aristocracy,  were  the  cause  of  this,  and  piloted  the  detachment 
up  the  river.  He  was,  however,  in  nowise  connected  with  the 
North-west  Company,  far  less  "  one  of  its  agents."  He  was  a  civil 
magistrate  under  Gov.-Gen.  Prevost,  and  was  honestly  attached  to 
the  British  cause,  and  he  had  never  accepted  any  office  or  offers 
from  the  American  government.  The  Canadian  British  authorities 
did  not,  however,  compensate  him  for  his  losses,  on  the  ground  of 
his  living  over  the  lines,  at  a  time,  too,  when  Gen.  Brock  had  taken 
the  country  and  assumed  the  functions  of  civil  and  military  gover 
nor  over  all  Michigan.  The  American  Congress  did  not  acknow 
ledge  the  obligation  to  sustain  the  orders  to  respect  private  property, 
the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Claims  reporting  that  the  ac 
tors  "might  be  prosecuted,"  and  the  old  gentleman's  last  years 
were  thus  embittered,  and  he  went  down  to  the  grave  the  victim  of 
double  misconceptions — leaving  to  a  large  family  of  the  Indo-Irish 
stock  little  beyond  an  honorable  and  unspotted  name. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  315 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

Treaty  of  St.  Joseph — Tanner — Visits  of  the  Indians  in  distress — Letters 
from  the  civilized  world — Indian  code  projected — Cause  of  Indian  suffering 
— The  Indian  cause — Estimation  of  the  character  of  the  late  Mr.  Johnston 
— Autobiography — Historical  Society  of  Michigan — Fiscal  embarrassments 
of  the  Indian  Department. 

1828.  TANNER  was  a  singular  being — out  of  humor  with  the 
world,  speaking  ill  of  everybody,  suspicious  of*  every  human  action, 
a  very  savage  in  his  feelings,  reasonings,  and  philosophy  of  life, 
and  yet  exciting  commiseration  by  the  very  isolation  of  his  posi 
tion.  He  had  been  stolen  by  the  Indians  in  the  Ohio  Valley  when 
a  mere  boy,  during  the  marauding  forays  which  they  waged 
against  the  frontiers  about  177T.  He  was  not  then,  perhaps, 
over  seven  years  of  age — so  young,  indeed,  as  to  have  forgot 
ten,  to  a  great  degree,  names  and  dates.  His  captors  were  Saga- 
naw  Chippewas,  among  whom  he  learned  the  language,  manners 
and  customs,  and  superstitions  of  the  Indians.  They  passed  him 
on,  after  a  time,  to  the  Ottowas  of  L'Arbre  Croche,  near  Macki- 
nac,  among  whom  he  became  settled  in  his  pronunciation  of 
the  Ottowa  dialect  of  the  great  Algonquin  family.  By  this  tribe, 
who  were  probably  fearful  a  captive  among  them  would  be  re 
claimed  after  Wayne's  war  and  the  defeat  of  the  combined  In 
dians  on  the  Miami  of  the  Lakes,  he  was  transferred  to  kindred 
tribes  far  in  the  north-west.  He  appears  to  have  grown  to  man 
hood  and  learned  the  arts  of  hunting  and  the  wild  magic  notions 
of  the  Indians  on  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  in  the  territory  of 
Hudson's  Bay.  Lord  Selkirk,  in  the  course  of  his  difficulties  with 
the  North-west  Company,  appears  to  have  first  learned  of  his  early 
captivity. 

He  came  out  to  Mackinac  with  the  traders  about  1825,  and 
went  to  find  his  relatives  in  Kentucky,  with  whom,  however,  he 


316  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

could  not  long  live.  His  habits  were  now  so  inveterately  savage 
that  he  could  not  tolerate  civilization.  He  came  back  to  the 
frontiers  and  obtained  an  interpretership  at  the  U.  S.  Agency  at 
Mackinac.  The  elements  of  his  mind  were,  however,  morose, 
sour,  suspicious,  antisocial,  revengeful,  and  bad.  In  a  short  time 
he  was  out  with  everybody.  He  caused  to  be  written  to  me  a 
piteous  letter.  Dr.  James,  who  was  post  surgeon  at  the  place, 
conceived  that  his  narrative  would  form  a  popular  introduction  to 
his  observations  on  some  points  of  the  Indian  character  and  cus 
toms,  which  was  the  origin  of  a  volume  that  was  some  years  after 
wards  given  to  the  public. 

A  note  he  brought  me  in  1828,  from  a  high  source,  procured  him 
my  notice.  I  felt  interested  in  his  history,  received  him  in  a  friend 
ly  manner,  and  gave  him  the  place  of  interpreter.  He  entered  on 
the  duties  faithfully,  but  with  the  dignity  and  reserve  of  an* Indian 
chief.  He  had  so  Jong  looked  on  the  dark  side  of  human  nature 
that  he  seldom  or  never  smiled.  He  considered  everybody  an  ene 
my.  His  view  of  the  state  of  Indian  society  in  the  wilderness  made 
it  a  perfect  hell.  They  were  thieves  and  murderers.  No  one  from 
the  interior  agreed  with  him  in  this.  The  traders,  who  called  him 
a  bad  man,  represent  the  Indians  as  social  when  removed  from  the 
face  of  white  men,  and  capable  of  noble  and  generous  acts.  He 
was,  evidently,  his  own  judge  and  his  own  avenger  in  every  question. 
I  drew  out  of  him  some  information  of  the  Indian  superstitions, 
and  he  was  well  acquainted  practically  with  the  species  of  animals 
and  birds  in  the  nothern  latitudes. 

SQth.  A  letter  informs  me  that  a  treaty  has  just  been  concluded 
with  the  Potawattomies  of  St.  Joseph's,  who  cede  to  the  United 
States  about  a  million  and  a  half  acres,  comprising  the  balance  of 
their  lands  in  Michigan.  I  received,  at  the  same  time,  a  few  lines 
from  Gen.  Cass,  speaking  a  word  for  the  captive,  John  Tanner, 
the  object  of  which  was  to  suggest  his  employment  as  an  interpre 
ter  in  the  Indian  Department.* 

*  This  man  served  a  short  time,  but  turned  out,  for  eighteen  years,  to  be 
the  pest  of  that  settlement,  being  a  remarkably  suspicious,  lying,  bad-minded 
man,  having  lost  every  virtue  of  the  white  man,  and  accumulated  every  vice 
of  the  Indian.  He  became  more  and  more  morose  and  sour  because  the 
world  would  not  support  him  in  idleness,  and  went  about  half  crazed,  in 
which  state  he  hid  himself  one  day,  in  1836,  in  the  bushes,  and  shot  and 
killed  my  brother,  James  L.  Schoolcraft.  He  then  fled  back  to  the  Indians, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  S17 

October  Slst.  The  Indian  visits,  from  remote  bands,  which  were 
very  remarkable  this  year,  continued  through  the  entire  month  of 
August,  and  beyond  the  date  at  which  I  dropped  the  notices  of 
them,  during  September,  when  they  were  reduced,  as  party  after 
party  returned  to  the  interior,  to  the  calls  of  the  ordinary  bands 
living  about  the  post,  and,  at  furthest,  to  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior 
and  the  valley  and  straits  of  the  St.  Mary's.  With  them,  or 
rather  before  them,  went  the  traders  with  their  new  outfits  and 
retinues,  chiefly  from  Michiliniackinac.  As  one  after  another 
departed,  there  was  less  need  of  that  vigilance,  "  by  night  and  by 
day,"  to  see  that  none  of  the  latter  class  went  without  due  license; 
that  the  foreign  boatmen  on  their  descriptive  lists  were  duly 
bonded  for;  that  no  "  freedmen"  slipped  in  ;  and  that  no  ardent 
spirits  were  taken  in  contrary  to  law.  Gradually  my  public  duties 
were  thus  narrowed  down  to  the  benevolent  wants  of  the  bands 
that  were  immediately  around  me,  to  seeing  that  the  mechanics 
employed  by  the  Department  did  their  duties,  and  to  keeping  the 
office  at  Washington  duly  informed  of  the  occurrences  and  inci 
dents  belonging  to  Indian  affairs.  All  this,  after  the  close  of 
summer,  requires  but  a  small  portion  of  a  man's  time,  and  as 
winter,  which  begins  here  the  first  of  November,  approached,  I 
felt  impelled  to  devote  a  larger  share  of  attention  to  subjects  of 
research  or  literary  amusement.  I  missed  two  men  in  plunging 
into  the  leisure  hours  of  my  seventh  winter  (omitting  1825),  in  this 
latitude,  namely,  Mr,  Johnston,  whose  conversation  and  social 
sympathies  were  always  felt,  and  Dr.  Pitcher,  whose  tastes  for 
natural  science  and  general  knowledge  rendered  him  a  valuable 
visitor. 

Letters  from  the  civilized  world  tended  to  keep  alive  the  general 
sympathies,  which  none  more  appreciate  than  those  who  are  shut 
out  from  its  circles.  Mr.  Edward  Everett  (Oct.  6th)  communicates 
his  sentiments  favorably,  respecting  the  preparation  of  an  article 
for  the  North  American  Revieiv.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Cadle  (Oct.  7th) 
sends  a  package  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  for  distribution  among 

and  has  not  been  caught.  The  musket  with  which  this  nefarious  act  was 
done,  is  said  to  have  been  loaned  to  him  from  the  guard-house  at  Fort  Brady. 
Dr.  Bagg  pronounced  the  ball  an  ounce-ball,  such  as  is  employed  in  the  TJ. 
S.  service.  The  wad  was  the  torn  leaf  of  a  hymn  book.  It  was  extensively 
reported  by  the  diurnal  press,  that  I  had  been  the  victim  of  this  unprovoked 
perfidy. 


318  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  soldiers,  which  he  entrusts  to  Mrs.  S.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Wells, 
of  Detroit,  writes  of  some  temporality.  Mr.  Trowbridge  keeps  me 
advised  respecting  the  all  important  and  growing  importance  of  the 
department's  fiscal  affairs. 

The  author  of  "  Sanillac"  (Oct.  8th)  acknowledges  the  reception 
and  reading  of  my  " Notes,"  with  which  he  expresses  himself 
pleased.  The  head  of  the  Indian  office  writes,  "  The  plan  has  been 
adopted  of  compiling  a  code  of  regulations  for  the  Indian  inter 
course  during  the  winter.  For  this  duty,  Gen.  Clarke,  of  St. 
Louis,  and  Gen.  Cass,  of  Detroit,  have  been  selected."  Such  were 
some  of  the  extraneous  subjects  which  the  month  of  October  brought 
from  without. 

The  month  of  November  was  not  without  some  incidents  of  in 
terest.  From  the  first  to  the  fifteenth,  a  number  of  Indian  families 
applied  for  food,  under  circumstances  speaking  loudly  in  their  favor. 
The  misfortune  is,  that  these  poor  creatures  are  induced  to  part 
with  everything  for  the  means  of  gratifying  their  passion  for  drink, 
and  then  lingering  around  the  settlements  as  long  as  charity  offers 
to  supply  their  daily  wants.  The  usual  term  of  application  for  this 
class  is,  Kittemaugizzi,  or  Nim  bukkudda,  I  am  in  want,  or  I  am 
hungry.  By  making  my  office  a  study,  I  am  always  found  in  the 
place  of  public  duty,  and  the  latter  is  only,  in  fact,  a  temporary 
relief  from  literary  labor.  I  have  often  been  asked  how  I  support 
solitude  in  the  wilderness.  Here  is  the  answer  :  the  wilderness  and 
the  busy  city  are  alike  to  him  who  derives  his  amusements  from 
mental  employment. 

Nov.  7th.  THE  INDIAN  CAUSE. — In  a  letter  of  this  date  from  Mr. 
J.  D.  Stevens,  of  the  Mission  of  Michilimackinac,  he  suggests  a 
colony  to  be  formed  at  some  point  in  the  Chippeway  country  of 
Lake  Superior,  and  inquires  whether  government  will  not  patronize 
such  an  effort  to  reclaim  this  stock.  The  Indian  is,  in  every  view, 
entitled  to  sympathy.  The  misfortune  with  the  race  is,  that,  seated 
on  the  skirts  of  the  domain  of  a  popular  government,  they  have  no 
vote  to  give.  They  are  politically  a  nonentity.  The  moral  and 
benevolent  powers  of  our  system  are  with  the  people.  Govern 
ment  has  nothing  to  do  with  them.  The  whole  Indian  race  is  not,  in 
the  political  scales,  worth  one  white  man's  vote.  Here  is  the  dif 
ficulty  in  any  benevolent  scheme.  If  the  Indian  were  raised  to  the 
right  of  giving  his  suffrage,  a  plenty  of  politicians,  on  the  frontiers. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  319 

would  enter  into  plans  to  better  him.  Now  the  subject  drags  along 
as  an  incubus  on  Congress.  Legislation  for  them  is  only  taken  up 
on  a  pinch.  It  is  a  mere  expedient  to  get  along  with  the  subject  ; 
it  is  taken  up  unwillingly,  and  dropped  in  a  hurry.  This  is  the 
Indian  system.  Nobody  knows  really  what  to  do,  and  those  who 
have  more  information  are  deemed  to  be  a  little  moon-struck. 


ESTIMATION  OF  MR.  JOHNSTON.  —  Gov.  Cass  writes  from 
Washington  :  "  Mr.  Johnston's  death  is  an  event  I  sincerely  deplore, 
and  one  upon  which  I  tender  my  condolements  to  the  family.  He 
was  really  no  common  man.  To  preserve  the  manners  of  a  perfect 
gentleman,  and  the  intelligence  and  information  of  a  well-educated 
man,  in  the  dreary  wastes  around  him,  and  in  his  seclusion  from 
all  society  but  that  of  his  own  family,  required  a  vigor  and  elasti 
city  of  mind  rarely  to  be  found." 

NEW  INDIAN  CODE.  —  The  loose  and  fragmentary  character  of  the 
Indian  code  has,  at  length,  arrested  attention  at  Washington,  and 
led  to  some  attempts  to  consolidate  it.  A  correspondent  writes  (Nov. 
18th):  "Gen.  Clarke  has  not  yet  arrived,  but  is  expected  daily. 
In  the  meantime,  I  have  prepared  an  analysis  of  the  subject,  which 
has  been  approved  by  the  department,  and,  on  the  arrival  of  Gen. 
Clarke,  we  shall  be  prepared  to  proceed  to  the  compilation  of  our 
code,  which,  I  do  hope,  will  put  things  in  a  better  situation  for  all." 

The  derangements  in  the  fiscal  affairs  of  the  Indian  department 
are  in  the  extreme.  One  would  think  that  appropriations  had  been 
handled  with  a  pitchfork.  A  correspondent  writes  :  "  For  1827, 
we  were  promised  $48,000,  and  received  $30,000.  For  1828,  we 
were  promised  $40,000,  and  have  received  $25,000  ;  and,  besides 
these  promises,  were  all  the  extra  expenditures  authorized  to  be 
incurred,  amounting  to  not  less  than  $15,000.  It  is  impossible  this 
can  continue."  And  these  derangements  are  only  with  regard  to 
the  north.  How  the  south  and  west  stand,  it  is  impossible  to  say. 
But  there  is  a  screw  loose  in  the  public  machinery  somewhere. 

Dec.  5th.  AUTOBIOGRAPHY.—  "It  is  to  be  regretted,  ''writes  Dr. 
Edwin  James,  "that  our  lamented  friend  (Mr.  Johnston)  had  not 
lived  to  complete  his  autobiography.  This  deficiency  constitutes 
no  valid  objection  to  the  publication  of  the  memoirs,  though  it 
appears  to  me  highly  desirable  that  you  should  complete  the  sketch, 
so  as  to  include  the  history  of  the  latter  portion  of  his  life.  In 


320  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

perfect  accordance  with  the  plan  of  such  a  continuation,  you  would 
embody  much  valuable  detail  in  relation  to  the  history  and  condi 
tion  of  this  section  of  the  country  for  the  last  thirty  years.  You 
must,  doubtless,  have  access  to  all  the  existing  materials,  and  to 
many  sources  of  authentic  information,  which  could,  very  appro 
priately,  be  given  to  the  public  in  such  a  form." 

15th.  UNION  OF  THE  PURSUITS  OF  NATURAL  AND  CIVIL  HISTORY. — 
I  brought  forward,  and  had  passed  at  the  last  session  of  the  Legisla 
ture,  an  act  incorporating  the  Historical  Society  of  Michigan.  Dr. 
Pitcher,  who  has  recently  changed  his  position  to  Fort  Gratiot,  at 
the  foot  of  Lake  Huron,  proposes  the  embracing  of  natural  history 
among  its  studies.  He  finds  his  position,  at  that  point,  to  be  still 
unfavorable  in  some  aspects,  and  not  much,  if  anything,  superior 

to  what  it  was  at  St.  Mary's. 

* 

21th.  FISCAL  PERPLEXITIES  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT. — These  were 
alluded  to  before.  No  improvement  appears,  but  we  are  all  destined 
to  suffer.  A  friend,  who  is  versed  in  the  subject,  writes  from  Wash 
ington  :  "  The  fact  is,  that  nothing  could  be  worse  managed  than  the 
fiscal  concerns  of  the  department.  Not  the  slightest  regard  has  been 
paid  to  the  apportionment  made,  and  there  is  now  due  to  our  super- 
intendency  more  than  the  sum  of  $40,000.  You  can  well  conceive 
how  this  happens,  and  I  have  neither  time  nor  patience  to  enter 
into  the  details  ;  suffice  it  to  say,  that  I  am  promised  by  the  Secre 
tary  that  the  moment  the  appropriation  law  passes,  which  will  pro 
bably  be  early  in  January,  every  dollar  of  arrearages  shall  be  paid 
off.  This  is  all  the  consolation  I  can  furnish  you,  and,  I  suppose 
I  need  not  say  that  I  have  left  no  stone  unturned  to  effect  a  more 
desirable  result.  It  is  manifest,  however,  that  the  whole  depart 
ment  will  be  exceedingly  pressed  for  funds  next  year,  as  a  consi 
derable  part  of  the  appropriation  must  be  assigned  to  the  payment 
of  arrearages,  which  have  been  suffered  to  accumulate ;  and  it  is 
not  considered  expedient,  in  the  present  state  of  affairs,  to  ask  for 
a  specific  appropriation.  It  will  require  at  least  two  years  to  bring 
our  fiscal  concerns  to  a  healthy  state/' 

In  fact,  to  meet  these  embarrassments,  many  retrenchments  be 
came  necessary;  some  sub-agencies  were  drawn  in  from  the  Indian 
country,  mechanics  and  interpreters  were  dismissed,  and  things  put 
on  the  very  lowest  scale  of  expenditure. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  321 


CHAPTER    XXXIY. 

Political  horizon  —  Ahmo  Society  —  Incoming  of  Gen.  Jackson's  administration 
—  Amusements  of  the  winter  —  Peace  policy  among  the  Indians  —  Revival 
at  Mackinac  —  Money  crisis  —  Idea  of  Lake  tides  —  New  Indian  code  — 
Anti-masonry  —  Missions  among  the  Indians  —  Copper  mines  —  The  policy 
respecting  them  settled  —  Whisky  among  the  Indians  —  Fur  trade  — 
Legislative  council  —  Mackinac  mission  —  Officers  of  Wayne's  war  —  His 
torical  Society  of  Michigan-  -Improved  diurnal  press. 

1829.  Jan.  ls£.  THE  administration  of  John  Quincy  Adams 
now  draws  to  a  close,  and  that  of  Gen.  Jackson  is  anticipated  to 
commence.  Political  things  shape  themselves  for  these  events. 
The  close  of  the  old  year  and  the  opening  of  the  new  one  have 
been  remarkable  for  heralding  many  rumors  of  change  which 
precede  the  incoming  of  the  new  administration.  Many  of  these 
relate  to  the  probable  composition  of  Gen.  Jackson's  cabinet. 
Among  the  persons  named  in  my  letters  is  Gov.  Cass,  who  has 
attracted  a  good  deal  of  exterior  notoriety  during  the  last  year. 
Within  the  territory,  his  superiority  of  talents  and  energy  have 
never  been  questioned.  Michigan  would  have  much  to  lament 
by  such  a  transference,  for  it  is  to  be  feared  that  party  rancor, 
which  he  has  admirably  kept  down,  would  break  forth  in  all  its 
accustomed  violence. 


AHMO  SOCIETY.  —  Under  this  aboriginal  term,  which 
signifies  a  bee,  the  ladies  of  the  fort  and  village  have  organized 
themselves  into  a  sewing  society  for  benevolent  purposes.  I  find 
myself  honored  with  a  letter  of  thanks  from  them  by  their  secretary, 
Mrs.  E.  S.  Russell.  Truly,  the  example  of  Dorcas  was  not  mentioned 
in  vain  in  the  Scriptures,  for  its  effect  is  to  excite  the  benevolent 
and  charitable  everywhere  to  do  likewise.  Every  such  little 
influence  helps  to  make  society  better,  and  aids  its  sources  of 
pleasing  and  self-sustaining  reflection. 
21 


322  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

February  12th.  A  letter  from  the  editor  of  the  North  American 
Review  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  a  paper  to  appear  in  its 
columns. 

March  £th.  The  administration  of  the  government  this  day 
passes  into  the  hands  of  a  man  of  extraordinary  individuality  of 
character,  indomitable  will,  high  purpose,  and  decided  moral  cou 
rage.  He  was  fighting  the  Creeks  and  Seminoles  when  I  first  went 
to  the  West,  and  they  told  the  most  striking  anecdotes  of  him,  illus 
trating  each  of  these  traits  of  character.  Ten  or  eleven  years  have 
carried  him  into  the  presidential  chair.  Such  is  the  popular  feeling 
with  respect  to  military  achievements  and  strong  individuality  of 
character.  Men  like  to  follow  one  who  shows  a  capacity  to  lead, 

31s£.  The  winter  has  passed  with  less  effect  from  the  intensity 
of  its  cold  and  external  dreariness,  from  the  fact  of  my  being  en- 
sconsed  in  a  new  house,  with  double  window-sashes,  fine  storm- 
houses,  plenty  of  maple  fuel,  books,  and  studies.  Besides  the 
fruitful  theme  of  the  Indian  language,  I  amused  myself,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  season,  by  writing  a  review  for  one  of  the  periodicals, 
and  with  keeping  up,  throughout  the  season,  an  extensive  corre 
spondence  with  friends  and  men  of  letters  in  various  parts  of  the 
Union.  I  revised  and  refreshed  myself  in  some  of  my  early 
studies.  I  continued  to  read  whatever  I  could  lay  my  hands  on 
respecting  the  philosophy  of  language.  Appearances  of  spring — 
the  more  deepened  sound  of  the  falls,  the  floating  of  large  cakes 
of  ice  from  the  great  northern  depository,  Lake  Superior,  and  the 
return  of  some  early  species  of  ducks  and  other  birds — presented 
themselves  as  harbingers  of  spring  almost  unawares.  It  is  still 
wintry  cold  during  the  nights  and  mornings,  but  there  is  a  degree 
of  solar  heat  at  noon  which  betokens  the  speedy  decline  of  the 
reign  of  frosts  and  snows. 

The  Indians,  to  whom  the  rising  of  the  sap  in  its  capillary  ves 
sels  in  the  rock-maple  is  the  sign  of  a  sort  of  carnival,  are  now  in 
the  midst  of  their  season  of  sugar-making.  It  is  one  of  their  old 
customs  to  move,  men,  women,  children,  and  dogs,  to  their  accus 
tomed  sugar-forests  about  the  20th  of  March.  Besides  the  quan 
tity  of  maple-sugar  that  all  eat,  which  bears  no  small  proportion 
to  all  that  is  made,  some  of  them  sell  a  quantity  to  the  mer 
chants.  Their  name  for  this  species  of  tree  is  In-in-au-tig,  which 
means  man-tree. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  323 

April  5th.  PEACE  POLICY. — The  agent  from  La  Pointe,  in  Lake 
Superior,  writes :  "  My  express-man  from  the  Fond  du  Lac 
arrived  on  the  31st  of  last  month,  by  whom  I  learned  that  the 
Leech  Lake  Indians  were  unsuccessful  in  their  war  excursion  last 
fall,  not  having  met  with  their  enemies,  the  Sioux,  and  I  trust  my 
communication  with  Mr.  Aitkin  will  be  in  time  to  check  parties 
that  may  be  forming  in  the  spring. 

"  The  state  of  the  Indians  throughout  the  country  is  generally 
in  a  critical  way  of  starvation,  the  wild-rice  crops  and  bear-hunts 
having  completely  failed  last  fall." 

21st.  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION  AT  MACKINAC. — My  brother  James, 
who  crossed  the  country  on  snow-shoes,  writes :  "  Mr.  Stuart, 
Satterlee,  Mitchell,  Miss  N.  Dousman,  Aitken,  and  some  twenty 
others,  have  joined  Ferry's  church."  This  may  be  considered  as 
the  crowning  point  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Ferry's  labors  at  that 
point.  This  gentleman,  if  I  mistake  not,  came  up  in  the  same 
steamer  with  me  seven  years  ago.  It  is  seed — seed  literally  sown 
in  the  wilderness,  and  reaped  in  the  wilderness. 

29^.  MONEY  CRISIS. — "  The  fact  is,"  says  a  person  high  in 
power,  "the  fiscal  concerns  of  the  department  have  come  to  a 
dead  stand,  and  nothing  remains  but  to  ascertain  the  arrearages, 
and  pay  them  up.  You  well  know  how  all  this  has  happened  (by 
diversions  and  misappropriations  of  the  funds  at  Washington). 
Such  management  you  can  form  no  conception  of.  There  will  be, 
during  the  year,  a  thorough  change. 

"I  was  glad  to  see  your  article.  It  is  an  able,  and  tempe 
rate,  and  practical  view  of  the  subject  (JV.  A.  H.,  Ap.  1829),  grossly 
exaggerated,  and  grossly  misunderstood." 

May  ~\§th.  IDEA  OF  LAKE  TIDES. — Maj.  W.  writes  :  "  If  you  see 
Sillimaris  Journal,  you  will  observe  an  article  on  the  subject  of  the 
Lake  Tides,  as  Gen.  Dearborn  calls  them,  in  which  he  has  inserted 
some  hasty  letters  I  wrote  to  him  on  this  subject,  without,  however, 
ever  expecting  to  see  them  in  such  a  respectable  guise.  The  Gover 
nor  made  some  more  extended  observations  at  Green  Bay.  If  you 
can  give  anything  more  definite  in  relation  to  the  changes  of  Lake 
Superior,  pray  let  me  have  a  letter,  and  we  will  try  to  spread  be- 


324  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

fore  Mr.  Silliman  a  better  view  of  the  case.  I  have  no  idea  that 
anything  in  the  shape  of  a  tide  exists.  The  Governor  is  of  the  same 
opinion." 

To  these  opinions  I  can  merely  add,  Amen.  It  requires  more 
exactitude  of  observation  than  falls  to  the  lot  of  casual  observers, 
to  upset  the  conclusions  of  known  laws  and  phenomena. 

26th.  NEW  INDIAN  CODE.  —  Mr.  Wing,  the  delegate  in  Congress, 
forwards  to  me  a  printed  copy  of  the  report  of  laws  proposed  for 
the  Indian  department.  It  denotes  much  labor  on  the  part  of  the 
two  gentlemen  who  have  had  it  in  hand,  and  will  be  productive  of 
improvement.  I  should  have  liked  a  bolder  course,  and  not  so  care 
ful  a  respect  all  along,  for  what  has  previously  been  done.  Con 
gress  requires,  sometimes,  to  be  instructed,  or  informed,  and  not  to 
be  copied  in  its  attempts  to  manage  Indian  affairs. 

Every  paper  brings  accounts  of  removals  and  appointments  under 
the  new  administration  ;  but  nothing,  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  that 
promises  much,  in  this  way,  of  material  benefit  to  Indian  affairs. 
The  department  at  head-quarters  has  been,  so  far  as  respects  fiscal 
questions,  wretchedly  managed,  and  is  over  head  and  ears  in  debt, 
and  the  result  of  all  this  maladministration  is  visited  on  the  fron 
tiers,  in  the  bitter  want  of  means  for  the  agents,  sub-agents,  and 
mechanics,  and  interpreters,  who  are  obliged  to  be  either  suspended, 
or  put  on  short  allowance.  Doubtless,  Gen.  Jackson,  who  is  a  man 
of  high  purpose,  would  remedy  this  thing,  if  the  facts  were  laid 
before  him. 


MASONRY.  —  It  has  recently  been  discovered,  that  there 
is  a  hidden  danger  in  this  ancient  fraternity,  and  that  society 
has  been  all  the  while  sitting,  as  it  were,  on  the  top  of  a  volcano, 
liable,  at  any  moment,  to  burst.  Such,  at  least,  appear  to  be  the 
views  of  some  politicians,  who  have  seized  upon  the  foolish  and 
apparently  criminal  acts  of  some  lack-wits  in  western  New  York, 
to  make  it  a  new  political  element  for  demagogues  to  ride.  Already 
it  has  reached  these  hitherto  quiet  regions,  and  zealots  are  now  busy 
by  conventions,  and  anxious  in  hurrying  candidates  up  to  the  point. 
"Anti-masonic"  is  the  word,  a  kind  of  "shibboleth"  for  those  who 
are  to  cross  the  political  "  fords"  of  the  new  Jordan. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  325 

June  1st.  MISSIONARY  LABORS  AMONG  THE  INDIANS. — There  are 
evidently  some  defects  in  the  system.  There  is  too  much  expended 
for  costly  buildings,  and  the  formation  of  a  kind  of  literary  insti 
tutes  of  much  too  high  a  grade,  where  some  few  of  the  Indians 
are  withdrawn  and  very  expensively  supported,  and  undergo  a  sort 
of  incarceration  for  a  time,  and  are  then  sent  back  to  the  bosom  of 
the  tribes,  with  the  elements  of  the  knowledge  of  letters  and  his 
tory,  which  their  parents  and  friends  are  utterly  unable  to  appre 
ciate,  and  which  they,  in  fact,  ridicule.  The  instructed  youth  is 
soon  discouraged,  and  they  most  commonly  fall  back  into  habits 
worse  than  before,  and  end  their  course  by  inebriety,  while  the  body 
of  the  tribe  is  nowise  bettered.  Whatever  the  defects  are,  there 
are  certainly  some  things  to  amend  in  our  measures  and  general 
policy. 

Mr.  Stevens  and  Mr.  Coe,  both  missionaries,  have  recently  been 
appointed  to  visit  the  Indian  country,  with  the  object  of  observing 
whether  some  less  expensive  and  more  general  effort  to  instruct  and 
benefit  the  body  of  the  tribes,  cannot  be  made.  The  latter  has  a 
commentatory  letter  to  this  end,  from  Gen.  Jackson,  dated  the  19th 
of  March,  which  denotes  an  interest  on  tlus  topic  that  argues  favor 
ably  of  his  views  of  moral  things. 

"The  true  system  of  converting  the  Indians  was,  it  is  appre 
hended,  adopted  by  David  Brainerd  in  1744.  He  took  the  Bible, 
and  declared  its  truths  with  simplicity  and  earnestness  in  the 
Indian  villages.  There  was  no  preparation  of  buildings  or  out 
lays.  In  one  year  he  had  gathered  a  church  of  pure  believers. 
Their  manners  immediately  reformed;  they  became  industrious 
and  cleanly,  and  built  houses,  and  schools,  and  tilled  the  land. 
All  this  was  a  consequence,  and  not  a  cause  of  Christianity."* 

2d.  A  friend  writes :  "  I  believe  the  literary  world  is  rather  lazy 
just  at  this  time ;  at  least  nothing  novel,  except  words,  has  reached 
my  eye.  Your  Literary  Voyager  has  lately  been  traveling  the 
rounds  amongst  your  friends." 

I2th.  COPPER  MINES. — A  private  letter,  from  a  high  quarter, 
says  :  "  Col.  Benton's  bill,  respecting  the  copper  mines,  which  passed 
Congress,  only  provided  for  permission  being  granted  to  individuals 

*  Works  of  Jonathan  Edwards,  vol.  10. 


326  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

to  work  them  at  their  own  expense.  There  is  no  intention  of  doing 
anything  on  public  account."  This,  it  will  be  perceived,  was  the 
view  presented  (ante)  by  Mr.  Box,  in  his  able  letter  to  me  on  the 
subject,  several  years  ago.  Congress  will  not  authorize  the  work 
ing  of  the  mines.  It  is  a  matter  for  private  enterprize. 

July  14th.  WHISKY  AMONG  THE  INDIANS. — Mr.  Robert  Stuart, 
Agent  to  the  American  Fur  Company,  writes  from  Mackinac,  that 
some  of  the  American  Fur  Company's  clerks  are  not  inclined  to 
take  whisky,  under  the  general  government  permit,  provided  their 
opponents  take  none.  This  tampering  with  the  subject  and  with  me, 
in  the  conduct  of  the  agent  of  that  company,  whose  duty  it  is  rigidly 
to  exclude  the  article  by  every  means,  would  accord  better,  it  should 
seem,  with  the  spirit  of  one  who  had  not  recently  taken  obliga 
tions  which  are  applicable  to  all  times  and  all  space.  Little  does 
the  spirit  of  commerce  care  how  many  Indians  die  inebriates,  if  it 
can  be  assured  of  beaver  skins.  The  situation  of  any  of  its  agents, 
who  may  acknowledge  Christian  obligations,  is  doubtless  an  embar 
rassing  one ;  and  such  persons  should  seek  to  get  out  of  such  an 
employment  as  soon  as  possible.  The  true  direction,  in  all  cases 
of  this  kind,  is,  to  take  high  moral  grounds.  The  department,  by 
granting  such  permits,  violates  a  law.  The(  ageat  of  the  company 
who  seeks  to  exclude  "  opponents"  in  the  trade,  errs  by  attempting 
to  throw  the  responsibility  of  the  minor  question  upon  the  local 
agent,  over  whose  head  he  already  shakes  his  permits  from  a  supe 
rior  power.  Now  the  "  opponents,"  be  it  understood,  have  no  such 
"  permits,"  and  the  agent  can  give  them  none. 

This  subject  of  ardent  spirits  is  a  constantly  recurring  one  in 
every  possible  form ;  and  no  little  time  of  an  agent  of  Indian  af 
fairs,  and  no  small  part  of  his  troubles  and  vexations,  are  due  to 
it.  The  traders  and  citizens  generally,  on  the  frontiers,  are 
leagued  in  their  supposed  interests  to  break  down,  or  evade  the 
laws,  Congressional  and  territorial,  which  exclude  it,  or  make  it 
an  offence  to  sell  or  give  it.  If  an  agent  aims  honestly  to  put 
the  law  in  force,  he  must  expect  to  encounter  obloquy.  If  he  ap 
peals  to  the  local  courts,  it  is  ten  to  one  that  nine-tenths  of  his 
jury  are  offenders  in  this  very  thing.  So  far  as  the  American 
Fur  Company  is  concerned,  it  is  seen,  I  think,  by  the  course  of 
the  managers,  that  it  would  conduce  to  better  hunts  if  the  Indians 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  327 

were  kept  sober,  and  liquor  were  rigidly  excluded ;  but  the  argu 
ment  is,  that  "  on  the  lines' — that  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
use  it,  and  that  their  trade  would  suffer  if  they  had  not  "some." 
And  they  thus  override  the  agents,  by  appealing  to  higher  powers, 
and  so  get  permits  annually,  for  a  limited  quantity,  of  which  they 
and  not  the  agents  are  the  judges.  In  this  way  the  independence 
of  the  agents  is  constantly  kept  down,  and  made  to  bend  to  a 
species  of  mock  popular  will. 

In  view  of  the  counteracting  influence  of  the  American  Fur  Com 
pany  on  this  frontier,  it  would  be  better  for  the  credit  of  morals, 
properly  so  considered,  if  the  chief  agent  of  that  concern  at  Mi- 
chilimackinac  were  not  a  professor  of  religion,  or  otherwise,  if  he 
were  in  a  position  to  act  out  its  precepts  boldly  and  frankly  on 
this  subject.  For,  as  it  now  is,  his  position  is  perpetually  mis 
taken.  A  temperance  man,  he  is  yet  a  member  of  a  local  tempe 
rance  society,  which  only  operates  against  the  retailers,  but  leaves 
members  free  to  sell  by  the  barrel.  Bound,  by  the  principles  of 
law,  not  to  introduce  whisky  into  the  interior,  he  yet  sells  it  to 
others,  knowing  their  intention  to  be  to  run  it  over  the  lines,  in 
spite  of  the  agents.  This  is  done  by  white  and  red  men.  And 
he  obtains  "permits"  besides,  as  head  of  the  company,  at  head 
quarters  at  Washington,  to  take  in,  openly,  a  certain  quantity  of 
high  wines  every  year.  Talk  to  that  gentleman  on  the  subject, 
and  he  is  eloquent  in  defence  of  temperance.  Thus  the  obliga 
tion  is  kept  to  the  ear,  but  broken  in  the  practice.  A  business 
that  thus  compels  a  man  to  hamper  his  conscience,  and  cause 
scandal  to  the  church,  should  be  abandoned  at  once. 

Aug.  29th.  FUR  TRADE.— Mr.  Sparks,  Ed.  N.  A.  Rev.,  re 
minds  me  of  an  intimation  mentioned  to  Mr.  Palfrey,  to  write  an 
article  on  this  subject.  "  From  observation,"  he  remarks,  "and  in 
quiry  you  have  enjoyed  peculiar  advantages  for  gaining  a  know 
ledge  of  the  Indian's,  their  history,  character  and  habits,  and  the 
world  will  be  greatly  indebted  to  you  for  continuing  to  diffuse  this 
knowledge,  as  your  opportunities  may  allow." 

The  fur  trade  has  certainly  been  productive  of  a  market  to  In 
dians  for  the  result  of  their  forest  labors,  without  which  they  would 
want  many  necessaries.  But  while  it  has  stimulated  hunting,  and 
so  far  as  this  goes,  industry,  in  the  Indian  race,  it  has  tended 


328  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

directly  to  diminish  the  animals  upon  which  they  subsist,  and  thus 
hastened  the  period  of  the  Indian  supremacy,  while  it  has  intro 
duced  the  evil  of  intoxication  by  ardent  spirits. 

LEGISLATIVE  COUNCIL. — I  left  St.  Mary's  the  latter  part  of 
August,  to  attend  the  second  session  of  the  third  legislative  coun 
cil  at  Detroit.  The  same  tendency  was  manifested  as  in  the  first 
session,  to  lean  favorably  to  the  old  pioneers  and  early  settlers  of 
an  exposed  frontier,  which  has  suffered  severely  from  Indian  wars, 
and  other  causes  of  depression.  "With  the  exception  of  divorce 
cases,  there  were  really  no  bad  laws  passed ;  and  no  disposition 
manifested  to  excessive  legislation,  or  to  encumber  the  statute 
book  with  new  schemes.  Local  and  specific  acts  absorbed  the  chief 
attention  during  the  session. 

Deeming  it  ever  better  to  keep  good  old  laws  than  to  try  ill-di 
gested  and  doubtful  new  ones,  I  used  my  influence  to  repress  the 
spirit  of  legislating  for  the  sake  of  legislation,  wherever  I  saw  ap 
pearances  of  it.  As  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Finances,  I 
managed  that  branch  with  every  possible  care.  I  busied  myself 
with  the  plan  of  trying  to  introduce  terse  and  tasty  names  for  the 
new  townships,  taken  from  the  Indian  vocabulary — to  suppress  the 
sale  of  ardent  spirits  to  the  Indian  race,  and  to  secure  something 
like  protection  for  that  part  of  the  population  which  had  amalga 
mated  with  the  European  blood. 

MACKINAC  MISSION. — Towards  the  close  of  the  session,  a  move 
ment  was  made  against  the  Mackinac  Mission  by  an  attempt  to 
repeal  the  law  exempting  the  persons  engaged  in  it  from  militia 
and  jury  service.  A  formal  attack  was  made  by  one  of  the  mem 
bers  against  that  establishment,  its  mode  of  management,  and 
character.  This  I  resisted.  Being  in  my  district,  and  familiar 
with  the  facts  and  persons  implicated,  I  repelled  the  charge  as 
being  entirely  unjust  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ferry,  the  gentleman  at  the 
head  of  that  institution.  I  drew  up  a  report  on  the  subject,^in- 
dicating  the  institution,  which  was  adopted  and  printed.  «<This 
was  a  triumph  achieved  with  some  exertions. 

NAMES  OF  THE  OFFICERS  WHO  SERVED  WITH  GEN.  WAYNE. — 
Gen.  Brady  gave  me,  during  this  session,  a  list  of  the  names  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  329 

the  officers  who  had  served  reputably  in  the  Indian  campaigns  con 
ducted  by  Gen.  Wayne  in  1791-2-3.  I  proposed  to  retain  them 
in  naming  the  townships,  the  possession  of  the  territorial  area  of 
which  we  owe  to  their  bravery  and  gallantry. 

HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  MICHIGAN. — This  institution  was  in 
corporated  at  the  first  session  of  the  Third  Legislative  Council,  in 
1828.  The  bill  for  this  purpose  was  introduced  by  me,  after 
consultation. with  some  literary  friends.  It  contained  the  plan  of 
constituting  the  members  of  the  Legislative  Council  members 
ex-officio.  This,  it  was  apprehended,  and  rightly  so,  would  give 
it  an  official  countenance,  and  serve,  in  some  things,  as  a  conve 
nient  basis  for  meetings  during  the  few  years  that  precede  a  State 
government,  while  our  literary  population  continues  sparse.  My 
experience  in  the  East  had  shown  me  that  quorums  are  not  readily 
attained  in  literary  societies,  which  is  a  sore  hindrance  to  the 
half  dozen  efficient  laborers  out  of  a  populous  city,  who  generally 
hold  the  laboring  oar  of  such  institutions. 

The  historical  incidents  of  this  section  of  the  Union  are  quite 
attractive,  and,  while  general  history  has  cognizance  of  the  leading 
events,  there  is  much  in  the  local  keeping  of  old  men  who  are 
ready  to  drop  off.  There  is  more  in  the  aboriginal  history  and 
languages  that  invites  attention,  while  the  modern  history — the 
exploration  and  settlement  of  the  country,  and  the  leading  inci 
dents  which  are  turning  a  wilderness  into  abodes  of  civilization — 
is  replete  with  matter  that  will  be  of  deep  interest  to  posterity. 
To  glean  in  this  broad  field  appears  an  important  literary  object. 

Gov.  Cass  gave  us  this  session  the  first  discourse,  in  a  rapid  and 
general  and  eloquent  review  of  the  French  period,  including  the 
transfer  of  authority  to  Great  Britain,  and  an  account  of  the  bold 
and  original  attempted  surprise  of  the  English  garrison  at  Detroit, 
by  Pontiac.  This  well-written  and  eloquently-digested  discourse 
was  listened  to  with  profound  interest,  and  ordered  to  be  printed.* 

IMPROVED  PRESS. — In  a  state  of  society  which  relies  so  much 

*  Vide  Historical  and  Scientific  Sketches  of  Michigan,  1  vol.  12mo ;  Wells 
and  Whitney,  1834. 


330  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

on  popular  information  through  the  diurnal  press,  its  improvement 
is  of  the  highest  consequence.  Mr.  William  Ward,  of  Massa 
chusetts,  performed  this  office  for  the  city  of  Detroit  and  Michigan 
this  fall,  by  the  establishment  of  a  new  paper,  which  at  first  bore 
the  title  of  North-west  Journal,  and  afterwards  of  Detroit 
Journal.  This  sheet  exhibits  a  marked  advance  in  editorial 
ability,  maturity  of  thought,  and  critical  acumen. 

I  embarked  at  Detroit,  on  my  return  to  St.  Mary's,  late  in 
October,  leaving  the  council  still  in  session,  and  reached  that 
place  on  one  of  the  last  days  of  the  month. 

Dec.  20th.  Mr.  Ward  writes:  "We  have  published  The  Rise  of 
the  West,  and  the  Ages  of  Michigan.  It  is  printed  well,  but 
bound,  sorry  I  am  to  say,  carelessly.  I  suppose  the  Major  will 
send  you  a  copy." 

Rise  of  the  West,  or  a  Prospect  of  the  Mississippi  Valley]  em 
braces  reminiscences  of  this  noble  stream,  and  of  its  banks  being 
settled  by  the  Anglo-Saxons. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  331 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

The  new  administration — Intellectual  contest  in  the  Senate — Sharp  contest 
for  mayoralty  of  Detroit — Things  shaping  at  Washington — Perilous  trip  on 
the  ice — Medical  effects  of  this  exposure — Legislative  Council — Visit  to 
Niagara  Falls — A  visitor  of  note — History — Character  of  the  Chippewas — 
Ish-ko-da-wau-bo — Rotary  sails — Hostilities  between  the  Chippewas  and 
Sioux — Friendship  and  badinage — Social  intercourse — Sanillac — Gossip — 
Expedition  to  Lake  Superior — Winter  Session  of  the  Council — Historical 
disclosure — Historical  Society  of  Rhode  Island — Domestic — French  Revo 
lution. 

1830.  Jan.  26th.  THE  NEW  ADMINISTRATION. — A  friend  from 
Washington  writes:  "Nothing  has  yet  been  touched  in  the  Indian 
department.  It  is  doubtful  whether  our  code  will  be  considered. 
The  engrossing  topic  of  the  session  will  be  the  removal  of  the  In 
dians.  It  occupies  the  public  mind  through  the  Union,  and  petitions 
and  remonstrances  are  pouring  in,  without  number.  The  article 
(On  the  Removal  of  the  Indians)  was  luckily  hit.  It  has  been 
well  received,  and  is  very  acceptable  to  the  government." 

Feb.  23d.  INTELLECTUAL  CONTEST  IN  THE  SENATE. — A  corres 
pondent  from  Detroit  writes:  "I  refer  you  to  your  papers,  which 
will  give  you  the  history  of  the  contest  between  those  intellectual 
giants,  Hayne  and  Webster,  rather  Webster  and  Hayne,  on  the 
land  question,  which  seems  to  absorb  public  interest  entirely.  My 
books  containing  Extracts  of  the  Eloquence  of  the  British  Parlia 
ment,  furnish  me  no  such  models  as  that  second  speech.  Such 
clearness,  simplicity,  and  comprehensiveness  ;  such  a  grave  and  im 
pressive  tread  ;  such  imposing  countenance  and  manner;  such  power 
of  thought,  and  vigor  of  intellect,  and  opulence  of  diction,  and 
chastened  brilliance  of  imagination,  have  seldom,  I  was  about  to 
say  never,  startled  the  listeners  of  that  chamber." 

SHARP  CONTEST  FOR  MAYORALTY  OP  DETROIT. — A  shrewd  and 
observant  correspondent  writes:  "John  R.  Williams  has  been 


332  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

elected  mayor,  after  a  close  election,  disputed  by  Chapin.  The 
enemy  practised  a  good  thing  on  him.  During  one  of  the  delegate 
elections,  when  his  ambition  seemed  to  tower  higher  than  it  now 
does,  he  published  a  sort  of  memorabilia,  like  that  of  Dr.  Mitchell, 
in  which  was  set  forth,  with  much  minuteness  of  detail,  all  that  he 
had  ever  done,  and  much  of  all  he  ever  thought,  for  the  good  of 
this  poor  territory.  Such,  for  instance,  as  that  in  1802,  he  was 
appointed  town-clerk  of  Hamtramck ;  that  he  oifered,  in  1811,  his 
services  to  Congress  in  a  military  capacity,  which  offer  was  rejected, 
and  '  was  the  first  who  received  intelligence  of  the  capture  of 
Mackinac,'  &c.  This  thing  the  remorseless  enemy  republished, 
after  it  had  been  fervently  hoped,  no  doubt,  that  the  unlucky  bant 
ling  had  descended  to  the  tomb  of  the  Capulets.  It  was  so  unac 
countably  weak  and  stupid,  and  so  unkindly  contrasted  at  bottom 
with  sundry  specifications  '  of  how'  he  had,  with  a  pertinacious* con 
sistency,  opposed  every  projected  public  improvement  here,  that 
his  friends  pronounced  it  &  forgery" 

April  14:th.  THINGS  SHAPING  AT  WASHINGTON. — "I  reached 
home,"  says  a  friend,  "  last  week,  after  a  pleasant  journey.  The 
time  passed  off,  at  Washington,  pretty  comfortably.  There  was 
much  to  see  and  hear.  The  elements  of  political  affairs  are  com 
bining  and  recombining,  and  it  is  difficult  to  predict  the  future 
course  of  things. 

"  You  will  see  that,  in  the  fiscal  way,  the  department  is  better 
off  than  last  year.  Our  friend,  Col.  McKenney,  stands  his  ground 
well,  and  I  see  no  difference  in  his  situation." 

PERILOUS  TRIP  ON  THE  ICE. — My  brother  James  left  the  Sault 
St.  Marie  on  the  ice  with  a  train,  about  the  1st  of  April.  He 
writes  from  Mackinac,  on  the  14th  of  April:  "  We  arrived  here 
on  the  12th,  after  a  stay  of  seven  days  at  Point  St.  Ignace.  We  were 
seven  days  from  the  Sault  to  the  Point,  at  which  place  we  arrived 
in  a  cold  rain  storm,  half  starved,  lame,  and  tired.  I  suppose  this 
trip  ranks  anything  of  the  kind  since  the  days  of  Henry.  I  am 
sure  mortals  never  suffered  more  than  us.  After  leaving  the  Sault, 
disappointment,  hunger,  and  fatigue,  were  our  constant  companions. 
The  children  of  Israel  traveled  a  crooked  road,  'tis  said,  but  I  think 
it  was  not  equal  to  our  circuit. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  833 

"  We  found  the  ice  in  Muddy  Lake  very  good,  in  comparison  to 
that  of  Huron.  After  leaving  Detour,  we  were  obliged  to  coast, 
and  that  too  over  piles  of  snow,  mountains  of  ice,  and  innumerable 
rocks.  In  one  instance,  we  were  obliged  to  make  a  portage  across 
a  cedar  swamp  with  our  baggage,  and  drove  Jack  about  a  mile 
through  the  water,  in  order  to  continue  the  '  voyage  in  a  train/ 
"VVe  were  obliged  to  round  all  those  long  points  on  Huron,  afraid  if 
we  went  through  the  snow  of  being  caught  on  some  island. 

"  Jack  fell  through  the  ice  three  times  out  of  soundings,  and  it 
was  with  great  difficulty  we  succeeded  in  getting  him  out.  We  lost 
all  our  harness  in  the  Lake,  and  were  obliged  to  '  rig  out'  with  an 
old  bag,  a  portage  collar,  and  a  small  piece  of  rope-yarn.  Jack 
was  three  days  without  eating,  except  what  he  could  pick  on  the 
shore.  Take  it  all  in  all,  I  think  it  rather  a  severe  trip." 

MEDICAL  OR  PHYSICAL  EFFECTS  OF  THIS  EXPOSURE  TO  COLD  AND 
"VVET. — "I  came  to  this  place  (Vernon,  N.  Y.)  much  fatigued,  and 
not  in  the  best  health.  I  think  my  voyage  from  the  Sault  to 
Mackinac  has  impaired  my  health.  I  was  most  strangely  attacked 
on  board  the  Aurora.  As  I  was  reading  in  the  cabin,  all  at  once 
I  was  struck  perfectly  blind ;  then  a  severe  pain  in  the  head  and 
face  and  throat,  which  was  remedied  by  rubbing  with  vinegar  ; 
on  frhe  whole,  rather  a  strange  variety  of  attack." 

KINDNESS  TO  AN  OLD  DECAYED  "  MERCHANT  VOYAGEUR." — 
There  lived  near  me,  on  the  Canadian  shore,  an  aged  Frenchman, 
a  native  of  Trois  Rivieres,  in  Lower  Canada,  whose  reminiscences 
of  life  in  the  wilderness,  in  the  last  century,  had  the  charm  of 
novelty.  He  was  about  seventy  years  of  age,  and  had  raised  a 
family  of  children  by  a  half-English  half-Chippewa  wife,  all  of 
whom  had  grown  up  and  departed.  His  wife  and  himself  were 
left  alone,  and  were  very  poor.  His  education  had  been  such  as 
to  read  and  write  French  well ;  he  had,  in  fact,  received  his  edu 
cation  in  the  College  of  Quebec,  where  he  studied  six  years,  and 
he  spoke  that  language  with  considerable  purity.  As  the  cold 
weather  drew  on  in  the  fall  of  1829,  I  invited  him,  with  his  wife, 
to  live  in  my  basement,  and  took  lessons  of  him  in  French  every 
morning  after  .breakfast.  He  had  all  the  polite  and  respectful 


834  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

manners  of  a  habitant,  and  never  came  up  to  these  recitations 
without  the  best  attention  in  his  power  to  his  costume. 

Such  was  Jean  Baptiste  Perrault,  who  was  from  one  of  the 
best  families  in  Lower  Canada.  He  had  been  early  enamored 
with  stories  of  voyageur  adventure  and  freedom  in  the  Indian 
country,  where  he  had  spent  his  life.  He  was  a  man  of  good 
judgment,  quick  perceptions,  and  most  extraordinary  memory  of 
things.  At  my  request,  he  committed  to  paper,  in  French,  a 
narrative  of  his  wild  adventures,  reaching  from  St.  Louis  to  Pem- 
bina,  between  1783  and  1820.  Most  of  the  facts  illustrate  the 
hardships  and  risks  of  the  Indian  trade  and  Indian  manners  and 
customs.  They  supply  something  for  the  history  of  the  region 
while  the  country  was  under  the  English  dominion. 

Never  was  a  man  more  grateful  for  this  winter's  attention.  He 
moved  back  with  his  wife,  who  was  quite  attentive  to  him,  to  his 
little  domicil  on  the  opposite  shore  in  the  spring,  and  lived,  I  am 
informed,  till  Nov.  12,  1844,  when  he  was  about  85. 

FOURTH  LEGISLATIVE  COUNCIL. — I  was  re-elected  a  member  of 
the  Legislative  Council,  and  as  soon  as  the  lakes  and  river  were 
fairly  open,  proceeded  to  Detroit,  where  I  arrived  about  the  middle 
of  May.  In  this  trip  I  was  accompanied  by  Mrs.  S.  and  my 
infant  son  and  daughter,  with  their  nurse ;  and  by  Miss  Charlotte 
Johnston,  a  young  lady  just  coming  out  into  society.  The  council 
met  and  organized  without  delay,  the  committees  being  cast  much 
in  the  manner  of  the  preceding  council,  as  a  majority  of  the  mem 
bers  were  re-elected.  So  far  as  changes  of  men  had  supervened, 
they  were,  perhaps,  for  the  better. 

VISIT  TO  NIAGARA  FALLS. — Early  in  June,  however,  it  was  deter 
mined  to  take  a  recess,  and  I  embraced  this  opportunity  to  proceed 
with  my  family  to  visit  Niagara  Falls.  Miss  Elizabeth  Cass 
accepted  an  invitation  to  join  us,  and  we  had  a  most  interesting 
and  delightful  visit.  We  were,  perhaps,  the  first  party  of  pure 
pleasure,  having  no  objects  of  business  of  any  kind,  who  ever 
went  from  the  upper  lakes  to  see  this  grand  feature  in  American 
scenery.  We  were  most  kindly  received  by  friends  and  acquaint 
ances  at  Buffalo,  where  many  parties  were  given.  We  visited 
both  banks  of  the  falls,  and  crossed  over  below  the  sheet.  On 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  335 

passing  Black  Rock,  we  were  kindly  received  by  Gen.  Porter  and 
his  accomplished  and  talented  lady.  We  returned  to  Detroit  with 
the  most  pleasing  reminiscences  of  the  trip. 

A  VISITOR  OF  NOTE. — About  the  20th  of  July,  Gen.  ErastusRoot, 
long  a  veteran  in  the  New  York  Legislature,  visited  Detroit,  hav 
ing,  if  I  mistake  not,  some  public  business  in  the  upper  country. 
Persons  who  have  been  long  before  the  public  acquire  a  reputation 
which  appears  to  make  every  one  familiar  with  them,  and  there 
was  much  curiosity  to  see  a  person  who  had  so  long  opposed  Clin 
ton,  opposed  the  canal,  and  stood  forth  in  some  things  as  a  political 
reformer.  I  went  with  him  and  his  companion,  Judge  M'Call, 
after  a  very  hot  day,  to  take  some  lemonade  in  the  evening  at 
Gen.  Cass's.  Gen.  Root  was  not  refined  and  polished  in  his 
manners  and  converse.  He  was  purposely  rough  in  many  things, 
and  appeared  to  say  things  in  strong  terms  to  produce  effect. 
To  call  the  N.  Y.  Canal  the  "big  ditch"  was  one  of  these  inven 
tions  which  helped  him  to  keep  up  his  individuality  in  the  legislature. 
He  appeared  to  me  to  be  a  man  something  after  the  type  of  Ethan 
Allen. 

HISTORY.— During  this  session  of  the  legislature,  I  delivered 
the  annual  discourse  before  the  Historical  Society.  I  felt  so  much 
misgiving  about  reading  it  before  the  large  assemblage  at  the 
State  House,  that  I  had  arranged  with  a  literary  and  legal  friend 
to  put  it  in  his  hands  the  moment  I  began  to  falter.  For  this 
purpose  he  occupied  the  secretary's  desk  ;  but  I  found  myself 
sufficiently  collected  to  go  on  and  read  it  through,  not  quite  loud 
enough  for  all,  but  in  a  manner,  I  think,  to  give  satisfaction. 

CHARACTER  OF  THE  CHIPPEWAS. — Wm.  S.  Mosely,  Esq.,  writes 
(July  12th)  respecting  this  influential  and  wide-spread  tribe,  pro 
posing  a  list  of  queries  transmitted  to  him  by  Theodore  Dwight, 
Junr.,  a  philanthropist  of  N.  Y.  One  of  the  questions  is  as  fol 
lows  :  "  What  have  been  the  chief  impediments  between  the  Indian 
and  civilization?  How  would  it  alter  their  opinions  or  influence 
their  conduct  if  they  could  associate  with  white  people  without 
being  despised,  imposed  upon,  or  rendered  suspicious  of  their 
motives  ?  In  short,  if  they  came  in  contact  only  with  the  best 


336  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

white  men,  and  were  neither  furnished  with  ardent  spirits  nor 
threatened  with  extermination  by  encroachment?" 

ISH-KO-DA-WAU-BO. — I  had  a  pleasant  passage  up  the  Lakes  in 
the  steamer  "  Sheldon  Thompson."  Among  the  passengers  were 
James  B.  Gardiner,  of  Ohio,  charged  with  duties  from  Washington, 
and  John  T.  Mason,  Commissioner  for  treating  with  the  Indians 
at  Green  Bay.  In  a  letter  of  the  13th  August,  written  on  his  re 
turn  at  Mackinac,  Mr.  Gardiner,  who  is  quite  a  philanthropist  and 
a  gentleman  of  most  liberal  opinions,  says  :  "  I  conceive  it  my  duty 
to  inform  you  that  I  have  obtained  information  from  the  contractor 
himself  (Mr.  Stanard,  who  is  a  fourth  owner  of  the  Sheldon  Thomp 
son),  that  under  the  head  of  '  provisions,'  he  has  contracted  to  de 
liver,  and  has  actually  delivered,  two  hundred  barrels  of  whisky, 
and  two  hundred  barrels  of  high  wines,  at  the  place  for  the  Ameri 
can  Fur  Company,  which,  no  doubt,  is  designed  to  be  sent  into  the 
•  Indian  country  the  ensuing  fall." 

ROTARY  SAILS. — John  B.  Perrault,  whose  name  has  been  before 
mentioned,  invented  a  novel  boat,  to  be  propelled  by  the  force  of 
rotary  sails  acting  on  machinery,  which  turns  paddle-wheels ;  a  very 
.  ingenious  thing.     The  result  of  experiments  is,  however,  unfavor 
able  to  its  practical  adoption. 

HOSTILITIES  BETWEEN  THE  Sioux  AND  CHIPPEWAS. — These  hos 
tilities  have  reached  such  a  point,  that  the  department  has  deemed 
it  necessary  to  interpose  its  friendly  offices  in  a  more  formidable 
manner,  by  dispatching  an  expedition  into  the  principal  seat  of  the 
war.  The  instructions,  however  (of  Aug.  9th),  by  which  I  was  de 
signated  for  that  purpose,  reached  me  so  late  in  that  month,  that 
it  was  not  deemed  practicable  to  carry  them  into  effect  until  the 
next  year.  I  reported  the  facts,  which  are  deemed  necessary  to  be 
known  at  head-quarters,  in  order  to  give  efficacy  to  this  necessary 
and  proper  measure,  recommending  that  the  expedition  be  deferred, 
and  that,  in  the  meantime,  suitable  means  be  provided  for  making 
it,  to  the  greatest  extent,  effectual. 

FRIENDSHIP  AND  BADINAGE. — A  friend  writes  from  Detroit 
(Aug.  14th) :  "  For  a  brief  space,  that  is,  about  a  quarter  of  an 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  337 

hour,  I  can  borrow  a  little  use  of  my  own  soul,  though  I  cannot 
call  it  exactly  my  own.  You  will  not  fail  to  note,  I  trust,  how 
eminently  judicious  is  the  appropriation. 

"  A  few  days  since,  the  letter  containing  the  notice  of  your  ap 
pointment  to  the  Lake  Superior  destination,  was  mailed  for  you. 
The  purpose  of  this  is  to  suggest  the  memory  of  your  doubtful  pro 
mise,  to  come  down  in  the  fall  for  the  winter  session.  The  Gov. 
thinks  it  too  late  in  the  season  to  attempt  your  expedition  this  fall ; 
and  I  presume,  that  it  is,  I  hope,  your  papers  will  not  reach  you  in 
time  to  leave  this  summer,  an  opinion  of  questionable  correctness. 

"You  can  have  your  table  placed  in  the  corner,  and  amuse  your 
self  with  preparing  an  article  for  the  N.  A.  Thus  you  will  dis 
charge  a  double  duty  to  your  country  ;  one  to  its  political  interests, 
and  another  to  its  department  of  letters.  Whatever  preparations 
are  necessary  at  your  place,  can  be  made  in  the  winter,  under  direc 
tions  left  there  when  you  come  down,  and  such  as  could  be  more 
conveniently  made  here,  you  shall  have  every  aid  in  forwarding. 
The  fact  is,  I  see  not  a  single  objection,  I  cannot  see  one,  and  more 
than  that,  I  won't.  This  I  conceive  to  be  the  only  rational  view  to 
be  taken  of  the  subject,  and,  of  course,  it  follows  like  the  conse 
quence  to  the  minor  of  a  syllogism  ;  the  only  one  you  take.  So 
don't  say  any  more  about  it,  but  come  along  down,  arid  then  you 
shall,  with  more  pleasure,  satisfaction,  and  comfort,  go  along  up. 
It  is,  in  fact,  just  as  clear,  as  that  one  and  one,  you  and  me,  will 
make  two." 

SOCIAL  INTERCOURSE.— Maj.  W.  writes  (21st  Aug.):  "I  was 
sorry,  on  my  return,  to  find  you  gone,  for  we  have  left  undone  that 
which  I  hoped  to  have  done,  with  your  assistance,  that  is,  the  ar 
rangement  of  our  museum.  But  circumstances  were  unlucky. 
Cases  were  made  wrong,  or  not  made  in  due  time,  and  absences 
took  some  folks  away  (an  allusion  to  the  trip  to  Niagara),  and  the 
council  would  adjourn,  &c.  You  are,  however,  I  understand,  to  be 
down  here  New  Year's  day,  to  which  time,  for  the  special  accom 
modation  of  the  up-country  members,  I  presume  the  council,  as  it  is 
said,  has  adjourned.  An  appropriation  for  snow  shoes  ought  to 
have  been  made. 

SANILLAC. — "I  made  an  arrangement  in  Boston  for  the  printing 
of  my  MSS.     As  I  found  I  was  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  expense, 
22 


338  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

I  determined  to  make  it  as  small  as  I  consistently  could,  and  have, 
therefore,  made  the  volume  somewhat  smaller  than  was  in  my  ori 
ginal  plan. 

"  Mr.  Ward  showed  me  a  hasty  note  from  you  relative  to  the 
address  (before  the  Historical  Society).  I  have  examined  it  as 
published,  and  I  told  him  your  suggestions  were  out  of  the  ques 
tion.  There  is  not  an  error  that  I  could  detect  that  is  not  clearly 
typographical ;  and  your  fears,  that  either  yourself  or  the  society 
will  be  discredited,  are  all  idle.  I  do  not  recollect  any  of  your 
books  which,  I  think,  do  you  more  credit.'' 

GOSSIP. — Mr.  Ward  writes  :  "  We  have  but  little  news.  The 
governor  and  Elizabeth  are  off  to  Utica  and  Troy,  and  we  hope 
the  springs.  Mr.  Cass,  Lewis,  and  Isabel  to  the  Maumee.  Major 
and  Mrs.  Kearsley  to  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  with  Miss  Colt 
in  keeping.  For  all  persons  else,  one  note  will  answer.  They  eat 
drink,  and  sleep  as  they  did,  and  are  '  partly,  as  usual.'  ' 

EXPEDITION  INTO  LAKE  SUPERIOR. — "I  do  not  answer  you 
officially,"  says  Gov.  C.  "concerning  the  expedition  into  Lake 
Superior,  because  I  shall  expect  you  will  be  here  in  the  last  ves 
sel,  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  council,  and  Mr.  Brush  speaks 
with  certainty  upon  the  subject.  As  Mr.  Irwin  has  resigned,  and 
there  is  no  provision  for  ordering  a  new  election,  your  district 
will  be  wholly  unrepresented  unless  you  attend.  In  the  mean 
time  I  have  received  the  sum  allowed  for  this  service,  which  you 
can  draw  for  whenever  you  please.  There  is  no  doubt  but  the 
matter  will  go  on.  After  you  arrive  here,  and  we  have  conversed 
together,  I  will  restate  the  project  of  a  more  extended  expedition, 
agreeably  to  your  suggestions,  and  submit  it  to  the  department. 
I  agree  with  you  fully,  that  the  thing  should  be  enlarged,  to  em 
brace  the  persons  and  objects  you  suggest.  It  would  be  an  im 
portant  expedition,  and  not  a  little  honorable  to  you,  to  have  the 
direction  of  it,  as  it  will  be  the  first  authorized  by  the  administra 
tion." 

WINTER  SESSION  or  THE  COUNCIL. — On  the  16th  of  November, 
I  embarked  in  a  large  boat  at  St.  Mary's  with  a  view  of  reaching 
Mackinack  in  season  to  take  the  last  vessel  returning  down  the 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  339 

lakes.  The  weather  was  hazy,  warm,  and  calm,  and  we  could  not 
descry  objects  at  any  considerable  distance.  If  we  were  not  in 
"  Sleepy  Hollow"  while  descending  the  broad  valley  and  stretched 
out  waters  of  the  St.  Mary's,  we  were,  at  least,  in  such  a  hazy 
atmosphere,  that  our  eyes  might  almost  as  well  have  been  shut. 
It  seemed  an  interlude  in  the  weather,  between  the  boisterous 
winds  of  autumn  and  the  severe  cold  of  December.  In  this  maze 
I  came  down  the  river  safely,  and  proceeded  to  Mackinack,  where 
I  remained  several  days  before  I  found  a  vessel.  These  were 
days  of  pleasing  moral  intercourse  at  the  mission.  I  do  not  re 
collect  how  many  days  the  voyage  lasted,  but  it  was  late  in  the 
evening  of  a  day  in  December,  dark  and  very  muddy,  when  the 
schooner  dropped  anchor  off  the  city,  and  I  plodded  my  way  from 
the  shore  to  the  Old  Stone  Mansion  House  in  Detroit. 

HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE. — Mr.  Madison,  the  Ex-president,  trans 
mits  a  very  neat  and  terse  note  of  acknowledgment  for  a  copy  of 
my  address,  in  the  following  words,  which  are  quite  a  compensa 
tion  for  the  time  devoted  to  its  composition : — 

"  J.  Madison,  with  his  respects  to  Mr.  Schoolcraft,  thanks  him 
for  the  copy  of  his  valuable  discourse  before  '  the  Historical  So 
ciety  of  Michigan.'  To  the  seasonable  exhortation  it  gives  to 
others,  it  adds  an  example  which  may  be  advantageously  followed. 
(Oct.  23d.) 

HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  RHODE  ISLAND.— I  received  a  copy  of 
a  circular  issued  by  this  institution  (Nov.  1),  asking  Congress  for 
aid  in  the  transcription  of  foreign  historical  manuscripts.  "  We 
alone,  (almost,")  say  the  committee,  "among  nations,  have  it  in 
our  power  to  trace  clearly,  certainly,  and  satisfactorily,  at  a  very 
trifling  expense,  the  whole  of  our  career,  from  its  very  outset, 
throughout  its  progress,  down  to  the  present  moment — and  shall 
we  manifest  a  supineness,  a  perfect  listlessness  and  complete  indif 
ference  respecting  a  subject,  that  by  every  other  people  has  been, 
arid  is  still  esteemed  of  so  vast  magnitude,  and  deep  interest, 
as  to  have  induced,  and  still  to  induce  them  to  pour  forth  funds 
from  their  treasuries  unsparingly,  to  aid  the  historians  in  remov 
ing,  if  possible,  the  veil  that  conceals  in  dark  obscurity  their 
origin  ?'' 


340  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

DOMESTIC. — Mrs.  Schoolcraft  writes  from  JZlmwood,  St.  Mary's 
(Dec.  6th) :  "  I  continue  to  instruct  our  dear  little  girl  every  day, 
and  I  trust  you  will  find  her  improved  on  your  return,  should  it 
please  Heaven  to  restore  you  in  peace  and  safety.  Johnston  has 
quite  recovered,  and  can  now  stand  alone,  and  could  walk,  if  lie 
would.  I  have  called  on  Mrs.  Baxley,  and  find  her  a  very  agree 
able  woman.  She  said  she  saw  you  several  times  at  Prairie  du 
Chien.  (1825.)  I  also  went  to  see  the  mission  farm,  and  was 
much  pleased  with  the  teacher,  Miss  McComber.  The  weather 
has  remained  very  fine,  till  within  two  days,  when  we  have  had, 
for  the  first  time,  a  sprinkling  of  snow.  Such  a  season  has  never 
been  heard  of  in  this  country — not  a  particle  of  ice  has,  as  yet, 
formed  anywhere." 

FRENCH  REVOLUTION. — This  political  revolution  has  come^  like 
an  avalanche,  and  the  citizens  have  determined  to  celebrate  it,  and 
have  a  public  address,  for  which  Major  Whiting  has  been  desig 
nated.  Thirty-seven  years  ago  the  French  cut  off  the  head  of  the 
reigning  Bourbon,  Louis  XVI.,  and  now  they  have  called  another 
branch  of  the  same  house,  of  whom  Bonaparte  said :  "  They  never 
learn  anything,  and  they  never  forget  anything."  As  the  French 
please,  however.  We  are  all  joy  and  rejoicing  at  the  event.  It 
seems  the  consummation  of  a  long  struggle. 

Mr.  Ward  (Ed.  Jour.)  writes  25th  Dec. :  "  Will  you  send  me, 
by  the  bearer,  the  lines  you  showed  me  in  Brush's  office.  They 
will  be  quite  apropos  next  week.  Should  like  to  close  our  form 
this  evening." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  341 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

Lecture  before  the  Lyceum — Temperature  in  the  North — Rum  and  taxes — 
A  mild  winter  adverse  to  Indians — Death  of  a  friend — Christian  atonement 
— Threats  of  a  Caliban,  or  an  Indianized  white  man — Indian  emporium — 
Bringing  up  children — Youth  gone  astray — Mount  Hope  Institution — Ex 
pedition  into  the  Indian  country — Natural  History  of  the  United  States — 
A  reminiscence — Voyage  inland. 

1831.  LECTURE  BEFORE  THE  LYCEUM. — The  executive  commit 
tee  of  this  popular  institution  asks  me  by  a  note  (Jan.  14th),  to 
lecture  before  them  a  short  time  ahead.  Public  duty  is  an  ex 
cuse,  which  on  such  occasions  is  very  generally  made  by  men  in 
office,  who  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  seek  to  conceal  the  onerous- 
ness  of  literary  labor  under  that  ample  cloak.  To  me  there  is 
no  duty  more  important  than  that  which  diverts  a  town  from  idle 
gratifications,  and  fixes  its  attention  on  moral  or  intellectual  themes. 
Although  the  notice  was  short,  I  determined  to  sit  up  a  few  nights 
and  comply  with  it.  I  selected  the  natural  history  of  Michigan, 
as  a  subject  very  tangible,  and  one  about  which  a  good  deal  of  in 
terest  could  be  thrown.  I  had  devoted  much  interest  to  it  for 
years — understood  it,  perhaps,  better  than  any  one  in  the  terri 
tory,  and  could  lecture  upon  it  con  amove. 

When  the  appointed  evening  arrived,  I  found  a  highly  respect-  \ 
able  and  very  crowded  audience,  in  the  upper  chamber  of  the  old 
Indian  council  house.  It  was  certainly  a  better  use  of  the  build 
ing  than  paying  the  price  of  blood  for  white  men's  and  women's 
scalps,  during  the  fierce  seven  years'  struggle  of  the  American 
Revolution,  and  the  succeeding  Indian  wars.  My  lights  were 
badly  placed  for  reading,  and  I  got  on  indifferently  in  that  re 
spect,  for  I  could  not  see  well,  but  my  facts  and  matter  altogether 
were  well  and  approvingly  received  ;  and  the  address  was  imme 
diately  published. 

TEMPERATURE  AT  THE  FOOT  OF  LAKE  SUPERIOR. — Mr.  F.  An- 
drain  writes  to  me  from  St.  Mary's  (Jan.  26th) :  "  The  weather 


342  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

lias  been  very  mild  indeed,  here,  until  within  a  few  days  :  there 
has  not  been  sufficient  snow,  as  yet,  to  cover  the  stubble  in  the 
fields.  The  severe  weather  commenced  on  the  23d  instant.  The 
thermometer  stood  as  follows  : — 

On  the  23d,  at  9  o'clock  A.  M.,  11  degrees  below  zero. 
24th,  "  "       13       "  " 

25th,  "  "         2       "  " 

26th,  "  "         1       "  " 

RUM  AND  TAXES. — A  trader  at  St.  Mary's  writes  (26th  Jan.) 
as  follows :  "  It  is  the  wish  of  several  individuals,  who  keep 
stores  in  the  village,  to  be  informed  whether  the  sutler  in  Fort 
Brady  is  not  obliged  to  pay  taxes  as  well  as  we.  For  he  has  al 
most  the  exclusive  trade  of  the  Canadians.  It  is  tempting  to 
purchase  liquor  at  2s.  6d.  per  gallon,  when  they  have  to  pay  4s. 
in  the  village.  The  temperance  society  is  of  no  use,  when  any  of 
its  members  can  dispose  of  liquor  at  so  low  a  rate."  I  put  the 
last  words  in  italics. 

A  MILD  WINTER  ADVERSE  TO  THE  INDIANS. — Mr.  George  John 
ston  observes  (8th  March) :  "  The  weather  on  Lake  Superior 
has  been  uncommonly  mild  the  whole  winter.  The  southern  shore 
of  the  lake  from  White  Fish  Point  to  Ance  Kewywenon  presents 
a  scene  of  open  lake,  not  any  ice  forming  to  enable  the  poor  In 
dians  to  spear  fish." 

DEATH  OF  A  FRIEND. — Mrs.  Schoolcraft  says  (Feb.  3d) :  "  Mrs. 
Bingham  passed  the  day  with  me  a  short  time  since,  and  brought 
me  some  Vermont  religious  papers,  which  I  read  yesterday,  and 
found  an  account  of  the  death  of  our  poor  friend  Mr.  Conant, 
which  took  place  in  November  last  in  Brandon,  Vermont,  leaving 
his  disconsolate  widow  and  five  children.  He  suffered  greatly  for 
five  years,  but  I  am  happy  to  find  he  was  resigned  in  suffering  to 
the  will  of  the  Almighty  with  patience  ;  and  I  trust  he  is  now  a 
happy  member  of  the  souls  made  perfect  in  the  precious  blood  of 
the  Lamb."  Thus  ended  the  career  of  a  man  of  high  moral 
worth,  mental  vigor,  and  exalted  benevolence  of  feeling  and  purpose. 
This  is  the  man,  and  the  family,  wTho  showed  us  such  marked 
kindness  and  attentions  in  the  city  of  New  York,  in  the  winter  of 
1825 — kindness  and  attentions  never  to  be  forgotten. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  343 

Feb.  1th.  This  day  is  very  memorable  in  my  private  history, 
for  my  having  assumed,  after  long  delay,  the  moral  intrepidity  to 
acknowledge,  publicly,  a  truth  which  has  never  been  lost  sight 
of  since  my  intercourse  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Laird,  in  the,  to 
me,  memorable  winter  of  1824 — when  it  first  flashed,  as  it  were, 
on  my  mind.  That  truth  was  the  divine  atonement  for  human  sin 
made  by  the  long  foretold,  the  rejected,  the  persecuted,  the  cruci 
fied  Messiah. 

THREAT  OF  AN  INDIANIZED  WHITE  MAN. — A  friend  at  St.  Mary's 
writes  :  "  Tanner  has  again  made  bold  threats,  agreeably  to  Jack 
Hotley's  statement,  and  in  Doctor  James'  presence,  saying,  that 
had  you  still  been  here,  he  would  have  killed  you ;  and  as  the 
Johnstons  were  acting  in  concert  with  you,  he  kept  himself  con 
stantly  armed."  This  being,  in  his  strange  manners  and  opinions, 
at  least,  appears  to  offer  a  realization  of  Shakspeare's  idea  of 
Caliban. 

INDIAN  EMPORIUM. — Col.  T.  McKenney,  who  has  been  super 
seded  in  the  Indian  Bureau  at  Washington,  announces,  by  a  cir 
cular,  that  he  is  about  to  establish  a  commercial  house,  or  agency, 
on  a  general  plan,  for  supplying  articles  designed  for  the  Indian 
trade  and  the  sale  of  furs  and  peltries.  This  appears  to  me  a 
striking  mistake  of  judgment.  The  colonel,  of  all  things,  is  not 
suited  for  a  merchant. 

BRINGING  UP  OF  CHILDREN. — Mrs.  Schoolcraft  writes  :  "  I  find 
the  time  passes  more  swiftly  than  I  thought  it  would ;  indeed,  my 
friends  have  been  unwearied  in  striving  to  make  my  solitary 
situation  as  pleasant  as  possible,  and  they  have  favored  me  with 
their  company  often.  I  strive  to  be  as  friendly  as  I  possibly 
can  to  every  one,  and  I  find  I  am  no  loser  by  so  doing.  I  wish  it 
was  in  your  power  to  bring  along  with  you  a  good  little  girl  who 
can  speak  English,  for  I  do  not  see  how  I  can  manage  during  the 
summer  (if  my  life  is  spared)  without  some  assistance  in  the  care 
of  the  children.  I  feel  anxious,  more  particularly  on  Jane's 
account,  for  she  is  now  at  that  age  when  children  are  apt  to  be 
biased  by  the  habits  of  those  they  associate  with,  and  as  I  cannot 
be  with  her  all  the  time,  the  greater  will  be  the  necessity  of  the 


344  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

person  to  whom  she  is  entrusted  (let  it  be  ever  so  short  a  time)  to 
be  one  who  has  been  brought  up  by  pious,  and,  of  course,  con 
scientious  parents,  where  no  bad  example  can  be  apprehended.  I 
feel  daily  the  importance  of  bringing  up  children,  not  merely  to 
pass  with  advantage  through  the  world,  but  with  advantage  to  their 
souls  to  all  eternity. 

"  I  find  great  pleasure  in  sister  Anna  Maria's  company.  She 
is  to  stay  with  me  till  you  return.  Little  Jsmee  improves  rapidly 
under  her  tuition.  Janee  (she  was  now  three  and  a  half  years  of 
age)  has  commenced  saying  by  heart  two  pieces  out  of  the  little 
book  you  sent  her.  One  is  '  My  Mother.'  and  the  other  is  £  How 
doth  the  little  busy  Bee.'  It  is  pleasant  to  see  her  smooth  down 
her  apron  and  hear  her  say,  "  So  I  shall  stand  by  my  father,  and 
say  my  lessons,  and  he  will  call  me  his  dear  little  Tee-gee,  and 
say  I  am  a  good  girl.  She  will  do  this  with  so  much  gravity,  and 
then  skip  about  in  an  instant  after  and  repeat,  half  singing,  "  My 
father  will  come  home  again  in  the  spring,  when  the  birds  sing 
and  the  grass  and  flowers  come  out  of  the  ground ;  he  will  call 
me  his  wild  Irish  girl. 

"  Janee  has  just  come  into  the  room,  and  insists  on  my  telling 
you  that  she  can  spell  her  name  very  prettily,  i  Schoolcraft  and 
all.'  She  seems  anxious  to  gain  your  approbation  for  her  acquire 
ments,  and  I  encourage  the  feeling  in  order  to  excite  attention  to 
her  lessons,  as  she  is  so  full  of  life  and  spirits  that  it  is  hard  to 
get  her  to  keep  still  long  enough  to  recite  them  properly.  John 
ston  has  improved  more  than  you  can  imagine,  and  has  such 
endearing  ways  that  one  cannot  help  loving  the  dear  child.  Oh, 
that  they  would  both  grow  up  wise  unto  salvation,  and  I  should  be 
happy." 

YOUTHFUL  BLOOD. — James  *  *  *  was  a  young  man  of  pro 
mise — bright  mentally  and  physically,  lively  and  witty,  and  of  a 
figure  and  manners  pleasing  to  all.  In  a  moment  of  passion  he 
dirked  a  man  at  a  French  ball.  The  victim  of  this  scene  of  revelry 
lingered  a  few  months  and  recovered.  This  recovery  is  announced 
in  a  letter  of  Mrs.  Schoolcraft's  (Feb.  16th),  in  which  she  says  : — 

"Dr.  James  sent  a  certificate  of  the  young  man's  returning 
health  by  the  last  express,  and  an  Indian  was  also  sent  to  accom 
pany  James  back  to  this  place  ;  but  how  great  was  our  astonish- 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  345 

ment  at  the  arrival  of  the  Indian  alone,  on  the  3d  ultimo,  and 
bringing  news  of  James'  escape  from  Mackinack.  We  felt  a  good 
deal  alarmed  for  his  safety  on  the  way,  and  an  Indian  was  sent 
down  the  river  in  quest  of  him ;  but  we  were  relieved  of  our 
fears  by  the  arrival  of  James  himself  on  the  following  day,  very 
much  exhausted.  I  immediately  sent  to  Dechaume  to  ask  how  he 
did,  and  learnt  that  his  fatigue,  &c.,  had  not  in  the  least  abated 
his  natural  vivacity  and  gayety. 

"  Three  days  after  his  arrival  (being  Sunday)  I  was  at  dinner 
at  my  mother's,  when  he  came -in,  and  could  not  refrain  from  tears. 
He  seemed  much  affected  at  what  I  said,  and  I  felt  encouraged  to 
hope  some  little  change  in  his  conduct.  The  next  day,  on  mature 
reflection,  I  thought  no  time  was  to  be  lost  in  striving  by  all 
human  means  to  reclaim  him,  and  my  promise  to  co-operate  with 
you  all  I  could  for  that  desirable  object,  induced  me  to  write  a  note 
inviting  him  to  come  and  spend  a  quiet  social  evening  with  sister 
Anna  Maria  and  myself,  and  I  sent  the  sleigh  to  bring  him  down, 
so  that  he  could  have  no  excuse  to  decline  coming,  and  I  was 
pleased  that  he  came  without  hesitation. 

"  I  conversed  a  long  time  with  him,  pointing  out,  in  the  most 
gentle  and  affectionate  manner  I  could,  where  he  had  erred,  and 
in  what  way  he  might  have  become  not  only  respected  and  es 
teemed,  but  independent,  whereas  his  excesses  had  brought  him 
to  embarrassment  and  disgrace ;  and  conjured  him,  as  he  valued 
his  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare,  to  abandon  some,  at  least  (to 
begin  with)  of  his  evil  courses,  and  to  strive  with  all  his  might  to 
avert  the  wrath  of  that  Holy  Being  whom  he  had  hitherto  so 
despised,  and  whose  just  laws  he  had,  in  more  than  one  instance, 
violated,  and  a  great  deal  more  that  I  cannot  now  mention.  I 
got  him  at  last  to  promise  to  strive  to  become  better. 

"  We  passed  the  rest  of  the  evening  in  a  rational  and  pleasant 
mariner  by  reading  chiefly  in  the  Literary  Voyager,  thinking 
it  might  help  to  call  forth  former  occupations,  which  were  com 
paratively  innocent,  and  reading  some  of  his  own  pieces,  renew  a 
taste  of  what  was  virtuous  and  praiseworthy.  I  inwardly  prayed 
that  by  such  means,  feeble  as  they  were,  they  might  tend  to  draw 
him  off  insensibly  from  his  former  haunts  and  habits.  I  have  been 
enabled  to  pursue  this  course  of  conduct  towards  him  ever  since 
that  evening,  and  I  am  pleased  to  find  that  he  comes  oftener  to 


346  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Elmwood  than  I  at  first  expected ;  but  I  perceive  that  there  is 
some  other  attraction  besides  my  sage  discourses  that  draws  him 
so  often  to  the  now  leafless  shades  of  Elmwood.  And  he  may 
fancy  that  either  a  rose  or  a  lily  has  taken  shelter  within  its  walls. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  I  shall  not  say  a  word ;  most  of  my  thoughts 
are  more  occupied  with  the  best  method  I  can  take  to  do  him  good 
to  all  eternity,  and  I  do  not  forget  to  ask  aid  of  ONE  that  never 
errs. 

"  Some  evenings  since,  Mr.  Agnew  and  some  of  the  officers  gave 
a  ball  at  one  of  the  French  houses,  and  not  doubting  but  that 
James  was  invited  to  join  in  the  amusement,  I  instantly  addressed 
a  long  letter  to  him,  encouraging  him  in  his  recent  resolution  of 
amendment,  and  told  him  now  was  the  time  to  put  those  wise 
resolves  to  the  test  by  practice,  and  that  he  ought  to  know,  by 
sad  experience,  that  attending  such  low  scenes  of  dissipation  was 
the  source  of  almost  all  the  iniquity  in  the  place.  I  had  after 
wards  the  satisfaction  to  find  that  he  did  not  attend ;  but  my  fears 
for  him  are  still  very  great,  and  will  be  justly  so  as  long  as  he  is 
so  taken  up  by  that  disgraceful  connection  where  he  spends  a 
great  deal  of  his  precious  time.  My  ambition  is  not  only  to 
civilize  him  (if  I  may  be  allowed  that  expression,  which  is  not  out 
of  the  way,  after  all,  as  he  has  despised  the  forms  and  restraints 
of  refined  society),  but  my  ardent  wish  is  to  Christianize  him  in 
every  sense  of  the  word — he  is,  at  present,  skeptical.  But  let  us 
only  do  our  duty  as  Christians,  and  leave  the  rest  in  the  hands  of 
the  Almighty." 

MOUNT  HOPE,  BALTIMORE. — My  old  instructor  and  friend,  Prof. 
Frederick  Hall,  sends  me  a  programme  of  his  collegiate  institution, 
at  this  place,  and  writes  me  (April  6th)  a  most  friendly  letter,  re 
newing  old  acquaintanceship  and  scientific  reminiscences.  Death 
makes  such  heavy  inroads  on  our  friends,  that  we  ought  to  cherish 
the  more  those  that  are  left. 

Legislation  proceeded  quietly  while  these  events  occurred,  and  the 
winter  wore  away  almost  imperceptibly  till  the  session  closed.  I  em 
braced  the  first  opportunity  of  ascending  the  Lakes  to  the  entrance 
of  the  St.  Mary's,  and  from  thence  up  the  river,  and  reached  home 
about  the  25th  of  April,  making  altogether  about  five  months  au- 
sence.  But  at  home  I  am  not  destined  long  to  remain,  as  the  ex- 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  347 

pedition  into  the  Lake,  for  which  I  was  designated  in  August,  was 
only  deferred  till  spring. 

I  had  now  served  four  years  in  the  legislature  ;  but,  understand 
ing  that  the  President  had  expressed  an  opinion  that  official  officers 
should  not  engage  in  the  business  of  legislation,  I  declined  a  re 
election  by  a  public  notice  to  the  electors  of  my  district. 

EXPEDITION  TO  THE  REGION  OF  THE  ST.  CROIX  AND  CHIPPEWA 
RIVERS. — The  Executive  of  the  territory  writes  from  Washington 
(April  19th) :  "  I  arrived  here  day  before  yesterday,  and  this  morn 
ing  talked  with  Gen.  Eaton.  You  will  go  into  Lake  Superior,  and 
I  am  to  submit  a  project  to-day.  I  shall  have  it  properly  arranged. 
In  a  day  or  two,  I  trust,  I  shall  have  the  official  papers  off.  I 
write  in  a  hurry  now  to  apprise  you  of  the  fact.  The  letter  you 
received  from  Mr.  Hamilton,  was  written  before  I  arrived." 
The  same  person,  three  days  later,  says :  "  The  official  instructions 
are  preparing  for  your  expedition,  and  will,  I  hope,  be  off  to-day." 
They  were  written  on  the  3d  of  May,  and  are  as  follows : — 

"  Your  letter  of  Feb.  13th  has  been  received,  and  its  general 
views  are  approved.  The  Secretary  of  War  deems  it  important 
that  you  should  proceed  to  the  country  upon  the  head  of  the  Mis 
sissippi,  and  visit  as  many  of  the  Indians  in  that  and  the  interme 
diate  region,  as  circumstances  will  permit. 

"  Reports  have  reached  this  department  from  various  quarters, 
that  the  Indians  upon  our  frontiers  are  in  an  unquiet  state,*  and 
that  there  is  a  prospect  of  extensive  hostilities  among  themselves. 
It  is  no  less  the  dictate  of  humanity,  than  of  policy,  to  repress  this 
feeling  and  to  establish  permanent  peace  among  these  tribes.  It 
is  also  important  to  inspect  the  condition  of  the  trade  in  that  remote 
country,  and  the  conduct  of  the  traders.  To  ascertain  whether  the 
regulations  and  the  laws  are  complied  with,  and  to  suggest  such 
alterations  as  may  be  required.  And  finally,  to  inquire  into  the 
numbers,  standing,  disposition,  and  prospects  of  the  Indians,  and 
to  report  all  the  statistical  facts  you  can  procure,  and  which  will 
be  useful  to  the  government  in  its  operations,  or  to  the  community 
in  the  investigation  of  these  subjects. 

"  In  addition  to  these  objects,  you  will  direct  your  attention  to 

*  The  Sauc  war  under  Blackhawk  broke  out  within  the  year. 


348  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  vaccination  of  the  Indians.  An  act  for  that  purpose  has  passed 
Congress,  and  you  are  authorized  to  take  a  surgeon  with  you.  Vac 
cine  matter  prepared  and  put  up  by  the  Surgeon  General,  is  here 
with  transmitted  to  you,  and  you  will,  upon  your  whole  route,  ex 
plain  to  the  Indians  the  advantages  of  vaccination,  and  endeavor 
to  persuade  them  to  submit  to  the  process.  You  will  keep  and 
report  an  account  of  the  number,  ages,  sex,  tribe,  and  local  situa 
tion  of  the  Indians  who  may  be  vaccinated,  and  also  of  the  preva 
lence,  from  time  to  time,  of  the  small-pox  among  them,  and  of  its 
effects  as  far  as  these  can  be  ascertained." 

While  preparations  for  this  expedition  were  being  made,  some 
things  that  transpired  deserve  notice. 

NATURAL  HISTORY  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. — On  the  26th  of  May, 
Mr.  G.  W.  Featherstonhaugh,  of  Philadelphia,  sends  me  a  printed 
copy  of  a  prospectus  for  a  "  Monthly  American  Journal  of  Natural 
Science,"  with  the  following  note:  "As  the  annexed  prospectus 
will  explain  itself,  I  shall  only  say,  that  I  shall  be  most  happy  to 
receive  any  paper  from  you  for  insertion,  on  subjects  connected 
with  Natural  History.  Your  minute  acquaintance  with  the  North 
western  Territory  must  have  placed  many  materials  in  your  posses 
sion,  and  I  trust  you  may  be  induced  to  transfer  some  of  them  to 
the  periodical  about  to  be  issued. 

"  We  consider  Mr.  Eaton's  geological  notions  and  nomenclature 
as  very  empirical  here,  as  they  are  considered  in  France  and  Eng 
land,  and  his  day  has  passed  by." 

The  prospectus  says:  "Amidst  these  general  contributions  to 
science,  it  is  painful  to  perceive  what  conspicuous  blanks  are  yet 
left  for  America  to  fill  up,  and  especially  in  those  important 
branches,  American  geology  and  American  organic  remains.  This 
feeling  is  greatly  increased  by  the  occasional  taunts  and  sneers 
we  see  directed  against  us  in  foreign  scientific  works.  They  are 
aimed,  it  is  true,  against  individuals  insignificant  enough  to  elude 
them,  and  therefore  the  larger  body,  the  nation,  is  hit  and  wounded 
by  them.  Neither  is  there  any  defence  open  to  us.  We  send 
abroad  gigantic  stories  of  huge  antediluvian  lizards,  '  larger  than 
the  largest  size,'  and  we  ourselves  are  kept  upon  the  stare  at  our 
own  wonders  from  Georgia  to  Maine,  until  we  find  out  we  have  been 
exulting  over  the  stranded  remains  of  a  common  spermaceti  whale. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  349 

At  this  present  moment,  a  huge  animal  dug  out  of  the  Big  Bone  Lick, 
sixty  feet  long,  and  twenty-five  feet  high,  is  parading  through  the 
columns  of  the  European  newspapers,  after  making  its  progress 
through  our  own.  This  is,  what  every  naturalist  supposed  it  be,  also  a 
great  imposition.  Within  these  few  days,  drums  and  trumpets  have 
been  sounded  for  other  monsters.  A  piece  of  one  of  our  common  coal 
plants  is  conjured  into  a  petrified  rattlesnake,  and  one  of  the  most 
familiar  fossils  solemnly  announced  all  the  way  from  Canada,  under 
a  name  exploded,  and  long  forgotten  by  naturalists.  All  these 
gibes  and  reproaches  we  ought  to  have  been  spared.  There  ought 
to  have  been  the  ready  means  amongst  us,  together  with  the  inde 
pendence  and  intelligence,  to  put  down  these  impostures  and  pue 
rilities  as  they  arose." 

This  is  well  said,  and  if  it  be  intended  to  refer  ^to  the  popular 
class,  who  have  not  made  science  a  study ;  to  men  who  make 
wheelbarrows  or  sell  cotton  and  sugar — to  the  same  classes  of 
men,  in  fact,  who  in  England,  are  busied  in  the  daily  pursuits  by 
which  they  earn  their  bread,  leaving  science  to  scientific  men,  but 
respecting  its  truths,  cannot  tell  "  a  hawk  from  a  handsaw" — it  is 
all  true  enough.  But  if  it  be  applied  to  the  power  and  determi 
nation  of  American  mind,  professedly,  or  as  in  a  private  capacity, 
devoted  to  the  various  classes  of  natural  history  spoken  of,  it  is 
not  only  unjust  in  a  high  degree,  but  an  evidence  of  overween 
ing  self-complaisance,  imprecision  of  thought,  or  arrogance.  No 
trait  of  the  American  scientific  character  has  been  more  uni 
formly  and  highly  approbated,  by  the  foreign  journals  of  England, 
France,  and  Germany,  than  its  capacity  to  accumulate,  discrimi 
nate,  and  describe  facts.  For  fourteen  years  past  Sillimaris  Jour 
nal  of  Science,  though  not  exclusively  devoted  to  natural  sciences, 
has  kept  both  the  scientific  and  the  popular  intelligent  mind  of 
the  public  well  and  accurately  advised  of  the  state  of  natural 
science  the  world  over.  Before  it,  Bruce 's  Mineralogical  Journal, 
though  continued  but  for  a  few  years,  was  eminently  scientific, 
Cleaveland's  Mineralogy  has  had  the  effect  to  diffuse  scientific 
knowledge  not  only  among  men  of  science,  but  other  classes  of 
readers.  In  ornithology,  in  conchology,  and  especially  in  botany, 
geology  and  mineralogy,  American  mind  has  proved  itself  emi 
nently  fitted  for  the  highest  tasks. 


350  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

A  REMINISCENCE. — When  I  returned  from  the  West  to  the  city  of 
New  York  in  1819,  Mr.  John  Griscomb  was  a  popular  lecturer  on 
chemistry  in  the  old  almshouse.  He  apprised  me  that  the  peculiar 
friable  white  clay,  which  I  had  labeled  chalk  from  its  external 
characters,  contained  no  carbonic  acid.  It  was  a  chemical  fact 
that  impressed  me.  I  was  reminded  of  this  fact,  and  of  his  friendly 
countenance,  ever  after,  on  receiving  a  letter  of  introduction  from 
him  by  a  Mr.  William  R.  Smith,  with  three  volumes  of  his  writings 
(28th  May).  I  am  satisfied  that  we  store  up  the  memory  of  a 
kind  or  friendly  act,  however  small  (if  it  be  done  in  a  crisis  of  our 
affairs),  as  long  as,  and  more  tenaciously  than,  an  unkind  one. 

VOYAGE  INLAND. — -At  length,  all  things  being  ready,  I  embarked 
at  the  head  of  the  portage  of  the  St.  Mary's,  and  proceeded  to 
the  small  sandy  plain  at  the  foot  of  Point  Iroquois,  at  the  entrance 
into  Lake  Superior,  where  I  encamped.  To  this  point  I  was  ac 
companied  by  Mrs.  Schoolcraft  and  the  children,  and  Lt.  Allen 
and  the  Miss  Johnstons,  the  day  being  calm  and  delightful,  and 
the  views  on  every  hand  the  most  enchanting  and  magnificent. 
While  at  Detroit  during  the  winter,  I  had  invited  Dr.  Douglass 
Houghton  to  accompany  me  to  vaccinate  the  Indians.  He  was  a 
man  of  pleasing  manners  and  deportment,  small  of  stature,  and  of 
a  compact  make,,  and  apparently  well  suited  to  withstand  the 
fatigues  incidental  to  such  a  journey.  He  was  a  good  botanist 
and  geologist — objects  of  interest  to  me  at  all  times  ;  but  espe 
cially  so  now,  for  I  should  have  considered  it  inexcusable  to  con 
duct  an  expedition  into  the  Indian  country,  without  collecting  data 
over  and  above  the  public  duties,  to  understand  its  natural  history. 
I  charged  myself,  on  this  occasion,  more  particularly  with  the 
Indian  subject — their  manners  and  customs,  conditions,  languages, 
and  history,  and  the  policy  best  suited  to  advance  them  in  the 
scale  of  thinking  beings,  responsible  for  their  acts,  moral  and  po 
litical. 

Lt.  Robt.  E.  Clary,  2d  U.  S.  Infantry,  commanded  a  small  de 
tachment  of  troops,  which  was  ordered  to  accompany  me  through 
the  Indian  country.  I  had  invited  Mr.  Melancthon  Woolsey,  a 
printer  of  Detroit,  a  young  man  of  pleasing  manners  and  morals, 
to  accompany  me  as  an  aid  in  procuring  statistical  information. 
I  had  an  excellent  crew  of  experienced  men,  guides  and  interpret- 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  351 

ers,  and  full  supplies  of  everything  suited  to  insure  respect  among 
the  tribes,  and  to  accomplish,  not  only  the  government  business, 
but  to  give  a  good  account  of  the  natural  history  of  the  country 
to  be  explored.  It  was  the  first  public  expedition,  authorized  by 
the  new  administration  at  Washington,  and  bespoke  a  lively  inte 
rest  on  the  subject  of  Indian  Affairs,  and  the  topics  incidentally 
connected  with  it.  I  was  now  to  enter,  after  crossing  Lake  Supe 
rior,  the  country  of  the  Indian  murderers,  mentioned  22d  June, 
1825,  and  to  visit  their  most  remote  villages  and  hiding  places. 

It  was  the  27th  of  June  when  we  left  that  point — the  exploring 
party  to  pursue  its  way  in  the  lake,  and  the  ladies,  in  charge  of 
Lt.  Allen,  to  return  to  St.  Mary's. 


352  PERSONAL   MEMOIES. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

Lake  Superior — Its  shores  and  character-— Geology — Brigade  of  boats — Dog 
and  porcupine — Burrowing  birds — Otter  —  Keweena  Point — Unfledged 
ducks — Minerals — Canadian  resource  in  a  tempest  of  rain — Tramp  in 
search  of  the  picturesque — Search  for  native  copper — Isle  Royal  descried 
• — Indian  precaution— Their  ingenuity  —  Lake  action — Nebungunowin 
River — Eagles — Indian  tomb — Kaug  Wudju. 

1831.  LAKE  SUPERIOR  lay  before  us.  He  who,  for  the  first 
time,  lifts  his  eyes  upon  this  expanse,  is  amazed  and  delighted  at 
its  magnitude.  Vastness  is  the  term  by  which  it  is,  more  than 
any  other,  described.  Clouds  robed  in  sunshine,  hanging  in 
fleecy  or  nebular  masses  above — a  bright,  pure  illimitable  plain 
of  water — blue  mountains,  or  dim  islands  in  the  distance — a  shore 
of  green  foliage  on  the  one  hand — a  waste  of  waters  on  the  other. 
These  are  the  prominent  objects  on  which  the  eye  rests.  We  are 
diverted  by  the  flight  of  birds,  as  on  the  ocean.  A  tiny  sail  in 
the  distance  reveals  the  locality  of  an  Indian  canoe.  Sometimes 
there  is  a  smoke  on  the  shore.  Sometimes  an  Indian  trader 
returns  with  the  avails  of  his  winter's  traffic.  A  gathering  storm 
or  threatening  win!  arises.  All  at  once  the  voyageurs  burst  out 
into  one  of  their  simple  and  melodious  boat-songs,  and  the 
gazing  at  vastness  is  relieved  and  sympathy  at  once  awakened 
in  gayety.  Such  are  the  scenes  that  attend  the  navigation  of 
this  mighty  but  solitary  body  of  water.  That  nature  has  cre 
ated  such  a  scene  of  magnificence  merely  to  look  at,  is  con 
trary  to  her  usual  economy.  The  sources  of  a  busy  future  com 
merce  lie  concealed,  and  but  half  concealed,  in  its  rocks.  Its 
depths  abound  in  fish,  which  will  be  eagerly  sought,  and  even 
its  forests  are  not  without  timber  to  swell  the  objects  of  a  future 
commerce.  If  the  plough  is  destined  to  add  but  little  to  its  wealth, 
it  must  be  recollected  that  the  labors  of  the  plough  are  most  valu 
able  where  the  area  suitable  for  its  dominion  is  the  smallest.  But 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  353 

even  the  prairies  of  the  West  are  destined  to  waft  their  superabund 
ance  here. 

We  passed  the  lengthened  shores  which  give  outline  to  Taqui- 
menon  Bay.  We  turned  the  long  and  bleak  peninsula  of  White 
Fish  Point,  and  went  on  to  the  sandy  margin  of  Vermilion  Bay. 
Here  we  encamped  at  three  o'clock  in  tjie  afternoon,  and  waited 
all  the  next  day  for  the  arrival  of  Lieut.  Robert  Clary  and  his 
detachment  of  men,  from  Fort  Brady,  who  were  to  form  a  part  of 
the  expedition.  With  him  was  expected  a  canoe,  under  the  charge 
of  James  L.  Schoolcraft,  with  some  supplies  left  behind,  and  an 
express  mail.  They  both  arrived  near  evening  on  the  28th,  and 
thus  the  whole  expedition  was  formed  and  completed,  and  we  were 
prepared  to  set  out  with  the  latest  mail.  Mr.  Holliday  came  in 
from  his  wintering  grounds  about  the  same  time,  and  we  left  Ver 
milion  Bay  at  four  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  29th,  J.  L.  S. 
in  his  light  canoe,  and  chanting  Canadians  for  Sault  St.  Marie, 
and  we  for  the  theatre  of  our  destination. 

We  went  about  forty  miles  along  a  shore  exclusively  sandy,  and 
encamped  at  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  at  Grand  Marais.  This 
is  a  striking  inlet  in  the  coast,  which  has  much  enlarged  itself 
within  late  years,  owing  to  the  force  of  the  north-west  storms.  It 
exhibits  a  striking  proof  of  lake  action.  The  next  day  we  passed 
the  naked  and  high  dunes  called  Grand  Sable,  and  the  storm- 
beaten  and  impressive  horizontal  coat  of  the  Pictured  Rocks,  and 
encamped  at  Grand  Island,  a  distance  of  about  130  miles.  I 
found  masses  of  gypsum  and  small  veins  of  calcareous  spar  im 
bedded  in  the  sandstone  rock  of  the  point  of  Grand  Sable.  Iron- 
sand  exists  in  consolidated  layers  at  the  cliff  called  Doric  Rock. 

The  men  and  boats  were  now  in  good  traveling  trim,  and  we 
went  on  finely  but  leisurely,  examining  such  features  in  the 
natural  history  as  Dr.  Houghton,  who  had  not  been  here  before, 
was  anxious  to  see.  On  the  1st  of  July,  we  encamped  at  Dead 
River,  from  whence  I  sent  forward  a  canoe  with  a  message,  and 
wampum,  and  tobacco,  to  Gitchee  lauba,  the  head  chief  of  Ance- 
kewywenon,  requesting  him  to  send  a  canoe  and  four  men  to  sup 
ply  the  place  of  an  equal  number  from  the  Sault  St.  Marie,  sent 
back,  and  to  accompany  me  in  my  voyage  as  far  as  La  Pointe. 
23 


354  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

GEOLOGY. — We  spent  the  next  day  in  examining  the  magnesian 
and  calcareous  rubblestone  which  appears  to  constitute  strata  rest 
ing  against  and  upon  the  serpentine  rock  of  Presque  Isle.  This 
rock  is  highly  charged  with  what  appears  to  be  chromate  of  iron. 
We  examined  the  bay  behind  this  peninsula,  which  appears  to  be 
a  harbor  capable  of  admitting  large  vessels.  We  ascended  a 
conical  hill  rising  from  the  bay,  which  the  Indians  call  Totb'sh,  or 
Breast  Mountain.  Having  been  the  first  to  ascend  its  apex,  the 
party  named  it  Schoolcraft's  Mountain.  Near  and  west  of  it,  is 
a  lower  saddle-shaped  mountain,  called  by  the  natives  The  Cradle 
Top.  Granite  Point  exhibits  trap  dykes  in  syenite.  The  hori 
zontal  red  sandstone,  which  forms  the  peninsula  connecting  this 
point  with  the  main,  rests  against  and  upon  portions  of  the  granite, 
showing  its  subsidence  from  water  at  a  period  subsequent  to  the 
upheaval  of  the  syenite  and  trap.  This  entire  coast,  reaching 
from  Chocolate  River  to  Huron  Bay — a  distance  of  some  seventy 
miles — consists  of  granite  hills,  which,  viewed  from  the  top  of 
the  Totbsh,  has  the  rolling  appearance  of  the  sea  in  violent  motion. 
Its  chief  value  must  result  from  its  minerals,  of  which  iron  ap 
pears  to  constitute  an  important  item. 

We  reached  Huron  River  on  the  4th  of  July  about  three  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  having  come  on  with  a  fine  wind.  At  this  place 
we  met  Mr.  Aitkin's  brigade  of  boats,  seven  in  number,  with  the 
year's  hunts  of  the  Fond  du  Lac  department.  I  landed  and  wrote 
official  notes  to  the  Sault  St.  Marie  and  to  Washington,  acquaint 
ing  the  government  with  my  progress,  and  giving  intelligence  of 
the  state  of  the  Indians. 

TRADERS'  BOATS. — Mr.  Aitkin  reports  that  a  great  number  of 
the  Indians  died  of  starvation,  at  his  distant  posts,  during  the 
winter,  owing  to  the  failure  of  the  wild  rice.  That  he  collected 
for  his  own  use  but  eight  bushels,  instead  of  about  as  many  hun 
dreds.  That  he  had  visited  Gov.  Simpson  at  Pembina,  and  found 
the  latter  unwilling  to  make  any  arrangements  on  the  subject  of 
discontinuing  the  sale  of  whisky  to  the  Indians.  That  I  was  ex 
pected  by  the  Indians  on  the  Upper  Mississippi,  in  consequence  of 
the  messages  sent  in,  last  fall.  That  efforts  continue  to  be  made 
by  the  agent  at  St.  Peters,  to  draw  the  Chippewas  to  that  post, 
notwithstanding  the  bloodshed  and  evils  resulting  from  such  visits. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  355 

That  a  hard  opposition  in  trade  has  been  manifested  by  the  Hud 
son's  Bay  Company.  That  they  have  given  out  medals  to 
strengthen  and  increase  their  influence  with  our  Indians.  And  that 
liquor  is  required  to  oppose  them  at  Pembina,  War  Road,  Rainy 
Lake,  Vermilion  Lake  and  Grand  Portage. 

Doa  AND  PORCUPINE. — While  at  Huron  River,  we  saw  a  lost 
dog  left  ashore,  who  had  been  goaded  by  hunger  to  attack  a  por 
cupine.  The  quills  of  the  latter  were  stuck  thickly  into  the 
sides  of  the  nose  and  head  of  the  dog.  Inflammation  had  taken 
place,  rendering  the  poor  beast  an  object  of  pity  and  disgust. 

BURROWING  BIRDS. — At  Point  Aux  Beignes  (Pancake  Point) 
one  of  the  men  caught  a  kingfisher  by  clapping  his  hand  over 
an  orifice  in  the  bank.  He  also  took  from  its  nest  six  eggs.  The 
bank  was  perforated  by  numbers  of  these  orifices.  At  this  point 
we  observed  the  provisions  of  our  advance  came,  put  in  cache, 
to  lighten  it  for  the  trip  down  the  bay.  Leaving  Mr.  G.  Johnston 
and  Mr.  Melancthon  Woolsey  at  this  point  to  await  the  return  of 
the  canoe,  I  proceeded  to  Cascade,  or,  as  it  is  generally  called, 
Little  Montreal  River.  Johnston  and  Woolsey  came  up  during 
the  night.  Next  morning  an  Indian  came  from  a  lodge,  leading  a 
young  otter  by  a  string.  The  animal  played  about  gracefully,  but 
we  had  no  temptation  to  purchase  him  with  our  faces  set  to  the 
wilderness.  At  the  latter  place,  which  is  on  a  part  of  the  Sandy- 
bay  of  Graybeast  River,  the  trap  formation,  which  is  the  copper- 
bearing  rock,  is  first  seen.  This  rock,  which  forms  the  great 
peninsula  of  Kewywenon,  rises  into  cliffs  on  this  bay,  which  at 
the  elevation  called  Mammels  by  the  French,  deserve  the  name  of 
mountains.'  Portions  of  this  rock,  viewed  in  extenso,  are  over 
laid  by  amygdaloid  and  rubblestone — the  latter  of  wrhich  forms  a 
remarkable  edging  to  the  formation,  in  some  places,  on  the  north 
west  shore,  that  makes  a  c^nal,  as  at  the  Little  Marrias. 

KEWEENA  PENINSULA. — We  were  six  days  in  coasting  around 
this  peninsula,  which  is  highly  metalliferous.  At  some  points  we 
employed  the  blast,  to  ascertain  the  true  character  and  contents  of 
the  soil.  At  others  we  went  inland,  and  devoted  the  time  in  ex 
ploring  its  range  and  extent.  We  examined  the  outstanding  isolated 


356  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

vein  of  carbonate  of  copper,  called  Roche  Vert  by  the  French. 
In  seeking  for  its  connection  on  the  main  shore,  I  discovered  the 
black  oxide  in  the  same  vein.  In  the  range  of  the  greenstone 
about  two  leagues  south  of  this  point,  a  vein  of  native  copper? 
with  ores  and  veinstones,  was  observed,  and  specimens  taken. 

The  N.  W.  coast  of  the  peninsula  is  greatly  serrated  and 
broken,  abounding  in  little  bays  and  inlets,  and  giving  proofs  of 
the  terrible  action  of  the  storms  on  this  rugged  shore. 

Notes  of  these  examinations  and  of  a  trip  inland  were  made, 
which  cannot  here  be  referred  to  more  particularly. 

UNFLEDGED  DUCKS. — The  men  had  rare  and  very  exciting  sport, 
in  coasting  around  the  peninsula,  in  catching  the  young  of  the 
onzig — which  is  the  sawbill.  In  the  early  part  of  the  month  of 
July,  the  wings  of  the  young  are  not  sufficiently  developed  to 
enable  them  to  fly.  They  will  run  on  the  water,  flapping 
their  unfledged  wings,  with  great  speed,  but  the  gay  Frenchmen, 
shouting  at  the  top  of  their  lungs,  would  propel  their  canoes  so  as 
to  overtake  them  whenever  the  little  fugitives  could  not  find  some 
nook  in  the  rock  to  hide  in.  They  chased  down  one  day  thirteen 
in  this  way,  which  were  found  a  most  tender  and  delicate  dish. 
The  excitement  in  these  chases  was  extreme.  At  the  Crrand  Mar- 
rias  (now  near  Fort  Wilkins)  we  obtained  from  the  shore  of  the 
inner  bay,  agates,  stilbite,  and  smoky  quartz,  &c. 

SINGULAR  VIVACITY. — In  going  from  this  bay  through  a  rock- 
bound  strait,  the  rain  fell  literally  in  sheets.  There  was  no  es 
cape,  and  our  only  philosophy  was  to  sit  still  and  bear  it.  The 
shower  was  so  great  that  it  obscured  objects  at  a  short  distance. 
All  at  once  the  men  struck  up  a  cheerful  boat  song,  which  they 
continued,  paddling  with  renewed  energy,  till  the  shower  abated. 
I  believe  no  other  people  under  the  sun  would  have  thought  of 
\  such  a  resource.  f 

TRAMP  IN  SEARCH  OF  THE  PICTURESQUE. — The  wind  rising 
ahead,  wre  took  shelter  in  an  inlet  through  the  trap  range,  wThich 
we  called  Houghton's  Cove.  After  taking  a  lunch  and  drying  our 
things,  it  was  proposed  to  visit  a  little  lake,  said  to  give  origin  to  the 
stream  falling  into  its  head.  The  journey  proved  a  toilsome  one; 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  35T 

but,  after  passing  through  woods  and  defiles,  we  at  length  stood  on 
a  cliff  which  overlooked  the  object  sought  for — a  pond  covered 
with  aquatic  plants.  Wherever  we  might  have  gone  in  search  of 
the  picturesque,  this  seemed  the  last  place  to  find  it.  On  again 
reaching  the  lake  the  wind  was  found  less  fierce,  and  we  went  on 
to  Pine  River,  where  we  encamped  on  coarse,  loose  gravel. 

SEARCH  FOR  NATIVE  COPPER. — The  next  day  the  wind  blew 
fiercely,  and  we  could  not  travel.  In  consequence  of  reports  from 
the  Indians  of  a  large  mass  of  copper  inland,  I  manned  a  light 
canoe,  and,  leaving  the  baggage  and  camp  in  charge  of  Lesart, 
went  back  to  a  small  bay  called  Mushkeeg,  and  went  inland  under 
their  guidance.  We  wandered  many  miles,  always  on  the  point  of 
making  the  discovery,  but  never  making  it ;  and  returned  with  our 
fatigue  for  our  pains.  It  was  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  before 
we  returned  to  our  camp — at  eight  the  wind  abated,  and  we  em 
barked,  and,  after  traveling  diligently  all  night,  reached  the  west 
ern  terminus  of  the  Keweena  portage  at  two  o'clock  next  morning — 
having  advanced  in  this  time  about  twenty-four  miles.  Next  day, 
July  10,  the  wind  rose  again  violently  ahead. 

ISLE  ROYAL  DESCRIED. — In  coming  down  the  coast  of  the  Ke 
weena  Peninsula,  we  descried  the  peaks  of  this  island  seen  dimly  in 
the  distance,  which  it  is  not  probable  could  have  been  done  if  the 
distance  were  over  sixty  miles. 

INDIAN  PRECAUTION,  THEIR  INGENUITY. — We  found  several 
Chippewa  Indians  encamped.  They  brought  a  trout,  the  large 
lake  trout,  and  were,  as  usual,  very  friendly.  We  saw  a  fresh 
beaver's  skin  stretched  on  the  drying  hoop,  at  the  Buffalo's  son's 
lodge.  But  the  women  had  secreted  themselves  and  children  in 
the  woods,  with  the  dried  skins,  supposing  that  a  trader's  canoe 
had  landed,  as  we  had  landed  in  the  night.  This  may  give  some 
idea  of  the  demands  of  trade  that  are  usually  made,  and  the  cau 
tion  that  is  observed  by  them  when  a  trader  lands. 

We  here  saw  the  claws  of  two  owls,  with  the  skin  and  leg  feathers 
adhering,  sewed  together  so  closely  and  skilfully,  by  the  Indian 
women,  as  to  resemble  a  nondescript  with  eight  claws.  It  was 
only  by  a  close  inspection  that  we  could  discover  the  joinings. 


358  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

LAKE  ACTION. — The  geological  action  of  the  lake  against  the 
high  banks  of  diluvion,  at  this  spot,  is  very  striking.  It  has  torn 
away  nearly  all  the  ancient  encamping  ground,  including  the  Indian 
burials.  Human  bones  were  found  scattered  along  the  declivity  of 
fallen  earth.  An  entire  skull  was  picked  up,  with  the  bark  wrap 
pings  of  the  body,  tibia,  &c. 

At  seven  in  the  evening  the  tempest  ceased  so  as  to  enable  us  to 
embark.  We  kept  close  in  shore,  as  the  wind  was  off  land,  a  com 
mon  occurrence  on  these  lakes  at  night.  On  turning  the  point  of 
red  sandstone  rock,  which  the  Indians  call  Pug-ge-do-wau  (Port 
age),  the  Porcupine  Mountains  rose  to  our  view,  directly  west,  pre 
senting  an  azure  outline  of  very  striking  lineaments — an  animal 
couchant.  As  night  drew  on,  the  water  became  constantly  smoother ; 
it  was  nine  before  daylight  could  be  said  to  leave  us.  We  passed, 
in  rapid  succession,  the  Mauzhe-ma-gwoos  or  Trout,  Graverod's, 
Unnebish,  or  Elm,  and  Pug-ge-do-wa,  or  Misery  River,  in  Fishing 
Bay.  Here  we  overtook  Lieut.  Clary,  and  encamped  at  one  o'clock 
A.  M.  (llth).  We  were  on  the  lake  again  at  five  o'clock.  We 
turned  point  a  la  Peche,  and  stopped  at  River  Nebau-gwm-o-win 
for  breakfast.  While  thus  engaged,  the  wind  rose  and  shifted 
ahead.  This  confined  us  to  the  spot. 

NEBAUGUMOWIN  RIVER. — Mr.  Johnston,  Dr.  Houghton,  and 
Mr.  Woolsey,  made  an  excursion  in  a  canoe  up  the  river.  They 
went  about  three  or  four  miles — found  the  water  deep,  and  the 
banks  high  and  dry  on  the  right  side  (going  up),  and  covered  with 
maple,  ash,  birch,  &c.  At  that  distance  the  stream  was  obstructed 
by  logs,  but  the  depth  of  water  continued.  Dr.  H.  added  to  his 
botanical  collection.  Altogether  appearances  are  represented 
more  favorable  than  would  be  inferred  from  the  sandy  and  swampy 
character  of  the  land  about  its  discharge  into  the  lake. 

EAGLES. — While  at  the  Mauzhe-ma-gwoos  River,  Lieut.  Clary 
captured  a  couple  of  young  eagles,  by  letting  his  men  cut  down  a 
large  pine.  One  of  the  birds  had  a  wing  broken  in  falling.  They 
were  of  the  bald-headed  kind,  to  which  the  Chippewas  apply  the 
term  Megizzi,  or  barker.  He  also^ot  a  young  mink  from  an  In 
dian  called  Wabeno.  The  men  also  caught  some  trout  in  that 
river,  for  which  it  is  remarkable. 

At  two  o'clock  the  wind  had  somewhat  abated,  so  as  to  allow  us  to 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  359 

take  the  lake,  and  we  reached  and  entered  the  Ontonagon  River 
at  half  past  four  o'clock.  Mr.  Johnston  with  the  store  canoe, 
and  Lieut.  Clary  with  his  boat,  came  in  successively  with  colors  fly 
ing.  Kon-te-ka,  the  chief,  and  his  band  saluted  us  with  several 
rounds  of  musketry  from  the  opposite  shore.  Afterwards  they 
crossed  to  our  camp,  and  the  usual  exchange  of  ceremonies  and 
civilities  took  place.  In  a  speech  from  the  chief  he  complained 
much  of  hunger,  and  presented  his  band  as  objects  of  charitable 
notice.  I  explained  to  him  the  pacific  object  of  my  journey,  and  the 
route  to  be  pursued,  and  requested  the  efficient  co-operation  of  him 
self  and  his  band  in  putting  a  stop  to  war  parties,  referring  parti 
cularly  to  that  by  Kewaynokwut  in  1824,  which,  although  raised 
against  the  Sioux,  had  murdered  Finley  and  his  men  at  Lake  Pepin. 
This  party  was  raised  on  the  sources  of  the  Ontonagon  and  Chip- 
pewa.  I  told  him  how  impossible  it  was  that  his  Great  Father  should 
ever  see  their  faces  in  peace  while  they  countenance  or  connive  at 
such  dastardly  war  parties,  who  went  in  quest  of  a  foe,  and  not  find 
ing  him,  fell  upon  a  friend.  He  said  he  had  not  forgotten  this.  Even 
now,  I  continued,  a  chief  of  the  Sauks  was  trying  to  enlist  the  In 
dians  in  a  scheme  of  extreme  hostilities.  It  was  a  delusion.  They 
had  no  British  allies  to  rally  on  as  in  former  wars.  The  time  was 
past  —  past  forever  for  such  plans.  We  are  in  profound  peace. 
And  their  Great  Father,  the  President,  would,  if  the  scheme  was 
pursued  by  that  chief,  order  his  whole  army  to  crush  him.  I  re 
quested  him  to  inform  me  of  any  messages,  or  tobacco,  or  wam 
pum  they  might  receive,  on  the  subject  of  that  chief's  movement, 
or  any  other  government  matter.  And  to  send  no  answer  to  any 
such  message  without  giving  me  notice. 

At  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  next  day  (12th  July), 
Dr.  Houghton,  Mr.  Johnston,  Lieut.  Clary,  and  Mr.  Woolsey,  with 
nine  Canadians  and  one  soldier,  set  out  in  my  canoe  to  visit  the 
copper  rock.  Konteka  sent  me  a  fine  carp  in  the  morning.  Af 
terwards  he  and  the  other  chief  come  over  to  visit  me.  The  chief 
said  that  his  child,  who  had  been  very  ill,  was  better,  and  asked  me 
for  some  white  rice  (waube  monomin)  for  it,  which  I  gave.  I 
also  directed  a  dish  of  flour  and  other  provisions  to  enable  him  to 
have  a  feast. 


TOMB.  —  One  of  the  Indians  had  a  son  drowned  a  few 


360  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

days  before  our  arrival ;  the  grave  was  neatly  picketed  in.  On 
the  west  side  of  the  river  is  a  grave  or  tomb  above  ground,  resem 
bling  a  lodge,  containing  the  coffin  of  a  chief,  who  desired  to  be 
thus  buried,  as  he  believed  his  spirit  would  go  directly  up. 

Konteka  has  a  countenance  indicative  of  sense  and  benevolence. 
I  asked  him  the  number  of  his  band.  He  replied  sixty-four  men 
and  boys,  women  and  girls.  Sixteen  were  hunters,  of  whom  thir 
teen  were  men  grown. 

KAUGWUDJU. — The  Porcupine  Mountains,  which  first  loomed 
up  after  passing  Puggedawa  Point,  were  very  plainly  pictured  be 
fore  us  in  the  landscape.  I  asked  Konteka  their  Indian  name, 
He  replied  Kaug  Wudju.  I  asked  him  why  they  were  so  called, 
He  said  from  a  resemblance  to  a  couching  porcupine.  I  put 
several  questions  to  him  to  ascertain  the  best  place  of  ascent.  He 
said  that  the  mountain  properly  faced  the  south,  in  a  very  high 
perpendicular  cliff,  having  a  lake  at  its  bottom.  The  latter  was 
on  a  level  with  Lake  Superior.  To  see  this  lake  it  was  necessary 
to  go  round  towards  the  south.  It  was  a  day's  journey  from  the 
lake  to  the  top  of  the  cliff.  To  the  first  elevation  it  was  as  far  as 
to  the  Red  Rocks — say  three  miles,  but  through  a  cedar  thicket, 
and  bad  walking. 

VISIT  TO  THE  COPPER  ROCK. — The  party  returned  from  this 
place  on  the  13th,  late  in  the  afternoon,  bringing  specimens  of  the 
native  copper.  They  were  nine  hours  in  getting  to  the  forks,  and 
continued  the  rest  of  the  day  in  getting  to  the  rack,  where  they 
encamped.  They  had  been  four  hours  in  descending  what  required 
nine  in  going  up.  The  doctor  brought  several  fine  and  large 
masses  of  the  pure  metal. 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  361 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

ACCOUNT  OF  THE  HIGHLANDS  BETWEEN  LAKE  SUPERIOR  AND  THE 

MISSISSIPPI. 

Lake  shores — Sub-Indian  agency — Indian  transactions — Old  fort,  site  of  a 
tragedy — Maskigo  River ;  its  rapids  and  character — Great  Wunnegum 
Portage — Botany — Length  of  the  Mauvais — Indian  carriers — Lake  Kage- 
nogumaug — Portage  lakes — Namakagun  River,  its  character,  rapids,  pine 
lands,  &c. — Pukwaewa  village — A  new  species  of  native  fruit — Incidents 
on  the  Nainakagun ;  its  birds,  plants,  &c. 

1831.  LAKE  SHORES. — I  had  a  final  conference  with  the  In 
dians  of  the  Ontanagon  on  the  morning  of  the  14th  July,  and 
at  its  conclusion  distributed  presents  to  all.  I  sent  Germain 
with  a  canoe  and  men  for  St.  Mary's  with  dispatches,  and  em 
barked  for  La  Poirite  at  half  past  eight,  A.  M.  After  keeping 
the  lake  for  two  hours,  wre  were  compelled  by  adverse  winds  to  put 
ashore  near  Iron  River ;  we  were  detained  here  the  rest  of  the  day. 
After  botanizing-  at  this  spot,  Dr.  Houghton  remarks,  that  since 
arriving  at  the  Ontanagon,  he  finds  plants  which  belong  to  a 
more  southerly  climate. 

The  next  morning  (15th)  we  embarked  at  three  o'clock  and  went 
on  finely — stopped  for  breakfast  at  Carp  River,  under  the  Porcu 
pine  Mountains — the  Pesabic  of  the  Indians.  On  coming  out  into 
the  lake  again  the  wind  was  fair,  and  increased  to  blow  freshly. 
We  went  on  to  Montreal  River,  where  it  became  a  side  wind,  and 
prevented  our  keeping  the  lake.  I  took  this  occasion  to  walk  in 
land  eleven  pauses  on  the  old  portage  path  to  Fountain  Hill,  for 
the  purpose  of  enjoying  the  fine  view  of  the  lake,  which  is  pre 
sented  from  that  elevation.  The  rocks  are  puddingstone  and 
sandstone,  and  belong  to  the  Porcupine  Mountain  development. 

Returned  from  this  excursion  at  seven  o'clock — took  a  cup  of 
tea.  and  finding  the  wind  abated,  re-embarked.  By  ten  o'clock 


362  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

at  night  we  reached  and  entered  the  Mauvaise  or  Maskigo  River, 
where  we  found  Lieut.  Clary  encamped.  After  drying  our  clothes, 
we  went  on  to  La  Pointe,  which  we  reached  at  one  o'clock  in  the 
morning  (16th),  and  immediately  went  to  Mr.  Johnston's  build 
ings. 

SUB-AGENCY. — Mr.  George  Johnston  was  appointed  Sub-agent 
of  Indian  Affairs  at  this  point  in  1826,  after  the  visit  of  that  year 
of  Gen.  Cass  and  Col.  McKenney  to  this  remote  section  of  the 
country.  It  has  proved  a  useful  office  for  acquiring  information 
of  the  state  and  views  of  the  interior  Indians,  and  as  supervising 
the  Indian  trade.  We  were  made  very  comfortable  in  his  quar 
ters. 

INDIAN  TRANSACTIONS.  —  Pezhike,  with  the  secondary  chief, 
Tagwaugig  and  his  band,  visited  me.  Conferred  with  them  on  the 
state  of  the  Indians  on  the  St.  Croix  and  Chippewa  Rivers  at  Lac 
Courtorielle,  &c.,  the  best  route  for  entering  the  region  interme 
diate  between  Lake  Superior  and  the  Mississippi. 

Pezhike  thought  my  canoes  too  large  to  pass  the  small  bends  on 
the  ~route  of  the  Lac  du  Flambeau :  he  said  the  waters  of  the 
Broule^  or  Misakoda  River,  were  too  low  at  this  time  to  ascend 
that  stream.  He  said  that  Mozojeed,  the  chief  of  Lac  Courtorielle, 
had  been  here  awaiting  me,  but,  concluding  I  would  not  come,  had 
returned.  His  return  had  been  hastened  by  a  report  that  the 
Sioux  had  formed  a  league  with  the  Winnebagoes  and  Menomonies 
to  attack  his  village. 

Pezhike  gave  in  his  population  at  eighty  souls,  of  which  number 
eighteen  were  men,  twenty-six  women,  and  the  remainder  children. 
He  made  a  speech  responding  to  the  sentiments  uttered  by  me, 
and  promising  the  aid  of  his  band  in  the  pacification  of  the  coun 
try.  As  an  evidence  of  his  sincerity  he  presented  a  peace-pipe. 
I  concluded  the  interview  by  distributing  presents  of  ammunition 
and  iron  works  to  each  man,  agreeably  to  his  count.  I  then  sent 
Indian  runners  with  messages  to  Bwoinace  at  Yellow  River,  on  the 
St.  Croix,  to  be  forwarded  by  hand  to  Chacopee,  on  Snake  River, 
to  meet  me  at  Yellow  River  in  twelve  days.  Sent  a  message  to 
the  same  chief,  to  be  forwarded  to  Mozojeed  at  Lac  Courtorielle, 
to  meet  me  at  that  place  with  his  band  on  the  1st  August,  and 
another  message  to  be  forwarded  by  him  to  Lac  du  Flambeau,  at 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  363 

the  head  of  the  Chippewa  River,  with  directions  for  the  Indians 
to  meet  me  at  their  principal  village,  as  soon  after  the  1st  August 
as  I  can  get  there,  of  which  they  will  be  the  best  judges.  I  de 
termined  to  enter  the  country  myself,  by  the  Mauvais  or  Maskigo 
River,  notwithstanding  the  numerous  rafts  of  trees  that  embarrass 
the  navigation — the  water  being  abundant. 

OLD  FORT,  SITE  OF  A  TRAGEDY. — The  military  barge,  Lieut. 
Clary,  started  for  the  Maskigo,  with  a  fair  wind,  on  the  18th.  A 
soldier  had  previously  deserted.  I  sent  to  the  chief,  Pezhike,  to 
dispatch  his  young  men  to  catch  him,  and  they  immediately  went. 
After  setting  out,  the  wind  was  found  too  strong  to  resist  with  pad 
dles,  and  I  turned  into  the  sheltered  bay  of  the  old  French  fort. 
The  site  and  ground  lines  are  only  left. 

It  was  a  square  with  bastions.  The  site  is  overgrown  with  red 
haw  and  sumac.  The  site  of  a  blacksmith  shop  was  also  pointed 
out.  This  is  an  evidence  of  early  French  and  Missionary  enter 
prise,  and  dates  about  1660.  There  is  a  tale  of  a  tragedy  con 
nected  with  a  female,  at  its  abandonment.  The  guns,  it  is  said, 
were  thrown  in  the  bay.  The  wind  having  abated,  we  again  put 
out  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  went  safely  into  the  Mas 
kigo  and  encamped. 

MASKIGO  RIVER. — We  began  the  ascent  of  this  stream  on  the 
19th,  at  half-past  four  A.  M. ;  landed  at  seven  for  breakfast,  at  the 
old  Indian  gardens  ;  at  eight  went  on  ;  at  ten  reached  the  first 
portage,  passed  it  in  an  hour  ;  went  on  till  one  o'clock ;  afterwards 
passed  two  other  portages  of  about  three  hundred  yards  each ;  and 
went  on  to  the  great  raft  of  flood  wood,  being  the  fourth  portage, 
where  we  encamped  at  three  o'clock,  at  its  head.  Mosquitoes  very 
annoying.  Estimate  our  distance  at  thirty  miles. 

On  the  next  morning  (20th)  we  embarked  in  good  deep  water  at 
eight  o'clock.  We  reached  rapids  at  eleven  o'clock.  Passed  a 
portage  of  two  ^tmses,  and  took  dinner  at  the  terminus.  Sandstone 
forms  the  bed  of  the  river  at  the  rapids  here.  It  inclined  E.  S.  E. 
about  75°.  A  continual  rapid,  called  the  Galley,  being  over  a 
brown  sandstone  rock,  succeeds,  in  which  rapids  follow  rapids  at 
short  intervals.  We  encamped  at  the  Raft  rapids.  The  men  toiled 
like  dogs,  but  willingly  and  without  grumbling.  Next  day  (21st) 
we  were  early  on  the  water,  and  passed  the  crossing  of  the  Indian 


364  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

portage  path  from  St.  Charles  Bay,  at  La  Pointe,  to  the  Falls  of 
St.  Anthony.  We  followed  a  wide  bend  of  the  river,  around  the 
four  pause  portage.  This  was  a  continued  rapid.  The  men  toiled 
incessantly,  being  constantly  in  the  water.  The  bark  of  the  canoes 
became  so  saturated  with  water  that  they  were  limber,  and  bent 
under  the  weight  of  carrying  them  on  the  portages.  We  encamped, 
very  much  tired,  but  the  men  soon  rallied,  and  never  complained. 
It  was  admirable  to  see  such  fidelity  and  buoyancy  of  character. 

We  were  now  daily  toiling  up  the  ascent  of  the  summit  which 
separates  the  basin  of  Lake  Superior  from  the  valley  of  the  upper 
Mississippi.  The  exertion  was  incredible.  I  expected  every  day 
some  of  the  men  to  give  out,  but  their  pride  to  conquer  hardships 
was,  with  them,  the  point  of  honor.  They  gloried  in  feats  under 
which  ordinary  men  would  have  fainted.  To  carry  a  horse  load 
over  a  portage  path  which  a  horse  could  not  walk,  is  an  exploit 
which  none  but  a  Canadian  voyageur  would  sigh  for  the  accom 
plishment  of. 

On  the  22d,  we  came  to  a  short  portage,  after  going  about  six 
miles,  during  a  violent  rain  storm.  Then  three  portages  of  short 
extent,  say  fifty  to  three  hundred  yards  each,  in  quick  succession. 
After  the  last,  some  comparatively  slight  rapids.  Finally,  smooth 
water  and  a  sylvan  country,  level  and  grassy.  We  were  evidently 
near  the  summit.  Soon  came  to  the  forks,  and  took  the  left  hand. 
Came  afterwards  to  three  branches,  and  took  the  south.  Followed  a 
distance  through  alder  bushes  bending  from  each  side  ;  this  required 
skill  in  dodging,  for  the  bushes  were  covered  with  caterpillars. 
We  formed  an  encampment  on  this  narrow  stream  by  cutting  away 
bushes,  and  beating  down  high  grass  and  nettles.  Here  was  good 
soil  capable  of  profitable  agriculture. 

GREAT  WUNNEGUM  PORTAGE. — The  next  morning  we  resumed 
the  ascent  of  this  branch  at  six  o'clock,  and  reached  the  beginning 
of  the  Gitchy  Wun-ne-gum  portage  at  nine  o'clock  A.  M.  This 
was  the  last  great  struggle  in  the  ascent.  We  spent  about  three 
hours  in  drying  baggage,  corn,  tents,  beds,  &c.  Then  went  on  four 
pauses  over  the  portage  and  encamped  in  sight  of  a  pond.  The 
next  day  we  accomplished  ten  pauses,  a  hard  day's  work.  We 
encamped  near  a  boulder  of  granite  of  the  drift  stratum,  which 
contained  brilliant  plates  of  mica.  Water  scarce  and  bad.  Our 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  365 

tea  was  made  of  a  brown  pondy  liquid,  which  looked  like  water  in 
a  tanner's  vat. 

We  passed,  and  stopped  to  examine,  Indian  symbols  on  the  blazed 
side  of  a  tree,  which  told  a  story  to  our   auxiliary  Indians  of  a 
moose  having  been  killed  by  certain  men,  whose  family  name,  or 
mark,  was  denoted,  &c.     We  had  previously  passed  several  of  these 
hunting  inscriptions  in  our  ascent  of  the  Mauvais,  and  one  in  par 
ticular  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  four  pause  portage.     We  were  v 
astonished  to  perceive  that  these  figures  were  read  as  easy  as  per-   \ 
feet  gazettes  by  our  Indian  guides. 

We  were  also  pleased,  notwithstanding  the  severe  labor  of  the 
apecun,  to  observe  the  three  auxiliary  Chippewas,  with  us,  playing 
in  the  evening  at  the  game  of  the  bowl,  an  amusement  in  which 
some  of  the  men  participated. 

On  the  25th  we  went  three  pauses  to  breakfast,  in  a  hollow  or 
ravine,  and  pushing  on,  crossed  the  last  ridge,  and  at  one  o'clock 
reached  the  foot  of  Lake  Ka-ge-no-gum-aug,  a  beautiful  and  elon 
gated  sheet  of  water,  which  is  the  source  of  this  branch  of  the 
Maskigo  River.  Thus  a  point  was  gained.  An  hour  after,  the 
baggage  arrived,  and  by  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  canoes  all 
arrived.  This  lake  is  about  nine  miles  long. 

BOTANY. — In  the  ascent  of  this  stream,  Dr.  Houghton  has  col-^ 
lected  about  two  hundred  plants.  The  forest  trees  are  elrn,  pine,  j 
spruce,  maple,  ironwood,  linden,  cherry,  oak,  and  beach.  Leather.- 
wood  is  a  shrub  common  on  the  portage. 

The  length  of  this  river,  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  to  the  point 
at  which  we  left  it,  we  compute  at  one  hundred  and  four  miles. 

The  three  young  Indiansr  sent  from  La  Pointe,  by  Pezhike,  to 
help  us  on  the  portages,  having  faithfully  attended  us  all  the  way, 
were  dismissed  to  go  back,  at  seven  o'clock  this  morning — after 
being  abundantly  and  satisfactorily  paid  for  their  services  in  ammu 
nition  and  provisions.  On  parting,  they  expressed  a  design  of 
visiting  at  the  agency,  next  spring. 

LAKE  KA-GE-NO-GUM-AUG. — At  nine  in  the  morning,  we  embarked 
on  the  lake  in  four  canoes,  having  left  the  fifth  at  the  other  end  of 
the  portage  for  the  La  Pointe  Indians  to  return.  Two  of  the  flotilla 
of  canoes  were  occupied  by  the  military  under  Lieut.  Clary.  After 


36(5  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

proceeding  a  little  less  than  two  hours  through  a  very  irregular, 
elongated,  and  romantic  lake,  we  reached  a  portage  in  the  direction 
of  the  Namakagun,  fork  of  the  St.  Croix  River.  Its  waters  were 
clear ;  we  observed  fish  and  ducks.  This  portage  is  called  Mikenok, 
or  the  Turtle.  It  proved  to  be  two  hundred  and  eighty  yards  to 
a  pond,  or  small  lake,  named  Turtle  Lake.  About  two  hundred 
yards  of  this  portage  lies  over  a  dry  pine  ridge,  the  remainder  bog. 
On  crossing  this  little  sheet,  we  encountered  another  portage  of 
one  thousand  and  seventy-five  yards,  terminating  at  a  second  lake 
named  Clary's  Lake.  This  portage  lies  over  an  open  pine  ridge, 
from  which  the  timber  has  been  chiefly  burned.  The  shrubs  and 
plants  are  young  bush  poplars,  whortleberries,  shad-bush,  brake 
and  sweet  fern.  Both  ends  of  it  are  skirted  with  bog.  The  highest 
grounds  exhibit  boulders.  About  five  o'clock  the  canoes  came  up, 
and  we  embarked  on  the  lake  and  crossed  it,  and,  striking  the  port 
age  path,  went  four  hundred  and  seventy-five  yards  to  a  third  lake, 
called  Polyganum,  from  the  abundance  of  plant.  We  crossed  this 
and  encamped  on  its  border. 

This  frequent  shifting  and  changing  of  baggage  and  canoes  ex 
hausted  the  men,  who  have  not  yet  recovered  from  the  toils  of  the 
long  portage.  Three  of  them  were  disabled  from  wounds  or  bruises. 
Laporte,  the  eldest  man  of  our  party,  fell  with  a  heavy  load,  on 
thejgreat  Wunnegum  portage,  and  drove  a  small  knot  into  his  scalp. 
The  doctor  bandaged  it,  and  wondered  why  he  had  not  fractured 
his  skull.  Yet  the  old  man's  voyageur  pride  would  not  permit 
him  to  lie  idle.  If  he  died  under  the  carrying-strap,  he  was  de 
termined  to  die  game. 

NAMAKAGUN  RIVER. — Early  on  the  27th  we  were  astir,  and 
followed  the  path  1050  yards,  which  we  made  in  two  pauses  to 
the  banks  of  the  Namakagun  River,  the  most  southerly  fork  of  the 
St.  Croix.  We  were  now  on  the  waters  tributary  to  the  Mississippi, 
and  sat  down  to  our  breakfast  of  fried  pork  and  tea  with  exulta 
tion. 

Dead  pines  cover  the  ground  between  Lake  Polyganum  and  the 
Namakagun.  A  great  fire  appears  to  have  raged  here  formerly, 
destroying  thousands  of  acres  of  the  most  thrifty  and  tall  pines. 
Nobody  can  estimate  the  extent  of  this  destruction.  The  plain  is 
now  grown  up  with  poplar,  hazle-bush,  scrub-oak,  and  whortle- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  367 

berry.  The  river,  where  the  portage  strikes  it,  is  about  seventy- 
five  feet  wide,  and  shallow,  the  deepest  parts  not  exceeding 
eighteen  inches.  It  is  bordered  on  the  opposite  side  with  large 
pines,  hardwood,  and  spruce.  Observed  amygdaloid  under  foot 
among  the  granite,  and  sandstone  boulders. 

About  one  o'clock  the  baggage  and  canoes  had  all  come  up, 
and  we  embarked  on  the  waters  of  the  Namakagun.  Rapids  soon 
obstructed  our  descent.  At  these  it  was  necessary  for  the  men  to 
get  out  and  lift  the  canoes.  It  was  soon  necessary  for  us  to  get 
out  ourselves  and  walk  in  the  bed  of  the  stream.  It  was  at  last 
found  necessary  to  throw  overboard  the  kegs  of  pork,  &c.,  and  let 
them  float  down.  This  they  would  not  do  without  men  to  guide 
them  and  roll  them  along  in  bad  places.  Some  of  the  bags  from 
the  canoes  were  next  obliged  to  be  put  on  men's  shoulders  to  be 
carried  down  stream  over  the  worst  shallows.  After  proceeding 
in  this  way  probably  six  or  seven  miles,  we  encamped  at  half-past 
seven  o'clock.  Mr.  Johnston,  with  his  canoe,  did  not  come  up. 
We  fired  guns  to  apprize  him  of  our  place  of  encampment,  but 
received  no  reply.  There  had  been  partial  showers  during  the 
day,  and  the  weather  was  dark  and  gloomy.  It  rained  hard  dur 
ing  the  night.  Our  canoes  were  badly  injured,  the  bark  peeling 
off  the  bows  and  bottoms.  The  men  had  not  yet  had  time  to  re 
cover  from  their  bruises  on  the  great  Wannegum  portage.  Mr. 
Clary  had  shot  some  ducks  and  pigeons,  on  which,  at  his  invita 
tion,  we  made  our  evening  repast,  with  coffee,  an  article  which  he  had 
among  his  stores.  Some  of  the  men  had  also  caught  trout — this  fish 
being  abundant  here,  though  it  never  descends  into  the  Mississippi. 

On  the  next  morning  I  sent  a  small  canoe  (Clary's)  to  aid 
Johnston.  Found  him  with  his  canoe  broke.  Brought  down  part 
of  his  loading,  and  dispatched  the  canoe  back  again.  By  eleven 
o'clock  the  canoe  returned  on  her  second  trip.  Finding  the  diffi 
culties  so  great,  put  six  kegs  of  pork,  seven  bags  of  flour,  one  keg 
of  salt,  &c.,  in  depot.  One  of  the  greatest  embarrassments  in 
passing  among  such  impoverished  tribes  is  the  necessity  of  taking 
along  extra  provisions  to  meet  the  various  bands  and  to  pay  for 
their  contingent  services. 

PUCKWAEWA  VILLAGE. — At  four  o'clock  we  had  got  everything 
down  the  shallows,  mended  our  canoe,  and  reached  the  Pukwaciva 


868  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

— a  noted  Indian  village,  where  we  encamped.  The  distance  is 
about  nine  miles  from  the  western  terminus  of  the  portage,  course 
W.  S.  W.  We  found  it  completely  deserted,  according  to  the  cus 
tom  of  the  Indians,  who  after  planting  their  gardens,  leave  them 
to  go  on  their  summer  hunts,  eating  berries,  &c.  We  found 
eight  large  permanent  bark  lodges,  with  fields  of  corn,  potatoes, 
pumpkins,  and  beans,  in  fine  condition.  The  lodges  were  care 
fully  closed,  and  the  grounds  and  paths  around  cleanly  swept, 
giving  the  premises  a  neat  air.  The  corn  fields  were  partially  or 
lightly  fenced.  The  corn  was  in  tassel.  The  pumpkins  partly 
grown,  the  beans  fit  for  boiling.  The  whole  appearance  of  thrift 
and  industry  was  pleasing. 

I  sent  two  canoes  immediately  up  stream,  to  bring  down  the 
stores  put  in  deposit.  I  arranged  things  for  taking  a  canoe  clege 
on  the  next  day,  and  proceeding  rapidly  down  the  river  to  its 
junction  with  the  main  St.  Croix  and  Yellow  River,  in  order 
to  meet  my  engagements,  made  by  a  runner  from  La  Pointe. 
I  took  along  Dr.  Houghton  and  Mr.  Johnston,  leaving  the  heavy 
baggage  in  charge  of  Mr.  Woolsey,  with  directions  to  accompany 
Lieut.  Clary  across  the  portage  from  the  Namakagun  to  Ottowa 
Lake.  It  was  half-past  five  on  the  morning  of  the  29th,  when, 
bidding  adieu  to  Lieut.  Clary  and  Mr.  Woolsey,  we  embarked. 

A  NEW  SPECIES  OF  NATIVE  FRUIT. — In  coming  down  the  Nama- 
kagun,  we  found  a  species  of  the  currant  on  its  banks — the  albi- 
nervum.  It  was  fully  ripe,  and  of  delicious  taste. 

Incidents  on  the  Namakagun,  its  Birds,  Plants,  <$*c. — About 
ten  o'clock  we  entered  and  passed  an  expansion,  having  deserted 
Indian  lodges,  and  a  high  wooden  cross  on  the  south  bank. 
Hence  we  called  it  the  Lake  of  the  Cross.  It  is  called  Pukwa- 
eVa  by  the  Indians.  A  little  below  we  met  the  chief  Pukquarnoo, 
and  his  band,  returning  to  the  upper  village.  Held  a  conference 
with  him  on  the  water  on  the  subject  of  my  mission  and  movements. 
He  appeared,  not  only  by  his  village,  which  we  had  inspected,  but 
by  his  words,  eminently  pacific.  On  parting  he  reciprocated  my 
presents  by  some  dried  whortleberries.  At  this  conference  with 
the  Red-headed  Woodpecker  chief,  I  requested  him  to  go  up  and 
aid  Mr.  Woolsey  in  bringing  down  the  baggage  and  provisions, 
and  wrote  to  Mr.  Woolsey  accordingly. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  369 

About  four  o'clock  the  chief  of  this  party  hailed  us  from  shore, 
having  headed  us  by  taking  a  short  land  route  from  the  Lake  of 
the  Cross.  He  sought  more  perfect  information  on  some  points, 
which  was  given,  and  he  was  requested  to  attend  the  general 
council  appointed  to  be  held  at  Lac  Courtorielle  (Ottawa  Lake). 
We  continued  the  descent  till  eight  o'clock  P.  M.,  having  descended 
about  thirty-five  miles. 

On  the  30th  we  embarked  at  five  in  the  morning,  and  reached  the 
contemplated  portage  to  Ottawa  Lake  at  seven.  I  stopped,  and 
having  written  notes  for  Lieut.  Clary  and  Mr.  Woolsey,  put  them 
in  the  end  of  a  split  pole,  according  to  the  Indian  method.  At  ten 
I  landed  for  breakfast  with  my  canoe  badly  broken,  and  the  corn, 
&c.,  wetted.  Detained  till  twelve.  Near  night  met  a  band  of 
Chippewas  ascending.  Got  a  canoe  from  them  to  proceed  to  Yel 
low  River,  and,  after  dividing  the  baggage  and  provisions,  put  Mr. 
Johnston  with  two  men  in  it.  This  facilitated  our  descent,  as  we 
had  found  frequent  shallows,  in  consequence  of  low  water,  to  im 
pede  our  progress.  Yet  our  estimate  for  the  day's  travel  is  forty 
miles. 

The  cicuta  is  a  frequent  plant  on  this  river ;  we  found  the  fox 
grape  this  afternoon  nearly  ripe.  Both  banks  of  the  river  are  lite 
rally  covered  with  the  ripe  whortleberry — it  is  large  and  delicious. 
The  Indians  feast  on  it.  Thousands  on  thousands  of  bushels  of 
this  fruit  could  be  gathered  with  little  labor.  It  is  seen  in  the 
dried  state  at  every  lodge.  All  the  careful  Indian  housewives  dry 
it.  It  is  used  as  a  seasoning  to  soups. 

On  the  31st  we  were  on  the  water  at  six  A.  M.  Soon  passed 
seven  Indians  in  canoes,  to  whom  a  passing  salute  of  a  few  words 
and  tobacco  were  given.  We  landed  at  ten  to  breakfast.  The 
current  had  now  augmented  so  as  to  be  very  strong,  and  permit 
the  full  force  of  the  paddles.  Stopped  a  few  moments  at  a  Chip- 
pewa  camp  to  get  out  some  tobacco,  and,  leaving  Mr.  Johnston  to 
make  the  necessary  inquiries  and  give  the  necessary  information, 
pushed  on.  Heard  T.,  our  Indian  messenger  from  La  Pointe,  had 
accomplished  his  business  and  gone  back  four  days  ago.  Indian  I 
conferences  now  succeeded  each  other  continually,  at  distances  from  \ 
one  to  five  miles.  The  bands  are  now  on  the  move,  returning  up 
the  river  to  their  spring  villages  at  the  Little  and  Great  Rice  Places 
(this  is  the  meaning  of  PuJcwaewau),  and  the  Lake  of  the  Cross. 
24 


370  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Their  first  request  is  tobacco,  although  they  are  half  starved,  and 
have  lived  on  nothing  but  whortleberries  for  weeks.  uSuguswau7 
let  us  smoke,"  is  the  first  expression. 

The  country  as  we  descend  assumes  more  the  appearance  of  up 
land  prairie,  from  the  repeated  burnings  of  the  forest.  The  effect 
is,  nearly  all  the  small  trees  have  been  consumed,  and  grass  has 
taken  their  place.  One  result  of  this  is,  the  deer  are  drawn  up 
from  the  more  open  parts  of  the  Mississippi,  to  follow  the  advance 
of  the  prairie  and  open  lands  towards  Lake  Superior.  The  moose 
is  also  an  inhabitant  of  the  Namakagun.  The  Chippewas,  at  a 
hunting  camp  we  passed  yesterday,  said  they  had  been  on  the 
tracks  of  a  moose,  but  lost  them  in  high  brush.  Ducks  and 
pigeons  appear  common.  Among  smaller  birds  are  the  blackbird, 
robin,  catbird,  red-headed  woodpecker,  kingfisher,  kingbird,  plover 
and  yellow-hammer. 

We  frequently  passed  the  figure  of  a  man,  drawn  on  a  blazed 
pine,  with  horns,  giving  the  idea  of  an  evil  spirit.  The  occiput 
of  the  bear,  and  head  bones  of  other  animals  killed  in  the  chase, 
are  hung  upon  poles  at  the  water's  side,  with  some  ideographic- 
signs.  The  antlers  of  the  deer  are  conspicuous.  Other  marks  of 
success  in  hunting  are  left  on  trees,  so  that  those  Indians  who  pass 
and  are  acquainted  with  the  signs,  obtain  a  species  of  information. 
The  want  of  letters  is  thus,  in  a  manner,  supplied  by  signs  and 
pictographic  symbols. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  we  passed  the  inlet  of  the  Totogun — one 
of  the  principal  forks  of  the  Namakagun.  The  name  is  indicative 
of  its  origin.  Totosh  is  the  female  breast.  This  term  is  rendered 
geographical  by  exchanging  sh  for  gun.  It  describes  a  peculiar 
kind  of  soft  or  dancing  bog.  Soon  after,  we  broke  our  canoe — 
stopped  three-fourths  of  an  hour  to  mend  it — reached  the  forks  of 
the  St.  Croix  directly  after,  passed  down  the  main  channel  about 
nine  miles,  and  encamped  a  little  below  Pine  River.  We  built  ten 
fires  to  keep  off  the  mosquitoes,  and  put  our  tent  and  cooking-fire 
in  the  centre.  It  rained  during  the  night. 

The  next  morning  (Aug.  1st)  we  reached  the  Yellow  River,  and 
found  the  chiefs  Kabamappa,  Bwoinace,  and  their  bands  awaiting 
my  arrival. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  371 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

INCIDENTS  ON  THE  SOURCES  OF  THE  ST.  CROIX  AND  CHIPPEWA 

RIVERS. 

Council  with  the  Indians  at  Yellow  Lake — Policy  of  the  Treaty  of  Prairie  du 
Chien  of  1825 — Speech  of  Shaiwunegunaibee — Mounds  of  Yellow  River — 
Indian  manners  and  customs — Pictography — Natural  history — Nude  In. 
dians — Geology — Portage  to  Lac  Courtorielle — Lake  of  the  Isles — Ottawa 
Lake — Council — War  party — Mozojeed's  speech — Tecumseh — Mozojeed's 
lodge — Indian  movements — Trip  to  the  Red  Cedar  Fork — Ca  Ta — Lake 
Chetac — Indian  manners. 

1831.  COUNCIL. — I  pitched  my  tent  and  erected  my  flag  on 
an  eminence  called  by  the  Chippewas  Pe-li-co-gun-au-gun,  or  The 
Hip-Bone.  Accounts  represented  a  war  party  against  the  Sioux 
to  be  organizing  at  Rice  Lake,  on  a  branch  of  the  Chippewa  River, 
under  the  lead  of  Neenaba,  a  partisan  leader,  who  had  recently 
visited  Yellow  River  for  the  purpose  of  enlisting  volunteers.  He 
had  appealed  to  all  the  bands  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Chippewa 
and  St.  Croix  to  join,  by  sending  their  young  men  who  were 
ambitious  of  fame  in  this  expedition.  Neenaba  himself  was  an 
approved  warrior  who  panted  for  glory  by  leading  an  attack  against 
their  old  foe,  the  Dacotahs.  It  was  still  possible  to  arrest  it  or 
break  it  up.  I  wrote  to  the  Indian  Agent  at  St.  Peter's.  A  mes 
sage  was  dispatched  by  Kabamappa  to  Chacopee  and  Buffalo  at 
Snake  Rivers,  with  directions  to  forward  it  to  Petit  Corbeau,  the 
leading  chief  of  the  River  Sioux.  I  determined  to  hasten  back 
so  as  to  meet  my  appointment  with  the  large  band  of  Mozojeed  at 
Lac  Courtorielle,  and  to  proceed  myself  to  Neenaba's  village.  I 
stated  my  determination  to  the  Yellow  Lake  Indians,  and  urged 
their  concurrence  in  my  plans,  assuring  them  that  I  spoke  the 
voice  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  who  was  determined 
to  preserve  and  carry  out  the  principles  of  pacification  which  had 
been  commenced  and  agreed  to,  as  the  basis  of  the  general  treaty 


372  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

of  Prairie  du  Chien  of  1825.  He  had  spoken  to  them  at  that 
treaty  by  two  men  whom  they  all  well  know  from  St.  Louis  to 
Lake  Superior — namely,  by  the  Red-Head  (so  they  call  General 
William  Clark)  and  their  Great  Father  at  Detroit  (General  Cass). 
He  would  not  suffer  their  words  to  fall  to  the  ground  and  be  buried. 
I  stood  up  to  renew  them.  It  was  by  peace  and  not  war  that  they 
could  alone  flourish.  Their  boundaries  were  all  plainly  established 
by  that  treaty,  and  there  was  no  sound  pretence  why  one  tribe 
should  pass  over  on  the  lands  of  another.  If  he  did  pass,  there 
was  no  reason  at  all  why  he  should  carry  a  hatchet  in  his  hand  or 
a  war  eagle's  feather  in  his  hair. 

Shai-wun-e-gun-aibee  responded  in  favorable  terms   as  to  the 

|  general  subject.     The  old  men  desired  peace,  but  could  not  always 

|  control  their  young  men,  especially  when  they  heard  that  their 

I  men  had  been  struck.     His  voice  and  hand  would  be  ever  on  the 

side  of  his  great  American  father,  and  he  believed  his  hands  were 

long  enough  to  reach  out  and  hold  them  still.     He  concluded  by 

some  complaints  against  their  trader  Dingley.     Said  that  he  had 

presented  them  a  map  of  the  Yellow  River  country,  and  wished 

them  to  give  it  to  him.     That  he  had  ill-used  some  of  them  by 

taking  away  goods  which  he  had  before  sold  them,  because  they 

had  not  paid  all. 

MOUNDS,  so  CALLED. — Before  quitting  Yellow  River,  I  asked 
Kabamappa  whether  the  Pe-li-co-gun-au-gun  was  a  natural  or  arti 
ficial  mound.  He  replied,  that  it  was  natural.  There  were  three 
more  of  these  elevations  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  He 
knew  nothing  further  of  them.  A  large  pine  was  growing  on  the 
top  of  one  of  them. 

Having  concluded  the  business  with  the  Indians,  I  distributed 
presents  of  provisions,  ammunition,  and  tobacco.  I  purchased  a 
canoe  of  small  draft  from  an  Indian  named  Shoga,  and  immediately 
embarked  on  my  return  up  the  St.  Croix.  That  night  we  lodged 
in  our  camp  of  the  31st.  The  next  morning  we  were  in  motion  by 
five  o'clock,  and  reached  the  grand  forks  by  nine.  We  entered 
and  began  the  ascent  of  the  Namakagun. 

INDIAN  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. — We  soon  met  a  brother  of 
Kabamappa,  called  the  Day  Ghost,  and  four  other  heads  of  fami- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  373 

lies,  with  their  families,  on  their  way  to  the  council  at  Yellow 
River.  Informed  them  of  what  had  been  done,  and  gave  them  to 
bacco,  whereupon  they  determined  to  re-ascend  the  Namakagun 
with  us.  There  were  ten  persons.  One  of  the  young  men  fired 
at  a  flock  of  pigeons,  hitting  and  killing  two.  A  distance  above, 
they  went  through  a  cut-off,  and  saved  a  mile  or  more,  while  we  went 
round,  showing  their  superior  knowledge  of  the  geography.  At  the 
great  bends,  the  women  got  out  of  the  canoes  and  walked.  The 
old  men  also  walked  up.  We  reached  their  lodges  about  4  o'clock. 
I  exchanged  canoes  with  Day  Ghost,  and  gave  him  the  difference. 
We  encamped  at  a  late  hour  on  the  left  bank  (ascending),  having 
come  about  forty-two  miles — a  prodigious  effort  for  the  men.  To 
make  amends,  they  ate  prodigiously,  and  then  lay  down  and  slept 
with  the  nightmare.  Poor  fellows,  they  screamed  out  in  their 
sleep.  But  they  were  up  and  ready  again  at  5  o'clock  the  next 
morning,  with  paddle  and  song. 

PICTOGRAPHY. — At  11  o'clock  we  landed,  on  the  right  bank,  at 
the  site  of  an  old  encampment,  for  breakfast.  I  observed  a  sym 
bolic  inscription,  in  the  ideographic  manner,  on  a  large  blazed 
pine — the  Plnus  resinosa.  It  consisted  of  seven  representative, 
and  four  symbolic  devices,  denoting  the  totems,  or  family  names, 
of  two  heads  of  families,  while  encamped  here,  and  their  success 
in  hunting  and  fishing.  The  story  told  was  this:  That  two  men, 
one  of  whom  was  of  the  Catfish  clan,  and  the  other  of  the  clan  of 
the  Copper-tailed  Bear — a  mythological  animal — had  been  rewarded 
with  mysterious  good  luck,  each  according  to  his  totem.  The  Cat 
fish  man  had  caught  six  large  catfish,  and  the  Copper-tailed  Bear 
man  had  killed  a  black  bear.  The  resin  of  the  pine  had  covered 
the  inscription,  rendering  it  impervious  to  the  weather. 

NATURAL  HISTORY. — The  nyvnplisea  odorata  borders  the  edge  of 
the  river.  Dr.  H.,  this  morning,  found  the  bidens,  which  has  but 
two  localities  in  the  United  States  besides.  He  has  also,  within 
the  last  forty-eight  hours,  discovered  a  species  of  the  locust,  on  the 
lower  part  of  the  Namakagun.  The  fresh-water  shells  on  this 
river  are  chiefly  unios.  Wild  rice,  the palustris,  is  chiefly  found  at 
the  two  PukwaeVas,  more  rarely  along  the  banks,  but  not  in  abund 
ance.  The  polyganum  amphibia  stands  just  in  the  edge  of  the 


374  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

water  along  its  banks,  and  is  now  in  flower.  The  copper-head 
snake  is  found  at  the  Yellow  River;  also  the  thirteen  striped 
squirrel. 

NUDE  INDIANS. — The  Indians  whom  we  met  casually  on  the 
Namakagun,  had  nothing  whatever  on  them,  but  the  auzeaun. 
They  put  on  a  blanket,  when  expecting  a  stranger.  The  females 
have  a  petticoat  and  breastpiece.  When  we  passed  the  Woodpecker 
Chiefs  party,  an  old  woman,  without  upperments,  who  had  been 
poling  up  one  of  the  canoes,  hastily  landed,  and  hid  herself  in  the 
bushes,  when  her  exclamation  of  Nyau  !  Nyau  !  revealed  her  posi 
tion  as  we  passed.  Two  young  married  women  had  also  landed, 
but  stood  on  the  banks  with  their  children ;  one  of  the  latter 
screaming,  in  fear,  at  the  top  of  its  lungs. 

The  men  were  much  fatigued  with  this  day's  journey.  They 
had  to  use  the  pole  when  the  water  became  shallow.  Yet  they 
went  about  thirty-six  miles.  At  night  one  of  them  screamed  out 
with  pains  in  his  arms.  We  were  up  and  on  the  river  again  at  six 
the  next  morning  (the  4th).  The  word  with  me  was,  PUSH;  to 
accomplish  the  object,  not  a  day,  not  half  a  day  was  to  be  lost,  and 
the  men  all  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  thing.  At  half  past  nine, 
we  reached  our  breakfast  place  of  the  30th,  and  there  gummed 
our  canoes.  We  noticed  yesterday  the  red  haw,  &nd.pemMna — the 
latter  of  which  is  the  service  berry.  This  day  the  calamus  was 
often  seen  in  quantity. 

GEOLOGY. — Rapids  were  encountered  at  various  points,  at  which 
there  appeared  large  boulders  of  syenite  and  greenstone  trap.  No 
rock  stratum  appears  in  place,  but  from  the  size  of  the  boulders,  it 
seems  probable  that  the  trap  formation  crosses  the  bed  of  the  Na 
makagun.  There  is  no  limestone — no  slate.  Small  boulders  of 
amygdaloid,  quartz,  granite,  and  sandstone  mark  the  prevalence  of 
the  drift  stratum,  such  as  overspreads  the  upper  Mississippi  up 
lands.  The  weather  was  cloudy  and  overcast,  producing  coolness. 
I  found  the  air  but  64°  at  2  o'clock,  when  the  water  stood  at  69°. 

Some  fish  are  caught  in  this  stream,  which  serve  to  eke  out  the 
very  scanty  and  precarious  subsistence  of  the  Indians  at  this 
season.  At  the  lodge  of  an  Indian,  whom  we  knew  as  the  "  Jack 
of  Diamonds" — being  the  same  who  loaned  us  a  canoe — I  observed 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  375 

some  small  pieces  of  duck  in  a  large  kettle  of  boiling  water,  which 
was  thickened  with  whortleberries,  for  the  family  supper. 

PORTAGE  TO  LAC  COURTORIELLE. — We  reached  the  portage  at 
two  o'clock  A.  M.,  and  immediately  began  to  cross  it,  the  men 
carrying  all  our  baggage  at  one  load.  Just  after  passing  the 
middle  pause,  the  path  mounts  and  is  carried  along  a  considerable 
ridge,  from  which  there  is  a  good  view  of  the  country.  It  is  open 
as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  Sometimes  there  is  a  fine  range  of 
large  pines :  in  by  far  the  largest  space  ancient  fires  appear  to 
have  spread,  destroying  the  forest  and  giving  rise  to  a  young 
growth  of  pines,  aspen,  shadbush,  and  bramble.  Some  portions 
are  marshy.  A  deep  cup-shaped  cavity  exists  a  little  to  the  right 
of  the  path  on  the  ridge,  denoting  it  to  be  cavernous  or  filled  with 
springs. 

We  saw  evidences  of  Lieut.  Clary  and  Mr.  Woolsey's  march  and 
encampment  on  this  height.  We  saw  also  evidences  of  Old  La- 
portc's  prowess  in  voyageur  life  and  exploits,  by  a  notice  of  one 
of  his  long  pauses,  recorded  by  Lieut.  Clary  in  pencil,  on  a  blazed 
tree. 

LAKE  OF  THE  ISLES. — On  reaching  the  Lake  of  the  Isles  at 
three  o'clock  P.  M.,  we  found,  by  a  little  bark  letter  on  a  pole, 
that  Lieut.  Clary  and  Mr.  Woolsey  had  slept  at  that  spot  on  the 
1st  of  August.  All  things  had  proceeded  well.  They  were  ahead 
of  us  but  four  days. 

While  the  men  were  sent  back  to  the  other  end  of  the  portage 
after  the  canoes,  I  embarked  on  the  lake  in  a  small  canoe  found 
in  the  bushes,  with  Mr.  Johnston,  to  search  out  the  proper  chan 
nel.  We  found  it  to  draw  to  a  narrow  neck  and  then  widen  out, 
with  six  or  seven  islands,  giving  a  very  sylvan  and  beautiful  ap 
pearance.  We  passed  through  it,  then  crossed  a  short  portage 
that  connects  the  path  with  Lac  du  Gres,  and  then  returned  to 
the  south  end  of  Lake  of  the  Isles,  where  I  determined  to  encamp 
and  light  up  a  fire,  while  Mr.  Johnston  was  sent  back  in  the  little 
Indian  canoe  to  bring  up  the  canoes  and  men.  While  thus  await 
ing  the  arrival  of  the  party,  I  scrutinized  the  mineralogy  of  the 
pebbles  and  drift  of  its  shores,  where  I  observed  small  fragments 


376  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

of  the  agates,  quartz,  amygdaloids,  &c.,  which  characterize  all  the 
drift  of  the  upper  Mississippi. 

But  Mr.  Johnston  did  not  return  till  long  after  sunset.  I  was 
growing  uneasy  and  full  of  anxieties  when  he  hove  in  sight  in  the 
same  small  Indian  hunting-canoe,  with  Dr.  Houghton  and  one 
voyageur,  bringing  the  tent,  beds,  and  mess-basket.  They  re 
ported  that  the  men  had  not  yet  arrived  with  the  large  canoe,  and 
it  was  doubted  whether  they  would  come  in  in  season  to  cross  the 
lake.  But  they  came  up  and  joined  us  during  the  night. 

The  next  morning  (Aug.  5th)  we  crossed  the  portage  at  Lac  du 
Gres  before  sunrise.  This  is  the  origin  of  the  north-west  fork  of 
Chippewa  River.  The  atmosphere  was  foggy,  but,  from  what  we 
could  see,  we  thought  the  lake  pretty.  Pine  on  its  shores,  bottom 
sandy,  shells  in  its  bed,  no  rock  seen  in  place,'  but  loose  pieces  of 
coarse  gray  sandstone  around  its  shores. 

The  outlet  of  this  lake  proved  to  be  the  entrance  into  Ottawa 
Lake — the  Lac  Courtorielle  of  the  French — a  fine  body  of  water 
some  ten  miles  long.  It  was  still  too  foggy  on  reaching  this  point 
to  tell  which  way  to  steer.  A  gun  was  fired  ;  it  was  soon  answered 
by  Lieut.  Clary  and  Mr.  Woolsey  from  the  opposite  side  of  the 
lake.  The  sound  was  sufficient  to  indicate  the  course,  and  we 
crossed  in  safety,  rejoining  our  party  at  the  hour  of  early  break 
fast.  We  found  all  well. 

OTTAWA  LAKE. — We  were  received  with  a  salute  from  the  In 
dians.  I  counted  twenty-eight  canoes  turned  up  on  the  beach. 
Mozojeed  and  Waubezhais,  the  son  of  Miscomorieto  (or  The  lied 
Devil),  were  present.  Also  Odabossa,  and  his  band,  The  Indians 
crowded  down  to  the  beach  to  shake  hands.  I  informed  them, 
while  tobacco  was  being  distributed,  that  I  would  meet  them  in 
council  that  day  at  the  firing  of  three  guns  by  the  military. 

COUNCIL. — At  eleven  o'clock  I  met  the  Indians  in  council.  The 
military  were  drawn  up  to  the  best  advantage,  their  arms  glitter 
ing  in  the  sun.  My  auxiliaries  of  the  Michico-Canadian  stock  and 
the  gentlemen  of  my  party  were  in  their  best  trim.  We  occupied 
the  beautiful  eminence  at  the  outlet  of  the  lake.  The  assemblage 
of  Indians  was  large,  but  I  was  struck  by  the  great  disproportion, 
or  excess,  of  women  and  children. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  377 

Mozojeed,  the  principal  man,  was  a  tall,  not  portly,  red-mouthed, 
and  pucker-mouthed  man,*  with  an  unusual  amount  of  cunning  and 
sagacity,  and  exercising  an  unlimited  popularity  by  his  skill  and 
reputation  as  a  jossakeed,  or  seer.     He  had  three  wives,  and,  so 
far  as  observation  went,  I  should  judge  that  most  of  the  men  pre 
sent  had  imitated  his  voluptuous  tastes  and  apparently  lax  morals. 
He  had  an  elaborately-built  jaunglery,  or  seer's  lodge,  sheathed  \ 
with  rolls  of  bark  carefully  and  skillfully  united,  and  stained  black  j 
inside.     Its  construction,  which  was  intricate,  resembled  the  whorls  j 
of  a  seashell.     The  white  prints  of  a  man's  hand,  as  if  smeared 
with  white  clay,  was  impressed  on  the   black   surface.     I  have 
never  witnessed  so  complete  a  piece  of  Indian  architectural  struc 
ture,  nor  one  more  worthy  of  the  name  of  a  temple  of  darkness. 

This  man,  who  had  effectually  succeeded  to  the  power  and 
influence  of  Miscomoneto  (or  the  Red  Devil),  had  been  present  at 
the  treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  in  1825,  and  heard  Gens.  Clark 
and  Cass  address  the  assembled  Indians  on  that  memorable 
occasion.  I  had  been  in  communication  with  him  there.  He  was 
perfectly  familiar  with  the  principles  of  pacification  advanced  and 
established  on  that  occasion.  It  was  the  more  easy  for  me,  there 
fore,  to  revive  and  enforce  these  principles. 

WAR  PARTY. — Mozojeed's  son  was  himself  one  of  Neenaba's 
leaders  in  the  war  party,  and  was  now  absent  with  the  volunteers 
which  he  had  been  able  to  raise  in  and  about  the  Ottawa  Lake 
village.  He  was  directly  implicated  in  this  movement  against  the 
Sioux.  Mozojeed's  village  was,  in  fact,  completely  caught  almost  in 
the  very  act  of  sending  out  its  quota  of  warriors.  They  had,  but  a 
short  time  before,  marched  to  join  the  main  party  at  Rica  Lake  on 
the  Red  Cedar  Fork  of  the  Chippewa.  He  felt  the  embarrass 
ment  of  his  position,  but,  true  to  the  character  of  his  race,  exhi 
bited  not  a  sign  of  it  in  his  words  or  countenance.  Stolid  and 
unmoved,  he  pondered  on  his  reply.  Divested  of  its  unnecessary 
points  and  personal  localisms,  this  speech  was  substantially  as 
follows : — 

MOZOJEED'S  SPEECH. — "Nosa.  I  have  listened  to  your  voice, 
I  have  listened  to  it  heretofore  at  Kipesaugee.  It  is  to  me  the 

*  He  was  named  by  the  Indians  from  these  two  traits. 


378  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

voice  of  one  that  is  strong  and  able  to  do.  Our  Great  Father  speaks 
in  it.  I  hear  but  one  thing.  It  is  to  sit  still.  It  is  not  to  cross 
the  enemies'  lines.  It  is  to  drop  the  war  club.  It  is  to  send  word 
of  all  our  disputes  to  him. 

"  Nosa.  This  is  wise.  This  is  good.  This  is  to  stop  blood. 
But  my  young  men  are  foolish.  They  wish  to  go  on  the  war  path. 
They  wish  to  sing  triumphs.  My  counsels  too  are  weak  and  as  no 
thing.  It  seems  like  trying  to  catch  the  winds  and  holding  them 
in  my  fists,  when  I  try  to  stay  their  war  spirit.  How  shall  we 
dance  ?  How  shall  we  sing  ?  These  are  their  words. 

"Nosa.  I  do  not  lift  the  war-club.  My  words  are  for  peace. 
I  helped  to  draw  the  lines  at  Kipesaugee  six  years  ago.  I  will 
keep  them.  My  advice  to  my  people  is  to  sit  still.  You  have 
shown,  by  bringing  your  flag  here  and  hoisting  it  with  your  own 
hands  in  my  village,  that  you  are  strong,  and  able,  and  willing. 
You  are  the  Indian's  friend.  You  encourage  us  by  this  hard 
journey  through  our  streams  when  the  waters  are  low.  You  have 
spied  us  out  and  see  how  we  live,  and  how  poor  we  are." 

Waubezhais,  the  son  of  Miscomoneto,  and  bearing  his  medal 
and  authority,  then  spoke,  responding  frankly.  Odebossa,  of  the 
Upper  PukwaeVa,  spoke  also  favorably  to  my  object,  and  thank 
ing  me  for  my  visit  to  his  village  on  the  Namakagun,  which  he 
said,  metaphorically,  "  had  rekindled  their  fires,  which  were  almost 
out." 

All  agreed  that  the  waters  were  too  low  to  go  to  the  Lac  du 
Flambeau,  and  that  my  proposed  council  with  the  Indians  at  that 
point  must  be  given  up  or  deferred.  Besides,  if  the  war  party  on 
the  Red  Cedar  or  Folavoine  Fork  of  the  Chippewa  was  to  be  ar 
rested,  it  could  only  be  done  by  an  immediate  move  in  that  direction. 
I  therefore  determined  to  leave  Ottawa  Lake  the  same  day.  I 
invested  Mozobodo  with  a  silver  medal  of  the  first  class,  and  a  U. 
S.  flag.  Presents  of  ammunition,  provisions,  iron  works,  a  few 
dry  goods,  and  tobacco  were  given  to  all,  and  statistics  of  their  popu 
lation  and  of  their  means  taken.  For  a  population  of  eighteen  men, 
there  were  forty-eight  women  and  seventy-one  children.  Thirteen 
or  fourteen  of  the  latter  were  Mozojeed's.  lied  Devil's  son's 
band  numbered  forty-nine  men,  twenty-seven  women,  and  forty-six 
children.  Odabossa's  village  consisted  of  eighteen  men,  thirty- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  879 

eight  women,  and  seventy-one  children — making  406   souls,  who 
were  chiefly  assembled  at  this  point. 

TECUMSEH. — I  snatched  this  piece  of  history.  During  the  late 
war  Tecurnseh's  messages  reached  this  place,  and  produced  their 
usual  effect.  The  Indians  seized  the  post,  took  the  goods,  and 
burnt  the  building  occupied  as  a  place  of  trade.  Mr.  Corban, 
having  notice  from  friendly  Indians,  escaped  with  his  men  to  St. 
Mary's.  This  post  stood  opposite  the  outlet,  being  on  the  present 
site  of  Mozojeed's  village. 

MOZOJEED'S  LODGE — This  fabric  is  quite  remarkable,  and  yields 
more  comforts  and  conveniences  than  usual.  It  has  also  the  mys 
terious  insignia  of  a  prophet.  The  faces  of  four  men  or  gods  are 
carved  at  the  four  cardinal  points.  A  hole  with  a  carved  image  of 
a  bird  is  in  front.  Three  drums  hang  on  the  walls,  and  many 
rattles. '  At  his  official  lodge  men  are  painted  joining  hands.  A 
bundle  of  red  sticks  lies  in  one  corner. 

IXDIAX  MOVEMENTS. — I  was  informed  by  M.  and  W.  that  the 
Lac  du  Flambeau  Indians  were  not  on  Chippewa  River,  and  that 
the  message  from  Yellow  Lake  had  not  reached  them.  That  many 
of  the  Chippewas  were  at  Rice  Lake  on  the  Red  Cedar  Fork. 
That  they  had  received  a  message  from  Mr.  Street,  Indian  Agent 
at  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  were  in  alarm  on  account  of  the  Meno- 
monies. 

TRIP  TO  THE  RED  CEDAR  FORK. — We  embarked  at  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  in  four  canoes,  one  canoe  of  Indians  to  aid  on 
the  portages,  and  two  canoes  of  the  military — Lieut.  Clary's  com 
mand.  Mr.  B.  Cadotte  acted  as  guide  as  far  as  Rice  Lake,  the 
whole  making  quite  a  formidable  "brigade,"  to  use  a  trader's 
term.  Our  course  lay  down  the  Little  Chippewa  River.  The 
water  was  very  good  and  deep  as  far  as  the  fish  dam.  There  our 
troubles  began.  Our  canoes  had  to  be  led  along,  as  if  they  had 
been  baskets  of  eggs,  in  channels  made  by  the  Indians,  who  had 
carefully  picked  out  the  big  stones.  We  met  a  son  of  old  Misco's, 
having  a  fawn  and  three  muskrats  recently  killed.  I  gave  him  a 
full  reward  of  corn  and  tobacco  for  the  former,  which  was  an  ac- 


380  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

ceptable  addition  to  our  traveling  cuisine.  It  was  observed  that 
he  had  nothing  besides  in  his  canoe  but  a  gun  and  Avar  club,  a  lit 
tle  boy  being  in  the  boat.  We  descended  the  stream  some  seven 
or  eight  miles,  and  encamped  on  the  right  bank.  It  rained  hard 
during  the  night.  Next  morning  (6th)  we  were  in  motion  at  six 
o'clock,  which  was  as  early  as  the  atmosphere  would  permit.  An 
hour's  travel  brought  us  to  the  mouth  of  a  creek,  which  led  us  in 
the  required  direction.  It  was  a  narrow  and  deep  stream,  very 
tortuous,  and  making  bends  so  short  that  we  with  difficulty  forced 
our  canoes  through.  In  two  hours  we  came  to  the  portage  to  the 
Ca  Ta — a  pond  at  the  distance  of  1916  yards,  which  we  crossed 
at  two  pauses. 

LAKE  CHETAC. — Before  the  canoes  and  baggage  came  up,  I 
crossed  over  to  Lake  Chetac.  There  is  a  portage  road  around  the 
pond.  After  passing  the  first  poze  from  it,  the  canoes  may  be  put 
in  a  brook  and  poled  down  two  pozes — then  they  must  be  taken 
out  and  carried  1600  yards  to  Lake  Chetac.  The  whole  portage 
is  5600  yards. 

It  was  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  before  we  could  embark  on 
the  lake.  We  went  down  it  four  miles  to  an  island  and  encamped. 
The  lake  is  six  miles  long,  shallow,  marshy,  with  some  wild  rice 
and  bad  water.  Bad  as  it  was,  we  had  to  make  tea  of  it. 

INDIAN  MANNERS. — We  found  but  a  single  lodge  on  the  island, 
which  was  occupied  by  a  Chippewa  woman  and  a  dog.  I  heard 
her  say  to  one  of  our  men,  in  the  Chippewa  tongue,  that  there  was 
no  man  in  the  lodge — that  her  husband  had  gone  out  fishing.  She 
appeared  in  alarm,  and  soon  after  I  saw  her  paddle  away  in  a 
small  canoe,  leaving  her  lodge  with  a  fire  burning.  On  awaking 
in  the  morning,  I  heard  the  sound  of  talking  in  the  lodge,  and,  be 
fore  we  embarked,  the  man,  his  wife,  and  two  children,  and  an  old 
woman  came  out. 

Four  lodges  of  Indians,  say  about  twenty  souls,  usually  make 
their  homes  at  this  lake,  which  yields  them  fish  and  wild  rice. 
But  at  present  the  whole  tendency  of  the  Indian  population  is  to 
Kice  Lake.  The  war  party  mustering  at  that  point  absorbs  all 
attention. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  381 


CHAPTEE   XL. 

EXPLORATION  OF  THE  RED  CEDAR  OR  FOLLAVOINE  VALLEY  OF  THE 
CHIPPEWA  RIVER. 

Betula  Lake — Larch  Lake — A  war  party  surprised — 'Indian  manners — Rice 
Lake — Indian  council — Red  Cedar  Lake — Speeches  of  Wabezhais  and 
Neenaba — Equal  division  of  goods — Orifice  for  treading  out  rice — A  live 
beaver — Notices  of  natural  history — Value  of  the  Follavoine  Valley — A 
.medal  of  the  third  President  —  War  dance  —  Ornithology  —  A  prairie 
country,  fertile  and  abounding  in  game— Saw  mills — Chippewa  River — 
Snake — La  Garde  Mountain — Descent  of  the  Mississippi — Sioux  village — 
General  impression  of  the  Mississippi — Arrival  at  Prairie  du  Chien. 

1831.  BETULA  LAKE.  LARCH  LAKE. — The  7th  of  August, 
which  dawned  upon  us  in  Lake  Chetac,  proved  foggy  and  cool. 
The  thermometer  at  4,  7  and  8  A.  M.,  stood  respectively  at  50°, 
52°  and  56°.  We  found  the  outlet  very  shallow,  so  much  so,  that 
the  canoes  could  with  difficulty  be  got  out  while  we  walked.  It 
led  us  by  a  short  portage  into  a  small  lake  called  Betula,  or  Birch 
Lake,  a  sylvan  little  body  of  water  having  three  islands,  which  we 
were  just  twenty-five  minutes  in  crossing  by  free  strokes  of  the 
paddles.  Its  outlet  was  still  too  shallow  for  any  other  purpose  than 
to  enable  the  men  to  lead  down  the  empty  canoes.  We  made  a 
portage  of  twelve  hundred  and  ninety -five  yards  into  another  lake, 
called  Larch  or  Sapin  Lake — which  is  about  double  the  size  of  the 
former  lake.  We  were  half  an  hour  in  crossing  it  with  an  ani 
mated  and  free  stroke  of  the  paddle — the  men's  spirits  rising  as 
they  find  themselves  getting  out  of  these  harassing  defiles  and 
portages. 

A  WAR  PARTY  SURPRISED. — We  took  breakfast  on  the  beach  while 
the  canoes  were  for  the  last  time  being  led  down  the  outlet.  We 
had  nearly  finished  it  on  the  last  morsel  of  the  fawn,  and  were 
glancing  all  the  while  over  the  placid  and  bright  expanse,  with  its 


382  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

dark  foliage,  when  suddenly  a  small  Indian  canoe,  very  light,  and 
successively  seven  others,  with  a  warrior  in  the  bow  and  stern  of 
each,  glided  from  a  side  channel,  being  the  outlet  into  its  other 
extremity.  As  soon  as  our  position  was  revealed,  they  stopped  in 
utter  amazement,  and  lighting  their  pipes  began  to  smoke ;  arid  wre, 
nearly  as  much  amazed,  immediately  put  up  our  flag,  and  Lt.  Clary 
paraded  his  men.  We  were  more  than  two  to  one  on  the  basis  of 
a  fight.  A  few  moments  revealed  our  respective  relations.  It  was 
the  Lac  Courtorielle  detachment  of  the  Rice  Lake  war  party,  and 
gave  us  the  first  intimation  of  its  return.  It  was  now  evident  that 
the  man  on  the  Little  Chippewa  from  whom  we  purchased  the  fawn 
was  but  an  advanced  member  of  the  same  party.  As  soon  as  they 
perceived  our  national  character,  they  fired  a  salute  and  cautiously 
advanced.  It  proved  to  be  the  brother  of  Mozojeed  and  two  of  his 
sons,  with  thirteen  other  warriors,  on  their  return.  Each  had  a 
gun,  a  shot-bag  and  powder  horn,  a  scalping  knife  and  a  war  club, 
and  was  painted  with  vermilion  lines  on  the  face.  The  men  were 
nearly  naked,  having  little  but  the  auzeaun  and  moccasons  and  the 
leather  baldric  that  confines  the  knife  and  necessary  warlike  ap 
pendages  and  their  head  gear.  They  had  absolutely  no  baggage 
in  the  canoe.  When  the  warrior  leaped  out,  it  was  seen  to  be  a 
mere  elongated  and  ribbed  dish  of  the  white  birch  bark,  and  a  man 
with  one  hand  could  easily  lift  it.  Such  a  display  of  the  Indian 
manners  and  customs  on  a  war  party,  it  is  not  one  in  a  thousand 
even  of  those  on  the  frontiers  is  ever  so  fortunate  as  to  see. 

They  still  landed  under  some  trepidation,  but  I  took  each  per 
sonally  by  the  hand  as  they  came  up  to  my  flag,  and  the  ceremony 
was  united  in  by  Lieut.  Clary,  and  continued  by  them  until  every 
gentleman  of  my  party  had  been  taken  by  the  hand.  The  Indians 
understood  this  ceremony  as  a  committal  6f  friendship.  I  directed 
tobacco  to  be  distributed  to  them,  and  immediately  gathered  them 
in  council.  They  stated  that  the  war  party  had  encountered  signs 
of  Sioux  outnumbering  them  on  the  lower  part  of  the  Chippewa 
Eiver,  and  footsteps  of  strange  persons  coming.  This  inroad  of 
an  apparently  new  combination  against  them  had  alarmed  the 
moose,  which  had  fled  before  them ;  and  that  six  of  the  party  had 
been  sent  in  advance  while  the  main  body  lay  back  to  await  the 
news.  From  whatever  cause  the  party  had  retreated,  it  was  evi- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  383 

dently  broken  up  for  the  season ;  and,  the  object  of  my  official  visit 
and  advice  accomplished,  I  turned  this  to  advantage  in  the  inter 
view,  and  left  them,  I  trust,  better  prepared  to  understand  their 
true  duties  and  policy  hereafter,  and  we  crossed  the  lake  with 
spirits  more  elevated. 

RED  CEDAR  LAKE. — A  short  outlet  conducted  us  into  Red  Cedar 
Lake,  a  handsome  body  of  water  which  we  were  an  hour  in  passing 
through,  say  four  or  five  miles.  The  men  raised  their  songs,  which 
had  not  been  heard  for  some  time.  It  presents  some  islands,  which 
add  to  its  picturesqueness.  Formerly  there  stood  a  single  red  cedar 
on  one  of  these,  which  gave  the  name  to  the  lake,  but  no  other  tree 
of  this  species  is  known  in  the  region.  Half  a  mile  south  of  its 
banks  the  Indians  procure  a  kind  of  red  pipe  stone,  similar  to  that 
brought  from  the  Coteau  des  Prairies,  but  of  a  duller  red  color. 
We  met  four  Indians  in  a  canoe  in  passing  it,  who  saluted  us.  The 
outlet  is  filled  with  long  flowing  grass  and  aquatic  plants.  Two 
Indian  women  in  a  canoe  who  were  met  here  guided  us  down  its 
somewhat  intricate  channel.  We  observed  the  spiralis  or  eel  weed 
and  the  rattlesnake  leaf  (scrofula  weed  or  goodyeara)  ashore.  The 
tulip  tree  and  butternut  were  noticed  along  the  banks. 

INDIAN  MANNERS. — In  passing  down  the  outlet  of  the  Red  Cedar 
Lake  we,  soon  after  leaving  our  guides,  met  three  canoes  at  short 
distances  apart,  two  of  which  had  a  little  boy  in  each  end,  and  the 
third  an  old  woman  and  child.  We  next  met  a  Chippewa  with  his 
wife  and  child  on  the  banks.  They  had  landed  from  a  canoe,  evi 
dently  in  fear,  but,  learning  our  character,  embarked  and  followed 
us  to  Rice  Lake.  The  woman  had  her  hair  hanging  loose  about 
her  head,  and  not  clubbed  up  in  the  usual  fashion.  I  asked,  and 
understood  in  reply,  that  this  was  a  fashion  peculiar  to  a  band  of 
Chippewas  who  live  north  of  Rice  Lake.  On  coming  into  Rice 
Lake  we  found  the  whole  area  of  it,  except  a  channel,  covered  with 
wild  rice  not  yet  ripe.  We  here  met  a  number  of  boys  and  girls  in  a 
canoe,  who,  on  seeing  us,  put  ashore  and  fled  in  the  utmost  trepida 
tion  into  the  tall  grasses  and  hid  themselves. 

RICE  LAKE,  or  MONOMINEKANING. — As  we  came  in  sight  of  the 
village,  every  canoe  was  put  in  the  best  trim  for  display.  The 


884  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

flags  were  hoisted ;  the  military  canoes  paid  all  possible  devotion  to 
Mars.  There  were  five  canoes.  I  led  the  advance,  the  men  strik 
ing  up  one  of  their  liveliest  songs — which  by  the  way  was  some 
rural  ditty  of  love  and  adventure  of  the  age  of  Louis  XIV. — and 
we  landed  in  front  of  the  village  with  a  flourish  of  air  (purely  a 
matter  of  ceremony)  as  if  the  Grand  Mogul  were  coming,  and 
they  would  be  swallowed  up.  I  immediately  sent  to  the  chiefs,  to 
point  out  the  best  place  for  encamping,  which  they  did. 

COUNCIL  AT  RICE  LAKE. — As  soon  as  my  tent  was  pitched, 
Neenaba,  Wabezhais,  and  their  followers,  to  the  number  of  twenty- 
two  persons,  visited  me,  were  received  with  a  shake  of  the  hand 
and  a  "bon-jour,"  and  presented  with  tobacco.  Notice  was  imme 
diately  given  that  I  would  meet  them  in  council  at  the  firing  of 
signal  guns  by  the  military.  They  attended  accordingly.  This 
council  was  preliminary,  as  I  intended  to  halt  here  for  a  couple  of 
days,  in  order  to  put  new  bottoms  to  my  canoes.  I  wished,  also, 
some  geographical  and  other  information  from  them,  prior  to  my 
final  council.  Neenaba  agreed  to  draw  a  map  of  the  lower  part  of 
the  river,  &c.,  denoting  the  lines  drawn  by  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du 
Chien,  and  the  sites  of  the  saw-mills  erected,  without  leave,  by 
squatters. 

NATIVE  SPEECHES. — Next  day  (8th)  the  final  council  was  held, 
at  the  usual  signal.  Wabezhais  and  Neenaba  were  the  principal 
speakers.  They  both  disclaimed  setting  themselves  up  against 
the  authority  or  wishes  of  the  United  States.  They  knew  the 
lines,  and  meant  to  keep  them.  But  they  were  on  the  frontiers. 
The  Sioux  came  out  against  them.  They  came  up  the  river.  They 
had  last  year  killed  a  man  and  his  two  sons  in  a  canoe,  on  the  op 
posite  banks  of  Rice  Lake,  where  they  lay  concealed.  Left  to 
protect  themselves,  they  had  no  choice.  They  must  strike,  or  die. 
Their  fathers  had  left  them  councils,  which,  although  young  and 
foolish,  they  must  respect.  They  did  not  disregard  the  voice  of 
the  President.  They  were  glad  to  listen  to  it.  They  were  pleased 
that  he  had  honored  them  with  this  visit,  and  this  advice.  This  is 
the  substance  of  both  speeches. 

Neenaba  complained  that  the  lumbermen  had  built  mills  on  their 
land,  and  cut  pine  logs,  without  right.  That  the  Indians  got  no- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  385 

thing  but  civil  treatment,  when  they  went  to  the  mills,  and  tobacco. 
This  young  chief  appears  to  have  drawn  a  temporary  notoriety  upon 
himself  by  his  position  in  the  late  war  party,  which  is,  to  some  ex 
tent,  fallacious.  His  modesty  is,  however,  a  recommendation.  I 
proposed  to  have  invested  him  with  a  second  class  medal  and  flag; 
but  he  brought  them  to  me  again,  laying  them  down,  and  saying 
that  he  perceived  that  it  would  produce  dissatisfaction  and  discord 
in  his  tribe  ;  and  that  they  were  not  necessary  to  insure  his  good 
influence  and  friendship  for  the  United  States.  On  consulta 
tion  with  the  band,  these  marks  of  authority  were  finally  awarded 
to  WABEZHAIS.  Presents,  including  the  last  of  my  dry  goods,  were 
then  distributed.  Among  them,  was  a  small  piece  of  fine  scarlet 
cloth,  but  too  little  to  make  a  present  to  each.  The  divider  of  the 
goods,  which  were  given  in  camp,  who  was  Indian,  when  he  came 
to  this  tore  it  into  small  strips,  so  as  to  make  a  head-band  or  bal 
dric  for  each.  The  utmost  exactness  of  division  was  observed  in 
everything. 

ORIFICES  FOR  TREADING  OUT  RICE. — I  saw  artificial  orifices  in 
the  ground  near  our  encampment.  On  inquiry,  I  learned  that 
these  were  used  for  treading  out  the  wild  rice.  A  skin  is  put  in 
these  holes  which  are  filled  with  ears.  A  man  then  treads  out  the 
grain.  This  appears  to  be  the  only  part  of  rice  making  that  is 
performed  by  the  men.  The  women  gather,  dry,  and  winnow  it. 

A  LIVE  BEAVER. — The  Indians  brought  into  camp  one  morning, 
while  I  was  at  Rice  Lake,  a  young  beaver ;  an  animal  more  com 
pletely  amphibious,  it  would  be  difficult  to  find.  The  head  and 
front  part  of  the  body  resemble  the  muskrat.  The  fore  legs  are 
short,  and  have  five  toes.  The  hind  legs  are  long,  stout,  and  web- 
footed.  The  spine  projects  back  in  a  thick  mass,  and  terminates 
in  a  spatula-shaped  tail,  naked  and  scale-form.  The  animal  is 
young,  and  was  taken  about  ten  days  ago.  Previously  to  being 
brought  in,  it  had  been  taken  out  in  a  canoe  into  the  lake,  and 
immersed.  It  appeared  to  be  cold,  and  shivered  slightly.  Its 
hair  was  saturated  with  water,  and  it  made  use  of  its  fore  paws 
in  attempts  to  express  the  water,  sometimes  like  a  cat,  and  at 
others,  like  a  squirrel.  It  sat  up,  like  the  latter,  on  its  hind 
legs,  and  ate  bread  in  the  manner  of  a  squirrel.  In  this  position 
25 


386  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

it  gave  some  idea  of  the  kangaroo.  Its  color  was  a  black  body, 
brownish  on  the  cheeks  and  under  the  body.  The  eye  small 
and  not  very  brilliant.  Its  cry  is  not  unlike  that  of  a  young  child. 
The  owner  said,  it  would  eat  rice  and  fish.  It  was  perfectly  tamed 
in  this  short  time,  and  would  run  to  its  owner. 

NOTICES  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY. — I  took  out  of  the  bed  of  the 
river,  in  the  descent  below  Red  Cedar  Lake,  a  greenish  substance 
attached  to  stone,  having  an  animal  organization  resembling  the 
sponge.  In  our  descent,  the  men  caught,  and  killed  with  their 
poles,  a  proteus.  The  wild  rice,  which  fills  this  part  of  the  river, 
is  monoecious.  The  river  abounds  in  muscles,  among  which  the  spe 
cies  of  unios  is  common,  but  not  of  large  size,  so  far  as  we  observed. 
The  forest  growth  improves  about  this  point,  and  denotes  a  better 
soil  and  climate.  Pine  species  are  still  present,  but  have  become 
more  mixed  with  hard  wood,  and  what  the  French  canoe-men  de 
nominate  "Bois  Franc." 

VALUE  OF  THE  FOLLEAVOINE  FORK. — The  name  by  which  this 
tributary  of  the  Chippewa  is  called,  on  the  Lake  Superior  side, 
namely,  Red  Cedar,  is  quite  inappropriate.  Above  Rice  Lake  it 
is  characterized  by  the  wild  rice  plant,  and  the  name  of  Folleavoine, 
which  we  found  in  use  on  the  Mississippi  border,  better  expresses 
its  character.  The  lower  part  of  the  stream  appears  to  be  not  only 
more  plenteous  in  the  class  of  resources  on  which  an  Indian  popula- 
lation  rely,  but  far  better  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  agriculture, 
grazing,  and  hydraulics. 

MEDAL  OF  THE  THIRD  PRESIDENT. — During  the  assemblages  at 
Rice  Lake,  I  observed  a  lad  called  Ogeima  Geezhick,  or  Chief  Day, 
having  a  Jefferson  medal  around  his  neck.  I  called  him  and  his 
father,  and,  while  inquiring  its  history,  put  a  new  ribbon  to  it.  It 
was  probably  given  by  the  late  Col.  Bolvin,  Indian  agent  at  Prairie 
du  Chien,  to  the  chief  called  Peesh-a-Peevely,  of  Ottawa  Lake. 
The  latter  died  at  his  village,  an  old  man,  last  winter.  He  gave  it 
to  a  young  man  who  was  killed  by  the  Sioux.  His  brother  having 
a  boy  named  after  him,  namely,  Ogeima  Geezhick,  gave  it  to  him. 

WAR-DANCE. — This  ceremony,  together  with  what  is  called  strik- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  387 

ing  the  post ,  was  performed  during  our  stay.  The  warriors,  arrayed 
for  war,  danced  in  a  circle  to  the  music  of  their  drum  and  rattles. 
After  making  a  fixed  number  of  revolutions,  they  stopped  simulta 
neously  and  uttered  the  sharp  war  yell.  A  man  then  stepped  out, 
and,  raising  his  club  and  striking  a  pole  in  the  centre,  related  a  per 
sonal  exploit  in  war.  The  dance  was  then  resumed,  and  terminated 
in  like  manner  by  yells,  when  another  warrior  related  his  exploits. 
This  was  repeated  as  long  as  there  were  exploits  to  tell.  One  of 
the  warriors  had  seven  feathers  in  his  head,  denoting  that  he  had 
marched  seven  times  against  the  enemy.  Another  had  two.  One 
of  the  young  men  asked  for  Lieut.  Clary's  sword,  and  danced  with 
it  in  the  circle. 

An  old  woman,  sitting  in  a  ring  of  women  on  the  left,  when  the 
dancing  and  drumming  had  reached  its  height,  could  not  restrain 
her  feelings.  She  rose  up,  and,  seizing  a  war-club  which  one  of  the 
young  men  gallantly  offered,  joined  the  dance.  As  soon  as  they 
paused,  and  gave  the  war-whoop,  she  stepped  forward  and  shook 
her  club  towards  the  Sioux  lines,  and  related  that  a  war  party  of 
Chippewas  had  gone  to  the  Warwater  River,  and  killed  a  Sioux, 
and  when  they  returned  they  threw  the  scalp  at  her  feet.  A  very 
old,  deaf,  and  gray-headed  man,  tottering  with  age,  also  stepped 
out  to  tell  the  exploits  of  his  youth,  on  the  war  path. 

Among  the  dancers,  I  noticed  a  man  with  a  British  medal.  It 
was  the  medal  of  the  late  Chief  Peesh-a-Peevely,  and  had  probably 
been  given  him  while  the  British  held  the  supremacy  in  the  country. 
I  explained  to  him  that  it  was  a  symbol  of  nationality,  which  it  was 
now  improper  to  display  as  such.  That  I  would  recognize  the  per 
sonal  authority  of  it,  by  exchanging  for  it  an  American  silver  medal 
of  equal  size. 

ORNITHOLOGY. — While  at  Rice  Lake,  I  heard,  for  the  first  time, 
the  meadow-lark,  and  should  judge  it  a  favorite  place  for  birds 
obtaining  their  food.  The  thirteen  striped  squirrel  is  also  common. 
A  quantity  of  the  fresh-water  shells  of  the  lake  were,  at  my  request, 
brought  in  by  the  Indian  girls.  There  was  very  little  variety. 
Most  of  them  were  unios  of  a  small  size. 

I  found  the  entire  population  to  be  one  hundred  and  forty-two 
souls,  of  whom  eleven  were  absent. 

One  of  the  last  acts  of  Neenaba  was  to  present  a  pipe  and  speech, 


388  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

to  be  forwarded  to  the  President,  to  request  him  to  use  his  power 
to  prevent  the  Sioux  from  crossing  the  lines.  Having  now  finished 
repairing  my  canoes,  I  embarked  on  the  ninth,  at  three  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  and  went  down  the  river  four  hours  and  a  half,  pro 
bably  about  eighteen  miles,  and  encamped.  Encountered  four 
Indians,  from  whom  we  obtained  some  pieces  of  venison.  During 
the  night  wolves  set  up  their  howls  near  our  camp,  a  sure  sign  that 
we  were  in  a  deer  country. 

A  PRAIRIE  COUNTRY. — The  next  morning  (10th  Aug.)  we  em 
barked  at  five,  and  remained  in  our  canoes  till  ten  A.  M.,  when 
we  landed  for  breakfast.  We  had  now  entered  a  prairie  country, 
of  a  pleasing  and  picturesque  aspect.  We  observed  a  red  deer  during 
the  morning;  we  passed  many  hunting  encampments  of  the  Indians, 
and  the  horns  and  bones  of  slaughtered  deers,  and  other  evidences 
of  our  being  in  a  valuable  game  country.  These  signs  continued 
and  increased  after  breakfast.  The  river  had  now  increased  in 
volume,  so  as  to  allow  a  free  navigation,  and  the  men  could  venture 
to  put  out  their  strength  in  following  down  a  current,  always  strong, 
and  often  rapid.  We  were  passing  a  country  of  sylvan  attractions, 
of  great  fertility,  and  abounding  in  deer,  elk,  and  other  animals. 
We  also  saw  a  mink,  and  a  flock  of  brant.  Mr.  Clary  shot  a  tur 
key-buzzard,  the  first  intimation  that  we  had  reached  within  the 
range  of  that  bird.  As  evening  approached  we  saw  a  raccoon  on  a 
fallen  bank.  We  came  at  nightfall  to  the  Kakabika  Falls,  carried 
our  baggage  across  the  portage,  and  encamped  at  the  western  end, 
ready  to  embark  in  the  morning,  having  descended  the  river,  by 
estimation,  seventy  miles.  These  falls  are  over  sandstone,  a  rock 
which  has  shown  itself  at  all  the  rapids  below  Rice  Lake. 

SAW  MILLS. — The  next  morning  (llth)  we  embarked  at  six 
o'clock,  and,  after  descending  strong  and  rapid  waters  for  a  distance 
of  about  fifteen  miles,  reached  the  site  of  a  saw  mill.  A  Mr.  Wal 
lace,  who  with  ten  men  was  in  charge  of  it,  and  was  engaged  in  re 
constructing  a  dam  that  had  been  carried  off  by  the  last  spring 
freshet,  represented  Messrs.  Rolette  and  Lockwood  of  Prairie  du 
Chien.  Another  mill,  he  said,  was  constructed  on  a  creek  just 
below,  and  out  of  sight. 

I  asked  Mr.  Wallace  where  the  lines  between  the  Sioux  and 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  389 

Chippewas  crossed.  He  said  above.  He  had  no  doubt,  however, 
but  that  the  land  belonged  to  the  Chippewas.  He  said  that  no 
Sioux  had  been  here  for  seven  years.  At  that  time  a  mill  was  built 
here,  and  Sioux  came  and  encamped  at  it,  but  they  were  attacked 
by  the  Chippewas  and  several  killed,  since  which  they  have  not 
appeared.  He  told  us  that  this  stream  is  called  the  FOLLEAVOINE. 
The  country  near  the  mills  is  not,  in  fact,  occupied  by  either 
Chippewa  or  Sioux,  in  consequence  of  which  game  is  abundant  on 
it.  We  saw  a  wolf,  on  turning  a  dense  point  of  woods,  in  the 
morning.  The  animal  stood  a  moment,  and  then  turned  and  fled 
into  the  forest.  After  passing  the  mills  we  saw  groups  of  two, 
five  and  four  deer,  and  of  two  wolves  at  separate  points.  Mr. 
Johnston  shot  at  a  flight  of  brant,  and  brought  down  one..  The 
exclamations,  indeed,  of  "  un  loup  !  un  chevreuil!"  were  continu 
ally  in  the  men's  mouths. 

CHIPPEWA  RIVER. — At  twelve  o'clock  precisely  we  came  to  the 
confluence  of  this  fork  with  the  main  stream.  The  Chippewa  is 
a  noble  mass  of  water,  flowing  with  a  wide  sweeping  majesty  to 
the  Mississippi.  It  excites  the  idea  of  magnitude.  Wide  plains, 
and  the  most  sylvan  and  picturesque  hills  bound  the  view.  We 
abandoned  our  smallest  canoe  at  this  point,  and,  pushing  into  the 
central  channel  of  the  grand  current,  pursued  for  six  hours  our 
way  to  its  mouth,  where  we  encamped  on  a  long  spit  of  naked 
sand,  which  marked  its  entrance  into  the  Mississippi. 

SNAKE. — The  only  thing  that  opposed  our  passage  was  a  large 
serpent  in  the  centre  of  the  channel,  whose  liberty  being  impinged, 
coiled  himself  up,  and  raised  his  head  in  defiance.  Its  colors  were 
greenish-yellow  and  brownish.  It  appeared  to  be  of  the  thick 
ness  at  the  maximum  of  a  man's  wrist.  The  bowsman  struck  it 
with  a  pole,  not  without  some  trepidation  at  his  proximity  to  the 
reptile,  but  it  made  off,  apparently  unhurt,  or  not  disabled. 

MONT  LE  GARDE. — The  picturesque  and  grass-clad  elevation 
called  Le  Crarde  by  the  canoe-men,  attracted  our  notice.  It  is  a 
high  hill,  the  top  of  which  commands  a  view  of  the  whole  length 
of  Lake  Pepin,  where  Chippewa  war  parties  look  out  for  their 
enemies.  It  was  from  this  elevation  that  Kewaynokwut's  party 


390  PERSONAL  MEMOIR& 

spied  poor  Finley  and  his  men  in  1824,  and  there  could  have  been 
no  reason  whatever  for  mistaking  their  character,  for  he  had  a 
linen  tent  and  other  unmistakeable  insignia  of  a  trader. 

The  Chippewa  enters  the  Mississippi  by  several  channels,  which 
at  this  stage  of  the  water,  are  formed  by  long  sand  bars,  which  are 
but  a  few  inches  above  the  water.  The  tracks  of  deer  and  elk  were 
abundant  on  these  bars.  We  had  found  something  of  this  kind  on 
a  bar  of  the  Folleavoine  below  the  mills,  where  we  landed  to  dry  the 
doctor's  herbarium  and  press,  which  had  been  knocked  overboard 
in  a  rapid.  The  tracks  of  elk  at  that  spot  were  as  numerous  as 
those  of  cattle  in  a  barn  yard.  There  are  high  hills  on  the  west 
banks  of  the  Mississippi  opposite  the  entrance,  and  an  enchanting 
view  is  had  of  the  foot  of  Lake  Pepin  and  its  beautiful  shores. 

Deer  appear  to  come  on  to  these  sand  bars  at  night,  to  avoid 
the  mosquitoes.  Wolves  follow  them.  We  estimate  our  distance 
at  forty  miles,  inclusive  of  the  stop  at  the  mill.  We  had  the  brant 
roasted  on  a  stick  for  supper. 

DESCENT  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI. — We  embarked  on  our  descent  at 
four  o'clock  A.  M.  We  passed  three  canoes  of  Sioux  men  with 
their  families.  The  canoes  were  wooden.  We  stopped  alongside, 
and  gave  them  tobacco.  The  women  club  their  hair  like  the  Chip- 
pewas,  and  wear  short  gowns  of  cloth.  Soon  afterwards  we  over 
took  four  Sioux  of  Wabashaw's  band,  in  a  canoe.  We  stopped 
for  breakfast  at  nine  o'clock,  under  a  high  shore  on  the  west  bank. 
Found  fine  unios  of  a  large  size,  very  abundant  on  a  little  sandy 
bay.  I  found  the  unio  alatus,  overtus,  rugosus  and  giblosus,  also 
some  anadontas.  The  Sioux  came  up,  and  gave  us  to  understand 
that  a  murder  had  been  committed  by  the  Menomonies  in  the  mine 
country.  Some  of  my  voyageurs  laughed  outright  to  hear  the 
Sioux  language  spoken,  the  sound  of  its  frequent  palatals  falling 
very  flat  on  men's  ears  accustomed  only  to  the  Algonquin. 

Sioux  VILLAGE.  —  About  two  o'clock,  having  taken  a  right- 
hand  fork  of  the  river,  we  unexpectedly  came  to  a  Sioux  village, 
consisting  of  a  part  of  Wabashaw's  band,  under  Wah-koo-ta. 
Landed  and  found  a  Sioux  who  could  speak  Chippewa,  and  serve 
as  interpreter.  I  informed  them  of  my  route  and  the  object  of 
my  visit,  and  of  my  having  communicated  a  message  with  warn- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  391 

pum  and  tobacco  to  Wabashaw.  They  told  us  that  the  Menomo- 
nies  had  killed  twenty-five  Foxes  at  Prairie  du  Chien  a  few  days 
ago,  having  first  made  them  drunk,  and  then  cut  their  throats  and 
scalped  them.  We  encamped,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
under  high  cliffs  on  the  west  shore,  having  been  fifteen  hours  in 
our  canoes.  Found  mint  among  the  high  grass,  where  our  tent 
poles  were  put.  On  the  next  morning  we  set  off  at  half-past  four 
o'clock,  and  went  until  ten  to  breakfast.  At  a  low  point  of  land 
of  the  shore,  we  had  a  view  of  a  red  fox,  who  scampered  away 
gayly.  He  had  been  probably  gleaning  among  the  shell-fish  along 
shore. 

At  a  subsequent  point  we  met  a  boat  laden  with  Indian  goods, 
bound  to  St.  Peters,  and  manned  by  Canadians.  The  person  in 
charge  of  it  informed  us  that  it  was  Menomonies  and  not  Foxes 
who  had,  to  the  number  of  twenty-six,  been  recently  murdered. 

GENERAL  IMPRESSION  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI. — The  engrossing 
idea,  in  passing  down  the  Mississippi,  is  the  power  of  its  waters 
during  the  spring  flood.  Trees  carried  from  above  are  piled  on 
the  heads  of  islands,  and  also  lie,  like  vast  stranded  rocks,  on  its 
sand  bars  and  lower  shores.  Generally  the  butt  ends  and  roots 
are  elevated  in  the  air,  and  remain  like  gibbeted  men  by  the  road 
side,  to  tell  the  traveler  of  the  POWER  once  exerted  there. 

We  traveled  till  near  ten  o'clock  (13th)  in  the  morning,  when 
we  reached  and  encamped  at  Prairie  du  Chien. 


392  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER   XLI. 

Death  of  Mr.  Monroe — Affair  of  the  massacre  of  the  Menomonies  by  the 
Foxes — Descent  to  Galena — Trip  in  the  lead  mine  country  to  Fort  Win- 
nebago — Gratiot's  Grove — Sac  and  Fox  disturbances — Black  Hawk — Irish 
Diggings — Willow  Springs — Yanmater's  lead — An  escape  from  falling  into 
a  pit — Mineral  Point — Ansley's  copper  mine — Gen.  Dodge's — Mr.  Brig- 
ham's — Sugar  Creek — Four  Lakes — Seven  Mile  Prairie — A  night  in  the 
woods — Reach  Fort  Winnebago — Return  to  the  Sault — Political  changes 
in  the  cabinet — Gov.  Cass  called  to  Washington — Religious  changes — G. 
B.  Porter  appointed  Governor — Natural  history — Character  of  the  new 
governor — Arrival  of  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter — Organization  of  a  church. 

1831,  Aug.  ~L4;th.  ONE  of  the  first  things  we  heard,  on  reach 
ing  Prairie  du  Chien,  was  the  death  of  ex-President  Monroe,  which 
happened  on  the  4th  of  July,  at  the  City  of  New  York.  The  de 
mise  of  three  ex-Presidents  of  the  revolutionary  era  (Jefferson, 
Adams,  and  Monroe),  on  this  political  jubilee  of  the  republic,  is 
certainly  extraordinary,  and  appears,  so  far  as  human  judgment 
goes,  to  lend  a  providential  sanction  to  the  bold  act  of  confederated 
resistance  to  taxation  and  oppression,  made  in  1776. 

The  affray  between  the  Foxes  and  Menomonies  turns  out  thus. 
The  Foxes  had  killed  a  young  Menomonie  hunter,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Wisconsin,  and  cut  off  his  head.  The  Menomonies  had  re 
taliated  by  killing  Foxes.  The  Foxes  then  made  a  war  party 
against  the  Menomonies,  and  went  up  the  Mississippi  in  search  of 
them.  They  did  not  find  them,  till  their  return,  when  they  dis 
covered  a  Menomonie  encampment  on  the  upper  part  of  the  Prairie. 
They  instantly  attacked  them,  and  killed  seven  men,  five  women, 
and  thirteen  children.  The  act  was  perfectly  dastardly,  for  the 
Menomonies  were  some  domestic  lodges  of  persons  living,  as  non- 
combatants,  under  the  guns  of  the  fort  and  the  civil  institutions  of 
the  town.  The  Menomonies  complained  to  me.  I  told  them  to 
go  to  their  Agent,  and  have  a  proper  statement  of  the  massacre 
drawn  up  by  him,  and  transir '  '  ed  to  Washington. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  393 

I  called  on  the  commanding  officer,  Captain  Loomis,  and  accept 
ed  his  invitation  to  dine.  He  introduced  me  to  Mr.  Street,  the 
Indian  Agent.  At  four  o'clock  in  the  evening,  I  embarked  for 
Galena,  and,  after  descending  the  Mississippi  as  long  as  daylight 
lasted,  encamped  on  a  sand  bar.  The  next  morning  (15th),  we 
were  again  in  motion  before  5  o'clock.  "We  passed  Cassville  and 
Dubuque  at  successive  points,  and,  entering  the  river  of  Galena, 
reached  the  town  about  half-past  eight  o'clock,  in  the  evening, 
and  encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  river. 

On  the  following  day  (16th)  I  dispatched  my  canoe  back  to  the 
Wisconsin  in  charge  of  Mr.  Johnston,  accompanied  by  Dr.  D. 
Houghton,  and  Mr.  Melancthon  Woolsey,  with  directions  to  meet 
me  at  the  portage.  I  then  hired  a  light  wagon  to  visit  the  mine 
country,  taking  letters  from  Captain  Legate,  U.  S.  A.,  and  Mr. 
C.  Hemstead.  Mr.  Bennet,  the  landlord,  went  with  me  to  bring 
back  the  team.  We  left  Galena  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning 
(17th),  and,  passing  over  an  open,  rolling  country,  reached  Gratiot's 
Grove,  at  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles.  The  Messrs.  Gratiot  received 
me  kindly,  and  showed  me  the  various  ores,  and  their  mode  of 
preparing  and  smelting  them,  which  are,  in  all  respects,  similar  to 
the  method  pursued  in  Missouri,  with  which  I  was  familiar. 

Mr.  Henry  Gratiot  was  the  sub-Indian  agent  for  the  Winneba- 
goes,  and  was  present  at  the  late  disturbances  at  the  head  of  Rock 
Island.  His  band  is  the  Winnebagoes  living  on  Rock  River,  which 
is  the  residence  of  their  prophet.  He  says  the  latter  is  a  half  Sauk, 
and  a  very  shrewd,  cunning  man.  They  are  peaceable  now,  and 
disclaim  all  connection  with  Black  Hawk,  for  war  purposes.  Mr. 
G.  assured  me  that  he  places  no  confidence  in  these  declarations, 
nor  in  the  stability  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes.  He  deems  the  latter 
treacherous,  as  usual,  and  related  to  me  several  acts  of  their 
former  villainy — all  in  accordance  with  their  late  attack  and  murder 
of  the  Menomonies  at  Prairie  du  Chien.  This  murder  was  com 
mitted  by  a  part  of  Black  Hawk's  band,  who  had  been  driven  from 
their  villages  on  the  Mississippi  below  the  rapids.  They  ascended 
the  river  to  Dubuque — from  thence  the  party  set  out,  and  fell  on 
the  unsuspicious  and  defenceless  Menomonies. 

Having  examined  whatever  was  deemed  worthy  of  attention  here, 
I  drove  on  about  fifteen  miles  to  Willow  Springs.  In  this  drive 
we  had  the  Platte  Mounds,  a  promir-*  '*,t  object,  all  the  afternoon  on 


394  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

our  left.  We  stopped  at  Irish  Diggings,  and  I  took  specimens  of 
the  various  spars,  ores,  and  rocks.  Lead  ore  is  found  here  in  fis 
sures  in  the  rock.  An  extraordinary  mass  of  galena  was  recently 
discovered,  in  this  geological  position,  by  two  men  named  Doyle 
and  Hanley.  It  is  stated  to  have  been  twenty-two  feet  wide  by 
one  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  weighed  many  tons.  It  was  of  the 
l^ind  of  formation  called  sheet  mineral,  which  occupies  what  ap 
pears  to  have  once  been  an  open  fissure. 

The  face  of  the  country  is  exceedingly  beautiful,  the  soil  fertile, 
and  bearing  oaks  and  shagbark  hickory.  Grass  and  flowers  cover 
the  prairies  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  The  hills  are  moderately 
elevated,  and  the  roads  excellent,  except  for  short  distances  where 
streams  are  crossed.  We  passed  the  night  at  Willow  Springs, 
where  we  were  well  accommodated  by  Mr.  Ray. 

On  the  18th  it  rained  in  the  morning.  We  stopped  at  Kocky 
Branch  Diggings,  and  I  obtained  here  some  interesting  specimens. 
We  also  stopped  at  Bracken's  Furnace,  where  I  procured  some 
organic  remains.  I  examined  Vanmater's  lead;  it  runs  east  and 
west  nearly  nine  miles.  There  was  so  much  certainty  in  tracing 
the  course  of  this  lead,  that  it  was  sought  out  with  a  compass.  The 
top  strata  are  thirty-six  to  forty  feet — then  the  mineral  clay  and 
galena  occur. 

While  examining  some  large  specimens  which  had  been  thrown 
out  of  an  old  pit  forty  feet  deep,  whose  edges  were  concealed  by 
bushes,  I  had  nearly  fallen  in  backwards,  by  which  I  should  have 
been  inevitably  killed.  The  fate  that  I  escaped  fell  to  the  lot  of 
Bennet's  dog.  The  poor  fellow  jumped  over  the  cluster  of  bushes 
without  seeing  the  pit  beyond.  By  looking  down  we  could  see 
that  he  was  still  living.  Mr.  Vanmater  promised  to  erect  a  wind 
lass  over  the  pit  and  get  him  out  before  Mr.  Bennet  returned. 

We  reached  Mineral  Point  about  eleven  o'clock.  I  immediately 
called  on  Mr.  Ansley,  to  whom  I  had  a  letter,  and  went  with  him 
to  visit  his  copper  ore  discovery.  On  the  way  he  lost  his  mule, 
and,  after  some  exertions  to  catch  the  animal,  being  under  the  effects 
of  a  fever  and  ague,  he  went  back.  A  Mr.  Black  went  with  me  to 
the  diggings.  Green  and  blue  carbonates  of  copper  were  found  in 
rolled  lumps  in  the  clay  soil,  much  like  that  kind  of  lead  ore  which 
is  called,  from  its  abraded  form,  gravel  ore.  Taking  specimens  of 
each  kind  of  ore,  I  went  back  to  the  town  to  dinner,  and  then 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  395 

drove  on  two  or  three  miles  to  General  Dodge's.  The  General 
received  me  with  great  urbanity.  I  was  introduced  to  his  son 
Augustus,  a  young  gentleman  of  striking  and  agreeable  manners. 
Mrs.  Dodge  had  prepared  in  a  few  moments  a  cup  of  coffee,  which 
formed  a  very  acceptable  appendage  to  my  late  dinner.  We  then 
continued  our  way,  passing  through  Dodgeville  to  Porter's  Grove, 
where  we  stopped  for  the  night,  and  were  made  very  comfortable 
at  Morrison's. 

On  the  19th  we  drove  to  breakfast  at  Brigham's  at  the  Blue 
Mounds.  I  here  found  in  my  host  my  old  friend  with  whom  I  had 
set  out  from  Pittsburgh  for  the  western  world  some  thirteen  or 
fourteen  years  before,  and  whom  I  last  saw,  I  believe,  fighting  with 
the  crows  on  the  Illinois  bottoms  for  the  produce  of  a  fine  field  of 
corn.  I  went  on  to  the  mound  with  him  to  view  the  extraordinary 
growth  of  the  same  grain  at  this  place.  The  stalks  were  so  high 
that  it  really  required  a  tall  man  to  reach  up  and  pull  off  the  ears. 

Ten  miles  beyond  Brigham's  we  came  to  Sugar  Creek  and  a  tree 
marked  by  Mr.  Lyon.  From  this  point  we  found  the  trail  mea 
sured  and  mile  stakes  driven  by  Mr.  Lyon's  party,  but  the  Indians 
have  removed  several.  From  Sugar  Creek  it  is  ten  miles  to  the 
head  of  the  Four  Lakes.  We  then  crossed  the  Seven  Mile  Prairie. 
To  the  left  as  we  passed  there  rose  a  high  point  of  rocks,  on  the 
top  of  which  the  Indians  had  placed  image  stones.  Night  overtook 
us  soon  after  crossing  this  prairie.  We  took  the  horse  out  of  the 
shafts  and  tied  him  to  the  wagon.  My  friend  Bennet,  though  au 
fait  on  these  trips,  failed  to  strike  a  fire.  We  ate  something,  and 
made  shift  to  pass  the  night. 

Next  morning  we  drove  twelve  miles  to  a  house  (Hasting's), 
where  we  got  breakfast.  We  drove  through  Duck  Creek  with  some 
ado,  the  skies  threatening  rain,  and  came  in  to  Fort  Winnebago 
by  one  o'clock,  during  a  pouring  rain.  The  canoes  sent  from 
Galena  had  not  yet  arrived.  I  spent  the  next  day  at  the  Winne 
bago  agency,  Mr.  John  H.  Kinzie's,  where  I  was  received  with 
great  kindness.  The  canoe  with  Dr.  Houghton  and  his  companions 
did  not  arrive  till  the  23d,  and  I  embarked  the  same  day  on  my 
return  to  St.  Mary's.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  describe  this 
route.  We  were  three  days  in  descending  the  Fox  River  and  its 
portages  to  Green  Bay.  It  required  eight  days  to  traverse  the 


396  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

shores  and  bays  to  Mackinack,  and  three  more  to  reach  St.  Mary's, 
where  I  arrived  on  the  4th  of  September. 

During  my  absence  on  this  expedition,  there  were  some  things 
in  my  correspondence  that  require  notice.  Gen.  Cass  had  been 
transferred  to  the  War  Office  at  Washington.  He  writes  to  me 
from  Detroit  (July  22d) :  "Very  much  to  my  surprise  I  have 
found  myself  called  to  another  sphere  of  action.  The  change  I 
am  afraid  will  be  not  less  unfavorable  to  my  health  and  comfort 
than  it  certainly  is  adverse  to  my  pecuniary  interest.  But  I  am 
forced  by  irresistible  circumstances  to  accept  the  appointment.  I 
have  no  time  to  detail  these  now.  When  I  next  have  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  you,  I  will  fully  lay  them  open  to  you.  You  will  then 
see  and  say  that  no  other  choice  was  before  me." 

Gen.  Eaton,  the  former  incumbent,  goes  out  as  minister  to 
Spain.  The  most  important  aspect  is,  perhaps,  that  we  shall  have 
a  new  governor,  under  whose  rule  we  shall  be  happy,  if  he  does 
not  rashly  derange  Indian  affairs  in  a  too  eager  zeal  to  mend  them. 
For  a  long  and  eventful  era  Gen.  Cass  has  presided  as  an  umpire 
between  the  Indian  tribes  and  the  citizens.  His  force  and  ur 
banity  of  character  have  equally  inspired  the  respect  of  both. 
He  has  equally  secured  the  confidence  of  every  class  of  citizens 
in  a  wise  civil  administration  of  affairs.  He  has  carried  the  ter 
ritory  from  a  state  of  war  and  desolation,  which  it  presented  at 
the  close  of  1815,  when  the  whole  population  was  less  than  three 
thousand  souls,  to  a  state  of  sound  prosperity,  which,  in  a  few 
years,  will  develop  resources  that  must  class  us  one  of  the  first 
of  the  Lake  States. 

July  2Qth.  The  Rev.  Absalom  Peters,  Sec.  Home  Miss.  Society, 
holds  out  the  prospect  of  bringing  our  remote  position,  at  the  foot 
of  Lake  Superior,  within  the  pale  of  the  operations  of  that  society. 
He  views  and  describes  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  who 
may,  probably,  be  induced  to  venture  himself  on  this  frontier. 
He  asks  :  "  Please  to  say  whether  you  desire  such  a  man  as  I 
have  described  ?  Will  it  be  best  for  him  to  go  this  fall,  or  wait 
until  next  spring  ?  How  much  can  you  raise  for  his  support  ? 
How  much  will  be  necessary  to  sustain  him  and  his  family  with 
suitable  economy  ?  What  will  be  his  peculiar  trials  ?" 

Aug.  23d.  It  is  announced  that  Mr.  Geo.  B.  Porter,  of  Lan 
caster,  Penn.,  is  to  be  the  new  governor. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  397 

Oct.  4:th.  The  last  mail  brings  me  a  letter  from  an  early  and 
esteemed  friend,  a  Prof,  in  the  Med.  Col.  at  New  York,  offering 
me  congratulations  on  the  moral  stand  recently  taken  by  me. 
Approvals,  indeed,  of  this  act  reach  me  from  many  quarters.  The 
way  seemed  open,  with  very  little  exertion  on  my  part,  to  run  a  poli 
tical  course.  But  my  impressions  were  averse  to  it.  There  is  so  much 
of  independent  honest  opinion  to  be  offered  up  by  politicians — such 
continual  calls  to  forsake  the  right  for  the  expedient — such  large 
sacrifices  to  be  made  in  various  ways  to  the  god  of  public  opinion, 
that  a  political  career  is  rather  startling  to  a  quiet,  unambitious, 
home-loving  individual  like  myself,  one,  too,  who  is  largely  inte 
rested  in  other  studies  and  pursuits,  the  rewards  of  which  are  not, 
indeed,  very  prompt,  very  sure,  nor  very  full ;  but  they  are 
fraught  with  gratifications  of  a  more  enduring  kind,  and  furnish 
aliment  to  moral  conceptions  which  exalt  and  purify  the  soul. 

Dr.  Torrey  also  alludes,  in  the  same  letter,  to  my  recent  journey 
in  the  Indian  country  :  "I  am  anxious  to  make  some  inquiries  of 
you  concerning  your  expedition  to  the  Palls  of  St.  Anthony,  &c. 
Though  your  principal  object  was  more  important,  perhaps,  than 
natural  science,  I  hope  the  latter  was  not  entirely  neglected.  I 
know  that  you  have  heretofore  devoted  as  much  of  your  attention 
as  possible  to  the  observation  of  natural  objects,  and  the  preserva 
tion  of  specimens,  and  your  last  expedition  was  through  a  country 
well  deserving  of  your  highest  exertions.  I  know  that  part  of  it  is 
the  same  as  that  explored  while  you  attended  Gov.  Cass,  many 
years  ago  ;  but  much  of  the  ground,  if  I  am  rightly  informed,  is 
new.  You  know  that  I  have  long  devoted  much  of  my  time  to 
the  study  of  N.  American  botany,  and  that  I  am  collecting  mate 
rials  for  a  general  Flora  of  our  country.  Now,  my  dear  sir,  if 
you  or  Mr.  Houghton  (the  young  gentleman  whom,  I  am  informed, 
accompanied  you)  have  made  any  collections  in  botany,  I  should 
esteem  it  a  peculiar  favor  to  have  the  examination  of  the  speci 
mens. 

"  Our  Lyceum  prospers.  We  have  removed  to  the  N.  Y.  Dis 
pensatory,  a  new  building  lately  erected  in  White  Street,  where 
we  have  excellent  accommodations.  The  Corporation  of  the  city 
had  use  for  the  N.  Y.  Institution,  and  nearly  all  the  societies  who 
occupied  it  have  been  obliged  to  decamp.  You  doubtless  have 
heard  of  the  death  of  Dr.  Mitchell.  Dr.  Akerly  will  pronounce 


398  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

his  eulogy  soon,  and  probably  Dr.  Hosick  will  give  a  more  elabo 
rate  account  of  his  life. 

"  Mr.  Cooper  now  devotes  himself  to  shells  and  birds.  If  you 
have  anything  rare  or  new  in  these  departments,  we  should  be 
greatly  obliged  to  you  for  such  specimens  as  you  can  spare. 

"  Dr.  Dekay  went  to  Russia  with  his  father,  Mr.  Eckford,  last 
summer." 

23c?.  A  friend  and  shrewd  observer  from  Detroit,  writes : 
"  You  ask  how  we  like  our  new  Governor.  Very  well.  He  is  a 
well-informed  plain  man,  unassuming  in  his  manners  and  conciliat 
ory,  always  ready  for  business,  and  accustomed  to  do  everything 
en  ordre.  His  wife  is  a  fine-looking  agreeable  woman,  with  seve 
ral  pretty  well-behaved  children." 

Another  correspondent  says  :  "  Mr.  Porter  is  very  much  such 
a  man  as  A.  E.  Wing,  and  will,  no  doubt,  generally  suit  the 
citizens  of  the  territory." 

30th.  W.  Ward,  Esq.,  says  :  "  I  remove  hence  to  Washington, 
with  no  certain  prospects,  only  hopes.  I  cannot  go  without 
thanking  you  for  much  enjoyment  in  the  hours  passed  with  you, 
and  for  the  manifestations  of  interest  and  friendship." 

Nov.  \Wi.  Rev.  W.  S.  Boutwell  says:  "  I  am  happy  to  hear 
that  my  friend  and  classmate,  Porter,  is  at  Mackinack,  on  his  way 
to  this  people.  The  Lord  speed  him  on  his  way." 

22d.  Dr.  Houghton  writes  from  Fredonia,  communicating  the 
results  of  his  analyses  of  the  Lake  Superior  copper-ores. 

Dec.  31s£.  The  person  named  in  a  prior  letter  from  the  Home 
Missionary  Society,  prefers  a  more  southerly  location,  in  conse 
quence  of  which  a  new  selection  has  been  made  by  Dr.  Peters,  in 
the  person  of  Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter,  a  graduate  of  Princeton  and 
Andover,  and  a  lineal  descendant,  I  understand,  by  the  mother's 
side,  of  the  great  Dr.  Edwards.  We  have  been  favorably  im 
pressed  by  the  manner  and  deportment,  and  not  less  so  by  the 
piety  and  learning  of  the  man.  I  felt  happy,  the  moment  of  his 
landing,  in  offering  him  a  furnished  chamber,  bed  and  plate,  at 
Elmwood,  while  residing  on  this  frontier.  He  has  taken  steps  to 
organize  a  church.  He  preaches  in  an  animated  and  persuasive 
style,  and  has  commenced  a  system  of  moral  instruction  in  detail, 
which,  in  our  local  history,  constitutes  an  era.  It  has  been  writ 
ten  that  "  where  vice  abounds,  grace  shall  much  more  abound," 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  399 

and  St.  Mary's  may  now  be  well  included  in  the  list  of  favorable 
examples.  The  lordly  "wassail"  of  the  fur-trader,  the  long-con 
tinued  dance  of  the  gay  French  "  habitant,"  the  roll  of  the  billiard- 
ball,  the  shuffle  of  the  card,  and  the  frequent  potations  of  wine 
"when  it  is  red  in  the  cup,"  will  now,  at  least,  no  longer  retain 
their  places  in  the  customs  of  this  spot  on  the  frontier  without  the 
hope  of  having  their  immoral  tendencies  pointed  out.  Some  of 
the  soldiers  have  also  shown  a  disposition  to  attend  the  several 
meetings  for  instruction.  The  claims  of  temperance  have  likewise 
led  to  an  organized  effort,  and  if  the  pious  and  gentle  Mr.  Laird 
were  permitted  once  again  to  visit  the  place,  after  a  lapse  of 
seven  years,  he  might  fervently  exclaim,  in  the  language  of  the 
Gospel,  "  What  hath  God  wrought  ?" 


400  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XLII. 

Revival  of  St.  Mary's — Rejection  of  Mr.  Van  Buren  as  Minister  to  England 
— Botany  and  Natural  History  of  the  North-west — Project  of  a  new  ex 
pedition  to  find  the  Sources  of  the  Mississippi — Algic  Society — Consolida 
tion  of  the  Agencies  of  St.  Mary's  and  Michilimackinack — Good  effects  of 
the  American  Home  Missionary  Society — Organization  of  a  new  inland 
exploring  expedition  committed  to  me — Its  objects  and  composition  of  the 
corps  of  observers. 

1832,  Jan.  31s£.  I  WAS  now  to  spend  a  winter  to  aid  a  preacher 
in  promoting  the  diffusion  and  understanding  of  the  detailed  facts, 
"which  all  go  to  establish  a  great  truth — a  truth  which  was  first 
brought  to  the  world's  notice  eighteen  hundred  and  thirty-two 
years  before,  namely,  that  God,  who  was  incarnate  in  the  Messiah, 
under  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  offered  himself  a  public  sacrifice 
for  human  sins,  amidst  the  most  striking  and  imposing  circum 
stances  of  a  Roman  execution — a  fact  which,  in  an  age  of  extra 
ordinary  moral  stolidity  and  ecclesiastical  delusion,  was  regarded 
as  the  behest  of  a  mere  human  tribunal. 

For  this  work  the  circumstances  of  our  position  and  exclusion 
from  society  was  very  favorable.  The  world,  with  all  its  political 
and  commercial  care,  was,  in  fact,  shut  out  with  the  closing  of  the 
river.  Three  hundred  miles  of  a  waste,  howling  wilderness  sepa 
rated  us  south-easterly  from  the  settlements  at  Detroit.  Ninety 
miles  in  a  south-westerly  direction  lay  the  island  and  little  settle 
ment  and  mission  of  Mackinack. 

In  addition  to  the  exertions  of  Mr.  Porter,  who  was  our  pastor, 
the  winter  had  enclosed,  at  that  point,  a  zealous  missionary  of  the 
American  Board,  destined  for  a  more  northerly  position,  in  the 
person  of  Mr.  Boutwell,  who  with  the  person,  Mr.  Bingham,  in 
charge  of  the  Indian  mission  at  the  same  point,  maintained  by 
the  Baptist  Convention,  constituted  a  moral  force  that  was  not 
likely  to  be  without  its  results.  They  derived  mutual  aid  from 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  401 

each  other  in  various  ways,  and  directed  their  entire  efforts  upon 
a  limited  community,  wholly  excluded  from  open  contact  with  the 
busy  world,  and  having,  by  their  very  isolation,  much  leisure. 

The  result  was  an  awakened  attention  to  the  truth,  to  which  I 
have  adverted,  not  as  a  mere  historical  event,  but  one  personally 
interesting  and  important  to  every  person,  without  regard  at  all 
to  their  circumstances  or  position.  Severity  of  climate,  deep 
snows,  the  temperature  often  below  zero,  and  frequently  but  little 
above,  blinding  snow  storms,  and  every  inconvenience  of  the  place 
or  places  of  meeting,  appeared  only  to  have  the  effect  to  give 
greater  efficacy  to  the  inquiry,  as  the  workings  of  unshackled  mind 
and  will.  Early  in  the  season,  a  comparatively  large  number  of 
persons  of  every  class  deemed  it  their  duty  to  profess  a  personal 
interest  in  the  atonement,  the  great  truth  dwelt  on,  and  made 
eventually  a  profession  of  faith  by  uniting  with,  and  recording 
their  names  as  members  of  some  branch  of  the  church.  Among 
these  were  several  natives.  Mrs.  Johnston,  known  to  her  people 
by  the  name  of  the  Sha-go-wash-co-da-wa-qua,  being  the  most 
noted.  Also  four  of  her  daughters,  and  one  of  her  sons,  one  or 
two  Catholic  soldiers,  several  officers  of  Fort  Brady,  citizens, 
&c.,  &c. 

This  statement  will  tend  to  render  many  of  the  allusions  in  my 
journal  of  this  winter's  transactions  intelligible.  Indeed  some  of 
them  would  riot  be  at  all  understood  without  it.  Historically  con 
sidered,  there  was  deep  instruction  "  hid"  in  this  event.  It  was 
now  precisely  222  years  since  the  Puritans,  with  the  principles  of 
the  Scriptures  for  their  guidance,  in  fleeing  to  lay  the  foundation 
of  a  new  government  in  the  West,  had  landed  at  Plymouth.  It 
had  required  this  time,  leaving  events  to  develop  themselves,  for 
the  circle  of  civilization  to  reach  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior.  Ten 
years  after  the  first  landing  at  this  remote  spot  in  1822,  had  been 
sufficient  to  warm  these  ancient  principles  into  life.  John  Eliot, 
and  the  band  of  eminent  saints  who  began  the  labor  with  him  in 
1632,  had  been  centuries  in  their  tombs,  but  the  great  principles 
which  they  upheld  and  enforced  were  invested  with  the  sacred 
vitality  which  they  possessed  at  that  day.  Two  truths  are  re 
vealed  by  this  reminiscence.  1.  That  the  Scriptures  will  be  pro 
mulgated  by  human  means.  2.  That  time,  in  the  Divine  mind,  is 
to  be  measured  in  a  more  enlarged  sense  ;  but  the  propagation  of 
26 


402  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

truth  goes  on,  as  obstacle  after  obstacle  is  withdrawn,  surely, 
steadily,  unalterably,  and  that  its  spread  over  the  entire  globe  is 
a  mere  question  of  time. 

Jan.  31sf.  Mr.  Wing,  delegate  in  Congress,  writes  from  Wash 
ington,  that  the  nomination  of  Mr.  Van  Buren  as  minister  to  Eng 
land  has  been  rejected  by  the  Senate,  by  a  majority  of  one — and 
that  one  the  casting  vote  of  the  Vice-President.  A  letter  from 
Albany,  Feb.  1,  says  :  "Albany  (and  the  State  generally)  is  con 
siderably  excited  this  morning  in  consequence  of  the  rejection  of 
Mr.  Van  Buren.  Nothing  could  have  more  promoted  the  interest 
of  Mr.  Van  Buren  than  this  step  of  the  Senate.  New  York  city 
has  resolved  to  receive  him,  on  his  return  from  England,  with  all 
the  i  pomp  and  magnificence  in  its  power,  and  to  show  that  her 
"favorite  son"  shall  be  sustained.'  I  heard  this  read  in  public 
from  a  letter  received  by  a  person  in  this  city." 

"  A  report  reached  this  a  few  days  ago,  stating  that  the  *  cho 
lera'  had  been  brought  to  New  Orleans  in  a  Spanish  vessel." 

"  Mr.  Woolsey,  the  young  gentleman  of  your  tour  last  summer, 
died  at  New  York  a  short  time  since."  In  a  letter  which  he 
wrote  to  me  (Sept.  27th),  on  the  eve  of  his  leaving  Detroit,  he 
says :  "  Permit  me  now,  sir,  in  closing  this  note,  again  to  express 
my  gratitude  for  the  opportunity  you  have  afforded  me  of  visiting  a 
very  interesting  portion  of  our  country,  and  for  the  uniform  kind 
ness  that  I  have  experienced  at  your  hands,  and  for  the  friendly 
wishes,  that  prosperity  may  crown  my  exertions  in  life." 

Dr.  Houghton  says  (Feb.  8)  respecting  this  moral  young  man : 
"  The  tears  of  regret  might  flow  freely  for  the  loss  of  such  true 
unsophisticated  worth,  even  with  those  who  knew  him  imperfectly, 
but  to  me,  who  felt  as  a  brother,  the  loss  is  doubly  great.  We 
have,  however,  when  reflecting  upon  his  untimely  death,  the  sweet 
consolation  that  he  died  as  he  lived,  a  Christian.'' 

Feb.  4th.  Dr.  Torrey  expresses  his  interest  in  the  botany  and 
natural  history,  generally,  of  the  country  visited  by  me  last  summer. 
"  Your  kind  offer  to  place  in  my  hands  the  botanical  rarities  which, 
from  time  to  time,  you  may  acquire,  in  your  interesting  journeys, 
I  fully  appreciate.  It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  examine  the 
collections  made  by  Dr.  Houghton  during  your  last  expedition. 

"  My  friend  Mr.  William  Cooper,  of  the  Lyceum,  will  be  happy 
to  lend  you  all  the  assistance  in  his  power  in  determining  the  shells 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  403 

you  have  collected.  He  is  decidedly  our  best  conchologist  in  New 
York,  and  I  would  rather  trust  him  than  most  men — for  he  is  by 
no  means  afflicted  with  the  mania  of  desiring  to  multiply  new 
species,  which  is,  at  present,  the  bane  of  natural  history. 

"  You  speak  of  having  discovered  some  interesting  minerals,  es 
pecially  some  good  native  copper.  Above  all  the  specimens  which 
you  obtained,  I  should  like  to  see  the  native  magnesia  which  you 
found  in  serpentine.  I  am  desirous  of  analyzing  the  mineral,  to 
ascertain  whether  its  composition  agrees  with  that  of  Hoboken 
and  Unst  (the  only  recorded  localities  in  our  mineralogical  works)." 

13^.  Submitted,  in  a  letter  to  the  department  at  Washington, 
A  PROJECT  of  an  expedition  to  the  North-west,  during  the  ensuing 
season,  in  order  to  carry  out  the  views  expressed  in  the  instructions 
of  last  year,  to  preserve  peace  on  the  western  frontiers,  inclosing 
the  necessary  estimates,  &c. 

~LQth.  Mr.  W.  H.  Sherman,  of  Yernon,  N.  Y.,  communicates 
intelligence  of  the  death  of  my  mother,  which  took  place  about 
ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  this  day.  She  was  seventy-five 
years  of  age,  and  a  Christian — and  died  as  she  had  lived,  in  a  full 
hope.  I  had  read  the  letters  before  breakfast,  and  while  the  family 
were  assembling  for  prayers.  I  had  announced  the  fact  with  great 
composure,  and  afterward  proceeded  to  read  in  course  the  42d 
Psalm,  and  went  on  well,  until  I  came  to  the  verse — "Why  art 
thou  cast  down,  0  my  soul  ?  and  why  art  thou  disquieted  within 
me?  Hope  thou  in  God:  for  I  shall  yet  praise  him,  who  is  the 
health  of  my  countenance,  and  my  God." 

The  emotions  of  this  painful  event,  which  I  had  striven  to  con 
ceal,  swelled  up  in  all  their  reality,  my  utterance  was  suddenly 
choked,  and  I  was  obliged  to  close  the  book,  and  wait  for  calmness 
to  go  on. 

28th.  The  initial  steps  were  taken  for  forming  an  association  of 
persons  interested  in  the  cause  of  the  reclamation  of  the  Indians, 
to  be  known  under  the  name  of  the  Algic  Society.  Connected 
with  this,  one  of  its  objects  was  to  collect  and  disseminate  practical 
information  respecting  their  language,  history,  traditions,  customs, 
and  character;  their  numbers  and  condition;  the  geographical 
features  of  the  country  they  inhabit ;  and  its  natural  history  and 
productions. 

It  proposes  some  definite  means  of  action  for  furthering  their 


404  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

moral  instruction,  and  reclamation  from  the  evils  of  intemperance  and 
the  principles  of  war,  and  to  subserve  the  general  purposes  of  a  so 
ciety  of  moral  inquiry.  The  place  was  deemed  favorable  both  for  the 
collection  of  original  information,  and  for  offering  a  helping  hand 
to  missionaries  and  teachers  who  should  visit  the  frontiers  in  car 
rying  forward  the  great  moral  question  of  the  exaltation  of  the 
tribes  from  barbarism  to  civilization  and  Christianity. 

28£/i.  Instructions  are  issued  at  Washington,  consolidating  the 
agencies  of  St.  Mary's  and  Michilimackinack — and  placing  the  joint 
agency  under  my  charge.  By  this  arrangement,  Col.  Boyd,  the 
agent  at  the  latter  point,  is  transferred  to  Green  Bayr  and  I  am 
left  at  liberty  to  reside  at  St.  Mary's  or  Michilimackinack,  placing 
a  sub-agent  at  the  point  where  I  do  not  reside. 

This  measure  is  announced  to  me  in  a  private  letter  of  this  day, 
from  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  says:  "I  think  the  time  has 
arrived  when  a  just  economy  requires  such  a  measure."  By  it 
the  entire  expenses  of  one  full  agency  are  dispensed  with — 
the  duties  of  which  are  devolved  upon  me,  in  addition  to  those  I 
before  had.  By  being  allowed  the  choice  of  selection,  two  hundred 
dollars  are  added  to  my  salary.  Here  is  opened  a  new  field,  and 
certainly  a  very  ample  one,  for  exertions. 

April  8th.  The  object  contemplated  by  invoking  the  aid  of 
the  Home  Missionary  Society,  in  the  establishment  of  a  church 
at  this  remote  point  on  the  frontiers — in  connection  with  the 
means  already  possessed,  and  the  aid  providentially  present, 
have,  it  will  have  been  seen,  had  the  effect  to  work  quite  a  moral 
revolution.  The  evils  of  a  lax  society  have  been  rebuked  in  vari 
ous  ways.  Intemperance  and  disorder  have  been  made  to  stand 
out  as  such,  and  already  a  spirit  of  rendering  the  use,  or  rather 
misuse  of  time,  subservient  to  the  general  purposes  of  social  dissi 
pation,  has  been  shown  to  be  unwise  and  immoral  in  every  view* 
More  than  all,  the  Sabbath-day  has  been  vindicated  as  a  part  of 
time  set  apart  as  holy.  The  claims  and  obligations  of  the  deca 
logue  have  been  enforced ;  and  the  great  truths  of  the  Gospel  thus 
prominently  brought  forward.  The  result  has  been  every  way  pro 
pitious. 

The  Rev.  Wm.  M.  Ferry,  of  Mackinack,  writes  (Feb.  21):  "The 
intelligence  we  have  received  by  your  letters,  Mr.  Boutwell,  £c.? 
of  the  Lord's  doings  among  you,  as  a  people,  at  the  Sault,  has  re- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  405 

joiced  our  hearts  much.  Surely  it  is  with  you  a  time  of  the  right 
hand  of  the  Most  High."  "  All  of  us,"  writes  Mr.  Robert  Stuart 
(March  29)  "  who  love  the  Lord,  were  much  pleased  at  the  indica 
tions  of  God's  goodness  and  presence  among  you." 

The  Rev.  J.  Porter,  in  subsequently  referring  to  the  results  of 
these  additions  to  the  church,  observes,  that  they  embraced  five 
officers  and  four  ladies  of  the  garrison  ;  two  gentlemen  and  seven 
ladies  of  the  settlement,  and  thirty  soldiers  and  four  women  of 
Fort  Brady,  numbering  fifty-two  in  all.  Of  these,  twenty-six  were 
adults  added  by  baptism. 

At  Detroit  a  similar  result  was  experienced.  Mr.  Trowbridge 
writes  (April  8th),  that  about  seventy  persons  united  themselves  a 
few  days  previous  to  Mr.  Wells'  church,  to  which  the  influence  has 
been  principally,  but  not  wholly  confined.  Among  these  were 
many  who  had,  unaffectedly,  listened  to  the  Gospel,  if  not  all  their 
lives,  certainly  no  small  part  of  it. 

May  3d.  Public  instructions  are  issued  for  my  organizing  and 
taking  command  of  an  expedition  to  the  country  upon  the  sources 
of  the  Mississippi  River,  to  effect  a  pacification  between  the  Indian 
tribes,  in  order  to  carry  out,  with  increased  means,  the  efforts  made 
in  1831.  Those  efforts  were  confined  to  tribes  living  in  latitudes 
south  of  St.  Anthony's  Falls.  It  was  now  proposed  to  extend  them 
to  the  Indian  population  living  north  of  that  point,  reaching  to 
the  sources  of  that  river.  This  opened  the  prospect  of  settling  a 
long  contested  point  in  the  geography  of  that  stream,  namely,  its 
actual  source — a  question  in  which  I  had  long  felt  the  deepest 
interest. 

The  outbreak  of  Indian  hostility,  under  Black  Hawk,  which 
characterized  the  summer  of  1832,  was  apprehended,  and  it  became 
the  policy  of  the  Indian  Bureau,  in  the  actual  state  of  its  information, 
to  prevent  the  northern  tribes  from  joining  in  the  Sac  and  Fox 
league  under  that  influential  leader.  I  forwarded  to  the  Superin 
tendent  and  Governor  of  the  territory,  a  report  of  a  message  and 
war-club  sent  to  the  Chippewas  to  join  in  the  war,  for  which  I  was 
indebted  to  the  chief,  Chingwauk,  or  Little  Pine. 

"Reports  from  various  quarters  of  the  Indian  country,"  sayiS 
the  Secretary  of  War,  in  a  private  letter  so  early  as  March  28th, 
"  lead  to  the  belief  that  the  Indians  are  in  an  unsettled  state,  and 


406  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

prudence  requires  that  we  should  advise  and  restrain  them.  I  think 
one  more  tour  would  be  very  useful  in  this  respect,  and  would  com 
plete  our  knowledge  of  the  geography  of  that  region." 

"There  is  a  prospect,"  says  the  official  instructions  (May  3d), 
"  of  extensive  hostilities  among  themselves.  It  is  no  less  the  dic 
tate  of  humanity  than  of  policy  to  repress  this  feeling,  and  to  esta 
blish  permanent  peace  among  the  tribe. 

"  It  is  also  important  to  inspect  the  condition  of  the  trade,  and 
the  conduct  of  the  traders.  To  ascertain  whether  the  regulations 
and  the  laws  are  complied  with,  and  to  suggest  such  alterations  as 
may  be  required.  And,  finally,  to  inquire  into  the  number,  stand 
ing,  disposition,  and  prospect  of  the  Indians,  and  to  report  all  the 
statistical  facts  you  can  procure,  and  which  will  be  useful  to  the 
government  in  its  operations,  or  to  the  community  in  the  investi 
gation  of  these  subjects." 

Congress,  during  the  session,  passed  an  act  for  vaccinating  the  In 
dians.  This  constituted  a  separate  duty,  and  enabled  me  to  take  along 
a  physician  and  surgeon.  I  offered  the  situation  to  Dr.  Douglass 
Houghton,  of  Fredonia,  who,  in  the  discharge  of  it,  was  prepared  to 
take  cognizance  of  the  subjects  of  botany,  geology,  and  mineralogy. 
I  offered  to  the  American  Board  of  Missions,  at  Boston,  to  take  a 
missionary  agent,  to  observe  the  condition  and  prospects  of  the 
Indian  tribes  in  the  north-west,  as  presenting  a  field  for  their  opera 
tions,  and  named  the  Rev.  W.  T.  Boutwell,  then  at  Michilimacki- 
nack,  for  the  post,  which  the  Board  confirmed,  with  a  formal  vote  of 
thanks.  Lieut.  James  Allen,  5th  U.  S.  Infantry,  who  was  assigned 
to  the  command  of  the  detachment  of  troops,  assumed  the  duties 
of  topographer  and  draughtsman.  Mr.  George  Johnston,  of  St. 
Mary's,  was  appointed  interpreter  and  baggage-master.  I  retain 
ed  myself  the  topics  of  Indian  history,  archaeology,  and  language. 
The  party  numbered  about  thirty  souls.  All  this  appeared  strictly 
compatible  with  the  practical  objects  to  be  attained — keeping  the 
expenses  within  the  sum  appropriated  for  the  object. 

Some  few  weeks  were  required  completely  to  organize  the  expe 
dition,  to  prepare  the  necessary  supplies,  and  to  permit  the  several 
persons  to  reach  the  place  of  rendezvous.  Meantime  I  visited 
Michilimackinack  to  receive  the  agency  from  Col.  Boyd;  after 
which  it  was  left  temporarily  in  charge  of  a  sub-agent  and  inter- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  407 

preter,  with  the  supervision  of  the  commanding  officer  of  Fort 
Mackinack. 

4th.  The  Secretary  of  War  writes  a  private  letter  :  "  We  have 
allowed  all  it  was  possible,  and  you  must  on  no  account  exceed  the 
sum,  as  the  pressure  upon  our  funds  is  very  great." 

Maj.  W.  writes  from  Detroit  (May  Tth):  "I  am  glad  to  hear 
that  you  are  about  going  on  another  expedition,  and  that  Mr. 
Houghton  is  to  accompany  you.  I  hope  you  will  find  time  to  send 
us  some  specimens  collected  on  your  former  tour  before  you  start." 

Dr.  Houghton  writes  from  Fredonia  (May  12th) :  "I  shall  leave 
here  immediately  after  the  twenty-fourth,  and  hope  to  see  you  as 
early  as  the  second  or  third  of  June.  I  have  heard  from  Torrey, 
and  have  sent  him  a  suit  of  plants." 

The  Secretary  of  War  again  writes  (May  22d) :  "It  has  been 
impossible  before  now,  to  make  you  a  remittance  of  funds,  and  they 
cannot  yet  all  be  sent  for  your  expedition.  Our  annual  appropria 
tion  has  not  yet  passed,  and  when  it  will  I  am  sure  I  cannot  tell. 
So  you  must  get  along  as  well  as  you  can.  I  trust,  however,  the 
amount  now  sent  will  be  sufficient  to  enable  you  to  start  upon  your 
expedition.  The  residue  promised  to  you,  as  well  as  the  funds 
for  your  ordinary  expenditures,  shall  be  sent  as  soon  as  the  appro 
priation  is  made." 

The  sub-agent,  in  charge  of  the  agency  at  Mackinack,  writes 
(May  22d) :  "  Gen.  Brook  arrived  yesterday  from  Green  Bay,  and 
has  concluded  to  make  this  post  his  head-quarters.  I  was  up,  yes 
terday,  in  the  garrison,  and  Capt.  McCabe  introduced  me  to  him. 
I  found  him  a  very  pleasant,  plain,  unassuming  man.  Col.  Boyd 
has  handed  me  a  list  of  articles  which  you  will  find  inclosed,  &c." 

"The  committee,"  says  the  Rev.  David  Green,  Boston,  "wish 
me  to  express  to  you  the  satisfaction  they  have  in  learning  that 
your  views  respecting  the  importance  of  making  known  the  great 
truths  of  the  Gospel  to  the  Indians,  as  the  basis  on  which  to  build 
their  improvement,  in  all  respects  accords  so  perfectly  with  their 
own.  It  is  our  earnest  desire  that  our  missionaries  should  act 
wisely  in  all  their  labors  for  the  benefit  of  the  Indians,  and  that 
all  the  measures  which  may  be  adopted  by  them,  or  by  others  who 
seek  to  promote  the  present  or  future  welfare  of  this  unhappy  and 
long-abused  people,  may  be  under  the  Divine  guidance,  and  crowned 
with  great  success." 


408  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

These  triple  claims,  which  have  now  been  mentioned,  of  busi 
ness,  of  science,  and  of  religion,  on  my  attention  created  not  the 
least  distraction  on  my  mind,  but,  on  the  contrary,  appeared  to 
have  propitious  and  harmonizing  influences. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  409 


CHAPTER    XLIII. 

Expedition  to,  and  discovery  of,  Itasca  Lake,  the  source  of  the  Mississippi 
River — Brief  notice  of  the  journey  to  the  point  of  former  geographical  dis 
covery  in  the  basin  of  Upper  Red  Cedar,  or  Cass  Lake — Ascent  and  portage 
to  Queen  Anne's  Lake — Lake  Pemetascodiac — The  Ten,  or  Metoswa 
Rapids — Pemidgegomag,  or  Cross-water  Lake — Lake  Irving — Lake  Mar- 
quette — Lake  La  Salle — Lake  Plantagenet — Ascent  of  the  Plantagenian 
Fork — Naiwa,  or  Copper-snake  River — Agate  Rapids  and  portage — Assawa 
Lake — Portage  over  the  Hauteur  des  Terres — Itasca  Lake — Its  picturesque 
character — Geographical  and  astronomical  position — Historical  data. 

1832.  June  *lth.  IT  was  not  until  this  day  that  the  expedition 
was  ready  to  embark  at  the  head  of  the  portage  at  St.  Mary's.  I 
had  organized  it  strictly  on  temperance  principles,  observation 
having  convinced  me,  during  frequent  expeditions  in  the  wilder 
ness,  that  not  only  is  there  no  situation,  unless  administered  from 
the  medicine-chest,  where  men  are  advantaged  by  its  use,  but  in 
nearly  every  instance  of  fatigue  or  exhaustion  their  powers  are 
enfeebled  by  it,  while,  in  a  moral  and  intellectual  sense,  they  are 
rendered  incapable,  neglectful,  or  disobedient.  This  exclusion 
constituted  a  special  clause  in  every  verbal  agreement  with  the 
men,  who  were  Canadians,  which  I  thought  necessary  to  make,  in 
order  that  they  might  have  no  reason  to  complain  while  inland  of 
its  exclusion.  They  were  promised,  instead  of  it,  abundance  of 
good  wholesome  food  at  all  times.  The  effects  of  this  were  appa 
rent  even  at  the  start.  They  all  presented  smiling  faces,  and  took 
hold  of  their  paddles  with  a  conscious  feeling  of  satisfaction  in  the 
wisdom  of  their  agreement. 

The  military  and  their  supplies  occupied  a  large  Mackinack  boat ; 
my  heavy  stores  filled  another.  I  traveled  in  a  canoe-elege,  as 
being  better  adapted  to  speed  and  the  celerity  of  landing.  Each 
carried  a  national  flag.  We  slept  the  first  night  at  Point  Iroquois, 
which  commands  a  full  view  of  the  magnificent  entrance  into  the 
lake.  We  were  fifteen  days  in  traversing  the  lake,  being  my  fifth 


410  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

trip  through  this  inland  sea.  We  passed  up  the  St.  Louis  River 
by  its  numerous  portages  and  falls  to  the  Sandy  Lake  summit, 
and  reached  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  on  the  third  of  July,  and 
ascertained  its  width  above  the  junction  of  the  Sandy  Lake  outlet 
to  be  831  feet.  We  were  six  days  in  ascending  it  to  the  central 
island  in  Cass  Lake.  This  being  the  point  at  which  geographical 
discovery  rests,  I  decided  to  encamp  the  men,  deposit  my  heavy 
baggage,  and  fitted  out  a  light  party  in  hunting  canoes  to  trace 
the  stream  to  its  source.  The  Indians  supplied  me  with  five 
canoes  of  two  fathoms  each,  and  requiring  but  two  men  to  manage 
each,  which  would  allow  one  canoe  to  each  of  the  gentlemen  of 
my  party.  I  took  three  Indians  and  seven  white  men  as  the  joint 
crew,  making,  with  the  sitters,  fifteen  persons.  We  were  pro 
visioned  for  a  few  days,  carried  a  flag,  mess-basket,  tent,  and  other 
necessary  apparatus.  We  left  the  island  early  the  next  morning, 
and  reached  the  influx  of  the  Mississippi  into  the  Lake  at  an  early 
hour.  To  avoid  a  very  circuitous  bay,  which  I  called  Allen's  Bay, 
we  made  a  short  portage  through  open  pine  woods. 

Fifty  yards'  walk  brought  us  and  our  canoe  and  baggage  to  the 
banks  of  Queen  Anne's  Lake,  a  small  sylvan  lake  through  which 
the  whole  channel  of  the  Mississippi  passed.  A  few  miles  above 
its  termination  we  entered  another  lake  of  limited  size,  which  the 
Indians  called  Pemetascodiac.  The  river  winds  about  in  this  portion 
of  it — through  savannas,  bordered  by  sandhills,  and  pines  in  the 
distance — for  about  fifteen  miles.  At  this  distance,  rapids  com 
mence,  and  the  bed  of  the  river  exhibited  greenstone  and  gneissoid 
boulders.  We  counted  ten  of  these  rapids,  which  our  guide  called 
the  Metoswa,  or  Ten  Rapids.  They  extend  about  twenty  miles, 
during  which  there  is  a  gradual  ascent  of  about  forty  feet.  The 
men  got  out  at  each  of  these  rapids,  and  lifted  or  drew  the  canoes 
up  by  their  gunwales.  We  ascended  slowly  and  with  toil.  At  the 
computed  distance  of  forty-five  miles,  we  entered  a  very  handsome 
sheet  of  water,  lying  transverse  to  our  course,  which  the  Indians 
called  Pamidjegumag,  which  means  crosswater,  and  which  the 
French  call  Lac  Traverse.  It  is  about  twelve  miles  long  from 
east  to  west,  and  five  or  six  wide.  It  is  surrounded  with  hard 
wood  forest,  presenting  a  picturesque  appearance. 

We  stopped  a  few  moments  to  observe  a  rude  idol  on  its  shores ; 
it  consisted  of  a  granitic  boulder,  of  an  extraordinary  shape,  with 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  411 

some  rings  and  spots  of  paint,  designed  to  give  it  a  resemblance  to 
a  human  statue.  We  observed  the  passenger-pigeon  and  some 
small  fresh-water  shells  of  the  species  of  unios  and  anadontas. 

A  short  channel,  with  a  strong  current,  connects  this  lake  with 
another  of  less  than  a  third  of  its  dimensions,  to  which  I  gave  the 
name  of  Washington  Irving.  Not  more  than  three  or  four  miles 
above  the  latter,  the  Mississippi  exhibits  the  junction  of  its  ulti 
mate  forks.  The  right  hand,  or  Itasca  branch,  was  represented  as 
by  far  the  longest,  the  most  circuitous,  and  most  difficult  of  ascent. 
It  brings  down  much  the  largest  volume  of  water.  I  availed  myself 
of  the  geographical  knowledge  of  my  Indian  guide  by  taking  the 
left  hand,  or  what  I  had  occasion  soon  to  call  the  Plantagenian 
branch.  It  expanded,  in  the  course  of  a  few  miles,  into  a  lake, 
which  I  called  Marquette,  and,  a  little  further,  into  another,  which 
I  named  La  Salle.  About  four  miles  above  the  latter,  we  entered 
into  a  more  considerable  sheet  of  water,  which  I  named  Plantage- 
net,  being  the  site  of  an  old  Indian  encampment  called  Kubba- 
kunna,  or  the  Rest  in  the  Path. 

We  encamped  a  short  distance  above  the  upper  end  of  this  lake 
at  the  close  of  the  day,  on  a  point  of  low  land  covered  with  a 
small  growth  of  gray  pine,  fringed  with  alder,  tamarisk,  spruce, 
and  willow.  A  bed  of  moss  covered  the  soil,  into  which  the  foot 
sank  at  every  step.  Long  moss  hung  from  every  branch.  Every 
thing  indicated  a  cold  frigid  soil.  In  the  act  of  encamping,  it 
commenced  raining,  which  gave  a  double  gloom  to  the  place. 
Several  species  of  duck  were  brought  from  the  different  canoes  as 
the  result  of  the  day's  hunt. 

Early  the  next  morning  we  resumed  the  ascent.  The  river 
became  narrow  and  tortuous.  Clumps  of  willowT  and  alder  lined 
the  shore.  Wherever  larger  species  were  seen  they  were  gray 
pines  or  tamarack.  One  of  the  Indians  killed  a  deer,  of  the  species 
C.  Virginea,  during  the  morning.  D^cks  were  frequently  dis 
turbed  as  we  pushed  up  the  winding  channel.  The  shores  were 
often  too  sedgy  and  wet  to  permit  our  landing,  and  we  went  on 
till  twelve  o'clock-  before  finding  a  suitable  spot  to  breakfast. 

About  five  o'clock  we  came  to  a  high  diluvial  ridge  of  gravel 
and  sand,  mixed  with  boulders  of  syenite,  trap-rock,  quartz,  and 
sandstone.  Ozawandib,  our  guide,  said  we  were  near  the  junction 
of  the  Naiwa,  or  Copper-snake  River,  the  principal  tributary  of 


412  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

this  branch  of  the  Mississippi,  and  that  it  was  necessary  to  make 
a  passage  over  this  ridge  to  avoid  a  formidable  series  of  rapids. 
Our  track  lay  across  a  peninsula.  This  occupied  the  remainder  of 
the  day,  and  we  encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  stream  above  the 
rapids  and  pitched  our  tent,  before  daylight  had  finally  departed. 
The  position  of  the  sun,  in  this  latitude,  it  must  be  recollected,  is 
protracted,  very  perceptibly,  above  the  horizon.  We  ascended  to 
the  summit  in  a  series  of  geological  steps  or  plateaux.  There 
is  but  little  perceptible  rise  from  the  Cross-water  level  to  this  point 
— called  Agate  Rapids  and  Portage,  from  the  occurrence  of  this 
mineral  in  the  drift.  The  descent  of  water  at  this  place  cannot  be 
less  than  seventy  feet.  On  resuming  the  journey  the  next  morn 
ing  (13th)  we  found  the  water  above  these  rapids  had  almost  the 
appearance  of  a  dead  level.  The  current  is  very  gentle  ;  and,  by 
its  diminished  volume,  denotes  clearly  the  absence  of  the  contribu 
tions  from  the  Naiwa.  About  seven  miles  above  the  Agate  Portage 
we  entered  Lake  Assawa,  which  our  Indian  guide  informed  us  was 
the  source  of  this  branch.  We  were  precisely  twenty  minutes  in 
passing  through  it,  with  the  full  force  of  paddles.  It  receives  two 
small  inlets,  the  most  southerly  of  which  we  entered,  and  the  canoes 
soon  stuck  fast,  amidst  aquatic  plants,  on  a  boggy  shore.  I  did 
not  know,  for  a  moment,  the  cause  of  our  having  grounded,  till 
Ozawandib  exclaimed,  "  0-um-a,  mikun-na!"  here  is  the  portage! 
We  were  at  the  Southern  flanks  of  the  diluvial  hills,  called  HAU 
TEUR  DES  TERRES — a  geological  formation  of  drift  materials,  which 
form  one  of  the  continental  water-sheds,  dividing  the  streams  tri 
butary  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  from  those  of  Hudson's  Bay.  He  de 
scribed  the  portage  as  consisting  of  twelve  pug -gi- de-nun,  or  rest 
ing  places,  where  the  men  are  temporarily  eased  of  their  burdens. 
This  was  indefinite,  depending  on  the  measure  of  a  man's  strength  to 
carry.  Not  only  our  baggage,  but  the  canoes  were  to  be  carried. 
After  taking  breakfast,  on  the  nearest  dry  ground,  the  different 
back-loads  for  the  men  were  prepared.  Ozawandib  threw  my  canoe 
over  his  shoulders  and  led  the  way.  The  rest  followed,  with  their 
appointed  loads.  I  charged  myself  with  a  spy-glass,  strapped,  and 
portfolio.  Dr.  Houghton  carried  a  plant  press.  Each  one  had 
something,  and  the  men  toiled  with  five  canoes,  our  provisions, 
beds,  tent,  &c.  The  path  wa*s  one  of  the  most  intricate  and  tan 
gled  that  I  ever  knew.  Tornadoes  appeared  to  have  cast  down 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  413 

the  trees  in  every  direction.  A  soft  spongy  mass,  that  gave  way 
under  the  tread,  covered  the  interstices  between  the  fallen  timber. 
The  toil  and  fatigue  were  incessant.  At  length  we  ascended  the 
first  height.  It  was  an  arid  eminence  of  the  pebble  and  erratic  block 
era,  bearing  small  gray  pines  and  shrubbery.  This  constituted 
our  first  pause,  OY  puggidenun.  On  descending  it,  we  were  again 
plunged  among  bramble.  Path,  there  was  none,  or  trail  that  any 
mortal  eye,  but  an  Indian's,  could  trace.  We  ascended  another 
eminence.  We  descended  it,  and  entered  a  thicket  of  bramble, 
every  twig  of  which  seemed  placed  there  to  bear  some  token  of  our 
wardrobe,  as  we  passed.  To  avoid  this,  the  guide  passed  through 
a  lengthened  shallow  pond,  beyond  which  the  walking  was  easier. 
Hill  succeeded  hill.  It  was  a  hot  day  in  July,  and  the  sun  shone 
out  brightly.  Although  we  were  evidently  passing  an  alpine  height, 
where  a  long  winter  reigned,  and  the  vegetation  bore  every  indica 
tion  of  being  imperfectly  developed.  We  observed  the  passenger 
pigeon,  and  one  or  two  species  of  the  falco  family.  There  were 
indications  of  the  common  deer.  Moss  hung  abundantly  from  the 
trees.  The  gray  pine  predominated  in  the  forest  growth. 

At  length,  the  glittering  of  water  appeared,  at  a  distance  below, 
as  viewed  from  the  summit  of  one  of  these  eminences.  It  was 
declared  by  our  Indian  guide  to  be  Itasca  Lake — the  source  of  the 
main,  or  South  fork  of  the  Mississippi.  I  passed  him,  as  we  de 
scended  a  long  winding  slope,  and  was  the  first  man  to  reach  its 
banks.  A  little  grassy  opening  served  as  the  terminus  of  our  trail, 
and  proved  that  the  Indians  had  been  in  the  practice  of  crossing 
this  eminence  in  their  hunts.  As  one  after  another  of  the  party 
came,  we  exulted  in  the  accomplishment  of  our  search.  A  fire  was 
quickly  kindled,  and  the  canoes  gummed,  preparatory  to  em 
barkation. 

We  had  struck  within  a  mile  of  the  southern  extremity  of  the  lake, 
and  could  plainly  see  its  terminus  from  the  place  of  our  embarking. 
The  view  was  quite  enchanting.  The  waters  were  of  the  most 
limpid  character.  The  shores  were  overhung  with  hard  wood  fo 
liage,  mixed  with  species  of  spruce,  larch,  and  aspen.  We  judged 
it  to  be  about  seven  miles  in  length,  by  an  average  of  one  to  two 
broad.  A  bay,  near  its  eastern  end,  gave  it  somewhat  the  shape 
of  the  letter  y.  We  observed  a  deer  standing  in  the  water.  Wild 
fowl  appeared  to  be  abundant.  We  landed  at  the  only  island  it 


414  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

contains — a  beautiful  spot  for  encampment,  covered  with  the  elm, 
cherry,  larch,  maple,  and  birch,  and  giving  evidence,  by  the  re 
mains  of  old  camp-fires,  and  scattered  bones  of  species  killed  in 
the  chase,  of  its  having  been  much  resorted  to  by  the  aborigines. 

This  picturesque  island  the  party  honored  me  by  calling  after 
my  name — in  which  they  have  been  sanctioned  by  Nicollet  and 
other  geographers.  I  caused  some  trees  to  be  felled,  pitched  my 
tent,  and  raised  the  American  flag  on  a  high  staff,  the  Indians 
firing  a  salute  as  it  rose. 

This  flag,  as  the  evidence  of  the  government  having  extended  its 
jurisdiction  to  this  quarter,  I  left  flying,  on  quitting  the  island— 
and  presume  the  band  of  Ozawandib,  at  Cass  Lake,  afterwards  ap 
propriated  it  to  themselves. 

Questions  of  geography  and  astronomy  may  deserve  a  moment's 
attention.  If  we  assume  the  discovery  of  the  mouth  of  the  Missis 
sippi  to  have  been  made  by  Narvaez  in  1527 — a  doubtful  point! — a 
period  of  305  years  has  elapsed  before  its  actual  source  has  been 
fixed.  If  the  date  of  De  Soto's  journey  (1541)  be  taken,  which  is 
undisputed,  this  period  is  reduced  to  290  years.  Hennepin  saw  it 
as  high  as  the  mouth  of  the  river  St.  Francis  in  1680.  Lt.  Pike, 
under  the  administration  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  ascended  it  by  water 
in  1805,  near  to  the  entrance  of  Elk  River,  south  of  the  Crow 
Wing  Fork,  and  being  overtaken  at  this  spot  by  frosts  and  snow, 
and  winter  setting  in  strongly,  he  afterwards  ascended  its  banks,  on 
snow  shoes,  his  men  carrying  his  baggage  on  hand  sleds,  to  Sandy 
Lake,  then  a  post  of  the  North-west  Company.  From  this  point 
he  was  carried  forward,  under  their  auspices,  by  the  Canadian 
train  de-glis,  drawn  by  dogs  to  Leech  Lake ;  and  eventually,  by 
the  same  conveyance,  to  what  is  now  denominated  Cass  Lake,  or 
upper  Lac  Cedre  Rogue.  This  he  reached  in  January,  1806,  and 
it  formed  the  terminus  of  his  journey. 

In  1820,  Gen.  Cass  visited  Sandy  Lake,  by  the  way  of  Lake 
Superior,  with  a  strong  party,  and  exploratory  outfit,  under  the 
authority  of  the  government.  He  encamped  the  bulk  of  his  party 
at  Sandy  Lake,  depositing  all  his  heavy  supplies,  and  fitted  out  a 
light  party  in  two  canoes,  to  trace  up  the  river  to  its  source.  After 
ascending  to  the  point  of  land  at  the  entrance  of  Turtle  River  into 
Cass  Lake,  it  was  found,  from  Indian  accounts,  that  he  could  not 
ascend  higher  in  the  state  of  the  water  with  his  heavy  canoes,  if, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  415 

indeed,  his  supplies  or  the  time  at  his  command  would  have  per 
mitted  him  to  accomplish  it,  compatibly  with  other  objects  of  his 
instructions.  This,  therefore,  constituted  the  terminal  point  of 
his  journey. 

The  length  of  the  river,  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  Itasca  Lake, 
has  been  estimated  at  3,160  miles.  Barometrical  observations 
show  its  altitude,  above  the  same  point,  to  be  1,680  feet — which 
denotes  an  average  descent  of  a  fraction  over  six  inches  per  mile. 

The  latitude  of  Itasca  Lake  has  been  accurately  determined  to 
be  47°  13'  35" — which  is  nearly  two  degrees  south  of  the  position 
assigned  to  it  by  the  best  geographers  in  1783,  the  date  of  the 
definite  treaty  of  peace  between  the  United  States  and  Great 
Britain. 

The  reason  of  this  geographical  mistake  has  been  satisfactorily 
shown  in  traversing  up  the  stream  from  the  summit  of  the  Pe- 
midjegomag,  or  Cross-water  Lake  —  during  which,  the  general 
course  of  the  ascent  is  due  south. 


416  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER  XLIV, 

Descent  of  the  Mississippi  River,  from  Itasca  Lake  to  Cass  Lake — Traits  of 
its  bank — Kabika  Falls— Upsetting  of  a  canoe — River  descends  by  steps, 
and  through  narrow  rocky  passes — Portage  to  the  source  of  the  Crow-Wing 
River— Moss  Lake— Shiba  Lake — Leech  Lake — Warpool  Lake — Long  Lake 
Mountain  portage — Kaginogomanug — Yermilion  Lake — Ossawa  Lake- 
Shell  River — Leaf  River — Long  Prairie  River — Kioskk,  or  Gull  River — Ar 
rival  at  its  mouth — Descent  to  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and  St.  Peter's — - 
Return  to  St.  Mary's. 

1832.  July  \\ih.  I  FOUND  the  outlet  of  Itasca  Lake  to  be  about 
twelve  feet  wide,  and  some  twelve  to  fourteen  inches  deep.  The 
water  is  of  crystal  purity,  and  the  current  very  rapid.  We  were 
urged  along  with  great  velocity.  It  required  incessant  vigilance 
on  the  part  of  the  men  to  prevent  our  frail  vessels  from  being  dashed 
against  boulders.  For  about  twelve  miles  the  channel  was  not  only 
narrow,  but  exceedingly  crooked.  Often,  where  the  water  was  most 
deep  and  rapid,  it  did  not  appear  to  exceed  ten  feet  in  width. 
Trees  which  had  fallen  from  the  banks  required,  sometimes,  to  be 
cut  away  to  allow  the  canoes  to  pass,  and  it  required  unceasing 
vigilance  to  avoid  piles  of  drifted  wood  or  boulders.  As  we  were 
borne  along  in  vessels  of  bark,  not  more  than  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  thick,  a  failure  to  fend  off,  or  hit  the  proper  guiding  point,  in 
any  one  place,  would  have  been  fraught  with  instant  destruction. 
And  we  sat  in  a  perfect  excitement  during  this  distance.  The 
stream  then  deployed,  for  a  distance  of  some  eight  miles,  into  a 
savannah  or  plain,  with  narrow  grassy  borders  in  which  its  width 
was  doubled,  its  depth  decreased,  and  the  current  less  furious.  We 
went  through  these  windings  with  more  assurance  and  composure. 
It  was  one  of  the  minor  plateaux  in  which  this  stream  descends. 
The  channel  then  narrowed  and  deepened  itself  for  another  plunge, 
and  soon  brought  us  to  the  top  of  the  Kabika  Falls.  This  pass,  as 
the  name  imports,  is  a  cascade  over  rocks.  The  river  is  pent  up, 
between  opposing  trap  rock,  which  are  not  over  ten  feet  apart.  Its 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  417 

depth  is  about  four  feet,  and  velocity  perfectly  furious.  It  is  not 
impossible  to  descend  it,  as  there  is  no  abrupt  pitch,  but  such  a 
trial  would  seem  next  to  madness.  We  made  a  portage  with  our 
canoes  of  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  across  a  peninsula,  and  embarked 
again  at  the  foot  of  the  falls,  where  the  stream  again  expands  to 
more  than  double  its  former  width,  and  the  scenery  assumes  a  milder 
aspect.  It  is  another  plateau. 

Daylight  had  departed  when  we  encamped  on  a  high  sandy  bank 
on  the  left  shore.  We  were  perfectly  exhausted  with  labor,  and 
the  thrilling  excitement  of  the  day.  It  seemed,  while  flying  through 
its  furious  passes,  as  if  this  stream  was  impatient  for  its  develop 
ment,  and,  like  an  unrestrained  youth,  was  bent  on  overthrowing 
every  obstacle,  on  the  instant,  that  opposed  its  advance  and  expan 
sion.  A  war  horse  could  not  have  been  more  impatient  to  rush  on 
to  his  destiny. 

We  were  in  motion  again  in  our  canoes  at  five  o'clock  the  next 
morning.  At  an  early  hour  my  Indian  guide  landed  to  fire  at  some 
deer.  He  could  not.  however,  get  close  enough  to  make  an  effec 
tual  shot.  Before  the  animals  were,  however,  out  of  range,  he 
loaded,  without  wadding,  and  fired  again,  but  also  without  effect. 
After  passing  a  third  plateau  through  which  the  river  winds,  with, 
grassy  borders,  we  found  it  once  more  to  contract  for  another  de 
scent,  which  we  made  without  leaving  our  canoes,  not,  however, 
without  imminent  peril  and  loss.  Lieut.  Allen  had  halted  to 
make  some  observations,  when  his  men  incautiously  failed  for  a 
moment  to  keep  his  canoe  direct  in  the  current.  The  moment  it 
assumed  a  transverse  position,  which  they  attempted  to  fix  by  grasp 
ing  some  bushes  on  the  opposite  bank,  the  water  dashed  over  the 
gunwales,  and  swept  all  to  the  bottom.  He  succeeded  in  gaining  his 
feet,  though  the  current  was  waist  high,  and  recovered  his  fowling 
piece,  but  irretrievably  lost  his  canoe-compass,  a  nautical  balanced 
instrument,  and  everything  besides.  Fortunately  I  had  a  fine  small 
land-compass,  which  Gen.  Macomb  had  presented  to  the  late  John 
Johnston,  Esq.,  of  St.  Mary's,  many  years  before,  and  thus  I  mea 
surably  repaired  his  loss.  On  descending  this  channel,  the  river 
again  displayed  itself  in  savannas,  and  assumed  a  width  which  it 
afterwards  maintained,  and  lost  its  savage  ferocity  of  current, 
though  still  strong. 

On  this  plateau,  the  river  receiving  on  its  left  the  War  River,  or 
27 


418  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Piniddiwin  (the  term  has  relation  to  the  mangled  flesh  of  those  slain 
in  battle),  a  considerable  stream,  at  the  mouth  of  which  the  Indian 
reed  first  shows  itself.  We  had,  the  day  previous,  noticed  the 
Chemaun,  or  Canoe  River,  tributary  from  the  right  bank.  Minor 
tributaries  were  not  noticed.  The  volume  of  water  was  manifestly 
increased  from  various  sources.  At  a  spot  where  we  landed,  as 
evening  came  on,  we  observed  a  species  of  striped  lizard,  which  our 
guide  called  Okautekinabic,  which  signifies  legged-snake.  Various 
species  of  the  duck  and  other  water  fowl  were  almost  continually 
in  sight.  We  reached  the  junction  of  the  Plantagenet  Fork  about 
one  o'clock  at  night  (15th),  and  rapidly  passing  the  Irving  and 
Cross-water  Lakes,  descended  to  Cass  Lake,  reaching  our  encamp 
ment  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

A  day's  rest  restored  the  party  from  its  fatigues,  and  we  set  out 
at  ten  o'clock  the  following  day  (16th)  for  Leech  Lake,  by  the  over 
land  route.  Two  hours  rowing  brought  us  to  a  fine  sandy  beach  at 
the  head  of  a  bay,  which  was  named  Pike's  Bay,  from  Lieut.  Pike 
having  approached  from  this  direction  in  the  winter  of  1806.  Here 
the  baggage  and  canoes  were  prepared  for  a  portage.  A  walk  of 
nine  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  through  open  pine  forest,  brought  us 
to  the  banks  of  Moss  Lake,  which  we  passed  in  canoes.  A  portage 
of  about  two  miles  and  a-half  was  now  made  to  the  banks  of  a  small 
lake,  which,  as  I  heard  no  name  for  it,  was  called  Shiba,  from  the 
initials  of  the  names  of  the  five  gentlemen  of  the  party.*  This  lake 
has  an  outlet  into  a  large  stream,  which  the  Pillager  Chippewas 
call  Kapuka  Sagitawag.  It  was  nearly  dark  when  we  embarked 
on  this  stream,  which  soon  led,. by  a  very  narrow  and  winding  chan 
nel,  into  the  main  river.  Pushing  on,  we  reached  and  crossed  an 
arm  of  the  lake  to  the  principal  Indian  village  of  Guelle  Plat,  Leech 
Lake,  which  we  reached  at  ten  o'clock  at  night. 

The  next  day  (17th)  was  passed  in  council  with  them,  till  late 
in  the  afternoon,  when  I  embarked,  and  went  a  couple  of  leagues 
to  encamp,  in  order  to  rid  myself  fully  of  the  village  throng,  and  be 
ready  for  an  early  start  in  the  morning.  It  was  my  determination 
to  pass  inland  south-westerly  by  an  Indian  trail,  so  as  to  strike  the 
source  of  the  Crow  Wing  or  De  Corbeau  River,  one  of  the  great 
tributaries  of  the  Mississippi  which  remained  unexplored. 

We  found  the  entrance  to  this  portage  early  the  next  morning 

*  Sclioolcraft,  Houghton,  Johnston,  Boutwell,  Allen. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  419 

(18th).  After  following  the  trail  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
we  reached  and  crossed  a  small  lake  called  Warpool.  A  small  and 
intricate  outlet  led  successively  to  Little  Long  Lake,  the  Two 
Lakes,  and  the  Lake  of  the  Mountain.  Here  commenced  a  high 
land  portage  of  over  900  yards  to  the  Lake  of  the  Island — ano 
ther  portage  of  some  2000  yards  was  then  made  to  Midlake,  and 
finally  another  of  one  puggidenun,  partly  through  a  bog,  but  ter 
minating  on  elevated  grounds  at  the  head  of  a  considerable  and 
handsome  body  of  water  called  Kaginogamaug,  or  The  Long 
Water.  This  is  the  source  of  the  De  Corbeau  River,  and  here 
we  encamped  for  the  night.  We  had  now  crossed  the  summit  be 
tween  Leech  Lake  and  the  source  of  the  Crow  Wing  River.  We 
commenced  the  descent  on  the  morning  of  the  19th,  and  passed 
successively  through  eleven  lakes,  connected  by  a  series  of  short 
channels.  The  names  of  these  in  their  order,  are  Kaginogamaug, 
Little  Vermilion,  Birch,  Pie,  Assawa,  Vieu  Desert,  Summit, 
Longrice,  Allen's,  Johnston's,  and  Kaitchibo  Sagitawa.  Two 
tributary  streams  enter  the  river  in  this  distance,  the  principal  of 
which  is  Shell  River ;  the  stream  assumes  an  ample  size,  and 
there  is  no  further  apprehension  of  shallows.  Next  day  (20th) 
we  passed  the  influx  of  six  rivers,  the  largest  of  which  is  Leaf 
River,  coming  in  from  the  West.  The  channel  has  now  attained 
a  bold  and  sweeping  force.  It  required  part  of  another  day  to 
reach  its  mouth,  in  the  course  of  which  it  is  joined  by  the  Long 
Prairie  River  from  the  right,  and  the  Kioshk  or  Gall  River  from 
the  left.  An  alluvial  island,  with  a  heavy  forest,  exists  at  the 
point  of  its  confluence  with  the  Mississippi  River.  We  encamped 
at  the  Pierced  Prairie,  eighteen  miles  below  the  junction,  and 
were  less  than  two  days  in  a  high  state  of  the  water,  in  reaching 
St.  Anthony's  falls. 

24fA.  I  arrived  at  St.  Peter's  about  two  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon,  and  entered  and  encamped  on  the  open  common  on  the 
banks  of  the  river.  The  Indian  agent  (Mr.  Tallieferro)  was  ab 
sent.  I  found  Captain  Jouett  in  command  of  the  fort,  and  in 
charge  of  Indian  affairs.  He  received  me  in  a  cordial  manner, 
and  offered  every  facility  in  his  power  to  effect  the  objects  of  my 
mission  among  the  hostile  tribes.  No  recent  news  from  the  seat 
of  operation  against  the  Black  Hawk  and  his  adherents  was 
known.  Recent  details  were,  however,  imprecise.  Captain  Jouett 


420  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

had  kept  up,  I  think,  the  mail  communication  with  Prairie  du 
Chien,  by  a  canoe  sent  once  a  fortnight.  The  murder  of  St. 
Vrain,  the  events  on  the  Rock  River  with  the  Illinois  militia,  and 
the  movements  on  foot  to  chastise  the  hostile  Sauks  and  Foxes, 
were  among  the  latest  items  of  intelligence.  But  nothing  was 
known  of  the  actual  position  of  the  Black  Hawk  and  his  followers. 
My  determinations,  therefore,  as  to  the  route  to  be  pursued,  in 
returning  home,  were  made  in  entire  ignorance  of  the  fact,  that 
at  that  time,  the  Black  Hawk  had  been  driven  before  Gens.  Atkin 
son  and  Dodge  to  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Badaxe  River— where  he  completely  intercepted  all  commu 
nication  between  the  posts  of  St.  Peter's  and  Prairie  du  Chien. 

25th.  I  held  a  council  with  the  Sioux  at  the  Agency  Build 
ings  ;  at  which  the  tribe  disclaimed,  by  their  speakers,  having  any 
connection  with  the  Sauk  and  Fox  league,  or  having  permitted  any 
of  their  warriors  to  join  in  it.  They  professed  a  readiness  to  fur 
nish  warriors  to  aid  the  government  in  suppressing  it. 

On  returning  to  my  tent,  I  sat  down  and  wrote  to  the  editor  of 
a  Western  paper,  as  follows : — 

ST.  PETERS,  July  25th,  1832. 

SIR  : — I  arrived  at  this  place  yesterday,  from  an  expedition 
through  the  Chippewa  country  on  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi, 
accompanied  by  a  detachment  of  troops  under  Lieut.  Allen  of  the 
5th  Infantry.  I  have  traced  this  river  to  its  actual  source.  On 
reaching  the  point  to  which  it  had  been  formerly  explored,  I  found 
the  water  in  a  favorable  state  for  ascending  ;  and  I  availed  myself 
of  this  circumstance  to  carry  into  effect  the  desire  of  visiting  its 
actual  source,  a  point  which  has  continued  to  be  problematical  in 
our  geography.  Pike  placed  it  at  Leech  Lake  in  1806.  Gov. 
Cass  carried  it  much  further  north,  and  left  it  at  Upper  Red  Cedar 
Lake  in  1820.  But  it  was  then  ascertained  that  its  sources  were 
considerably  north  and  west  of  that  lake,  which  is  in  lat.  47°  25'. 
I  encamped  the  expedition,  the  troops  and  heavy  baggage,  at  this 
lake,  and  proceeded  up  the  river  in  five  small  birch  canoes,  ca 
pable  of  containing  one  man  and  his  bed,  in  addition  to  the  Indian 
and  Canadian  who  conducted  it.  The  Mississippi  expands  into 
several  lakes,  the  largest  of  which  is  called  Lac  Traverse.  A  few 
miles  above  this  occurs  the  junction  of  its  south-west  and  north 
west  branch.  The  former  I  called  the  Plantagenet,  and  ascended 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  421 

it  through  La  Salle,  Marquette,  and  Assawa  Lakes  to  a  small  creek 
at  the  foot  of  the  Hauteur  des  Terres.  From  this  point  a  port 
age  was  made  over  difficult  ascents,  and  through  defiles  for  about 
six  miles,  when  we  reached  the  banks  of  Itasca  Lake,  the  source 
of  the  other  and  longer  branch.  To  this  point  we  transported  our 
canoes  and  baggage.  It  is  a  most  beautiful  and  clear  lake,  about 
seven  miles  long,  and  lying  somewhat  in  the  shape  of  a  y.  I  found 
an  island  in  it,  upon  which  I  landed  and  encamped,  and,  after  caus 
ing  some  trees  to  be  felled,  hoisted  the  United  States  flag.  I  left 
this  flag  flying,  and  returned  down  the  Itascan  branch  to  my  start 
ing  point. 

I  found  the  Indians  friendly,  and  having  no  apparent  connection 
with  the  movements  of  Black  Hawk,  although  they  are  subject  to  an 
unpropitious  influence  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  the  agents 
of  which  allure  them  to  carry  their  trade  into  that  province.  The 
American  traders  complain  of  this  with  great  reason.  Many  of 
the  Chippewas  visit  the  British  posts  in  Canada,  and  their  old  pre 
judices  are  kept  alive  in  various  ways  ;  but  I  was  everywhere  re 
ceived  with  amity  and  respect. 

26th.  Having  concluded  my  affairs  at  St.  Peters,  I  deter 
mined  to  return  to  the  basin  of  Lake  Superior,  by  ascending  the 
river  St.  Croix  to  its  source,  and  passing  across  the  portage  of  the 
Misakoda,  or  Burntwood  River,  into  the  Fond  du  Lac  Bay.  This 
I  accomplished  with  great  toil,  owing  to  the  low  state  of  the  water, 
in  ten  days ;  and,  after  spending  ten  days  more  in  traversing  the 
lengthened  shores  and  bays  of  Lake  Superior  from  La  Pointe,  re 
turned  to.Sault  St.  Marie  on  the  14th  of  August. 

Aug.  ~L5th.  I  had  now  accomplished  the  discovery  of  the  true 
source  of  the  Mississippi  River — and  settled  a  problem  which  has 
so  long  remained  a  subject  of  uncertainty  in  the  geography  of 
this  celebrated  river.  If  De  Soto  began  it  (and  of  this  there 
seems  little  question,  for  Narvaez  perished  before  reaching  it), 
and  Marquette  and  Joliet  continued  it ;  if  Hennepin  and  Pike 
and  Cass  carried  these  explorations  higher,  I,  at  least,  went 
to  its  remoter  points,  and  thence  traced  the  river  to  its  primary 
forks — ascended  the  one,  crossed  the  heights  of  Itasca  to  the  other, 
and  descended  the  latter  in  its  whole  length.  This  has  been 
done  in  a  quiet  way,  without  heralding  or  noise,  but  under  the 
orders  and  at  the  expense  of  the  United  States. 


422  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XLV. 

Letter  from  a  mother — Cholera — Indian  war — Royal  Geographical  Society — 
Determine  to  leave  the  Sault — Death  of  Miss  Cass — Death  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Richard — Notice  of  the  establishment  of  a  Methodist  Mission  at  the  Sault 
— The  Sault  a  religious  place — Botany  and  Natural  History — New  York 
University  organized — Algic  Society — Canadian  boat  song — Chaplains  in 
the  army — Letter  from  a  missionary — Affairs  at  Mackinack — Hazards  of 
lake  commerce — Question  of  the  temperance  reform — Dr.  D.  Houghton — 
South  Carolina  resists — Gen.  Jackson  re-elected  President. 

1832.  Aug.  25th.  To  clear  my  table  of  the  correspondence 
accumulated  during  my  absence,  and  report  my  proceedings  to 
government,  required  my  first  attention.  Among  the  matters 
purely  personal,  was  a  letter  of  inquiry  from  a  mother  anxious  to 
learn  the  fate  of  an  apparently  wayward  son  (named  George  J. 
Clark).  "I  had  a  letter  from  him,  dated  24th  June,  1831,  in  which 
he  stated  he  was  about  to  start  with  you  on  an  expedition  to  the 
Upper  Mississippi,  and  this  is  the  last  intelligence  we  have  ever 
had  of  him. 

"If  he  went  with  you  on  that  expedition,  you  have,  probably, 
some  information  to  give  relative  to  his  present  condition,  if  alive, 
or  of  his  fate,  if  dead. 

"  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  give  the  information  desired  by 
letter  to  me,  at  this  place  (Canandaigua,  N.  Y.)  ?  By  so  doing 
you  will  confer  a  favor  on  a  fond  mother  and  many  friends."  Not 
a  lisp  had  ever  been  heard  of  such  a  person,  at  least  by  that  name. 

The  whole  country,  it  was  found,  had  now  been  in  commotion 
for  a  month  or  more,  owing  to  the  ravages  of  the  cholera  and  the 
Black  Hawk  war.  The  cholera  had  first  broken  out,  it  appears, 
in  the  Upper  Lakes,  on  board  the  steamers  Sheldon  Thompson 
and  Henry  Clay,  containing  troops  for  the  war.  Its  ravages  on 
board  of  both  were  fearful.  One  of  the  boats  landed  several 
soldiers  at  the  island  of  Michilimackinack,  who  died  there.  A 
boatman  engaged  in  the  fur  trade  took  the  disease  and  died  after 
he  had  reached  the  Little  Rapids,  and  another  at  Point  aux  Pins,, 
at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior.  But  the  disease  did  not  spread  in 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  423 

that  latitude.  "We  have  heard,"  says  a  correspondent  (25th 
July),  "  from  Chicago,  that  the  ravages  of  the  cholera  are  tenfold 
worse  than  the  scalping-knife  of  the  Black  Hawk  and  his  party. 
A  great  many  soldiers  died,  while  on  their  way  to  Chicago,  on 
board  the  steamers." 

21th.  The  agent  of  the  dead-letter  post-office,  at  Washington, 
transmits  me  a  diploma  of  membership  of  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society  of  London,  which  appears  to  have  been  originally  mis 
directed  and  gone  astray  to  St.  Mary's,  Georgia.  The  envelope 
had  on  it  the  general  direction  of  "  United  States,  America" — 
a  wide  place  to  find  a  man  in. 

Sept.  YLth.  A  letter,  of  this  date,  from  the  head  of  the  Depart 
ment,  at  Washington,  leaves  it  optional  with  me,  under  the 
consolidation  of  agencies,  to  choose  my  place  of  residence.  "  You 
can  make  your  own  choice  of  residence  between  the  Sault  and 
Mackinack,  and  arrange  your  subordinate  offices  as  you  think 
proper." 

I  determined  to  remove  the  seat  of  the  agency  to  Mackinack 
next  spring,  and  to  make  this  my  last  winter  at  the  Sault.  I  have 
now  been  ten  years  a  resident  of  this  place. 

The  most  serious  inroad  upon  my  circle  of  friends,  made  by 
death  during  my  absence,  was  the  sudden  death,  at  Detroit,  of 
the  eldest  daughter  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  Miss  Elizabeth 
Selden  Cass  was  a  young  lady  of  bright  mental  qualities,  and 
easy,  cultivated  manners  and  deportment,  and  her  sudden  removal, 
though  prepared  by  her  moral  experience  for  the  change,  must 
leave  a  blank  in  social  circles  which  will  be  long  felt  and  deplored. 

Her  father  writes,  upon  this  irreparable  loss  :  "  A  breach  has 
been  made  in  our  domestic  circle  which  can  never  be  repaired.  I 
can  yet  hardly  realize  the  change.  It  has  almost  prostrated  me, 
and  I  should  abandon  office  without  hesitation  were  it  not  that  a 
change  of  climate  seems  indispensable  to  Mrs.  C.,  and  I  trust  she 
will  avoid  in  Washington  those  severe  attacks  to  which  she  has 
been  subject  for  the  last  five  winters." 

12fA.  Mr.  Trowbridge  writes  :  "  Mr.  Richard  is  dead.  He  was 
attacked  by  a  diarrhoea,  and  neglected  it  too  long."  Mr.  R.  was 
the  Catholic  priest  at  Detroit,  and  as  such  has  been  a  prominent 
man  in  the  territory  for  many  years.  He  was  elected  Delegate 
to  Congress  in  1824,  I  think,  and  served  two  years  in  that  capa- 


424  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

city.  I  once  heard  him  preach  nearly  two  hours  on  the  real 
presence.  He  finally  said,  "  that  if  this  doctrine  was  not  true, 
Jesus  Christ  must  be  a  fool."  These,  I  think,  were  the  precise 
words.  When  attending,  by  rotation,  as  one  of  the  chaplains  for 
the  Legislative  Council  while  I  was  a  member,  he  used  to  pray 
very  shrewdly  "  that  the  legislators  might  make  laws  for  the 
people  and  not  for  themselves."  He  spoke  English  in  a  broken 
manner  and  with  a  false  accent,  which  often  gave  interest  to  what 
he  said  when  the  matter  was  not  otherwise  remarkable. 

22d.  Rev.  John  Clark,  of  Northville,  Montgomery  Co.,  N.  Y., 
of  the  Methodist  Connection,  writes :  "  Should  it  please  Divine 
Providence,  I  hope  to  be  at  your  place  in  May  or  June  next,  for 
the  purpose  of  opening  a  permanent  mission  and  school  among  the 
Chippewas  at  such  place,  and  as  early  as  may  be  advisable." 

2fith.  Rev.  W.  T.  Boutwell,  of  the  A.  B.  Commissioners  for  Fo 
reign  Missions,  now  at  La  Pointe,  Lake  Superior,  writes  :  "  I  could 
not,  to  a  degree,  help  entering  into  all  your  anxieties  about  the  cho 
lera,  which  reports  were  calculated  to  beget,  but  rejoice,  not  less  than 
yourself,  that  the  Lord  has  spared  those  who  are  dear  to  us  both. 
My  fears,  I  rejoice  to  say,  have  not  been  realized,  in  relation  to 
my  friends  at  Mackinack  and  the  Sault,  when  I  heard  of  the  dis 
ease  actually  existing  at  Mackinack.  Were  it  not  that  the  Lord 
is  righteous  and  knoweth  them  that  are  his,  the  righteous  even 
might  fear  and  tremble  when  judgments  are  abroad  in  the  land. 

"  I  was  happy  indeed  to  learn  that  you  remain  at  the  Sault, 
the  present  winter.  Happy  for  brother  Porter's  sake,  and  for  the 
sake  of  those  whose  hands  you  may  and  will  strengthen,  and  hearts 
encourage.  I  never  think  of  the  Sault  but  I  wish  myself  there. 
'  It  is  now  a  happy  spot — a  place  favored  of  heaven,'  said  one  of 
my  Mackinack  friends  to  me  once  in  conversation ;  '  I  once  felt  as 
though  I  could  never  see  that  place,  as  I  always  associated  with  it 
everything  wicked,  but  now  I  should  love  to  go  there — the  Lord  is 
there,'  " 

Oct.  5th.  Dr.  Torrey  writes  from  N.  Y. :  "I  rejoice  to  learn 
that  you  have  returned  in  safety  from  your  fatiguing  and  perilous 
journey  to  the  north-west.  Dr.  Houghton  wrote  me  a  letter  which 
I  received  a  few  days  ago,  dated  Sault  de  St.  Marie,  stating  the 
general  results  of  the  expedition,  but  I  have  read,  with  great  satis 
faction,  the  account  which  was  published  in  the  Detroit  Journal  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  425 

Sept.  26th.  A  kind  Providence  has  preserved  you  during  another 
absence,  and  I  hope  He  will  cause  the  results  of  your  labors  to 
prove  a  blessing  to  our  Red  brethren,  as  well  as  the  United  States 
at  large.'' 

"  Dr.  Houghton  sent  me  some  of  the  more  interesting  plants 
which  he  brought  with  him  last  year,  but  he  said  the  best  part  of 
your  collections  were  destroyed  by  getting  wet. 

"  By  all  means  send  Mr.  Cooper  your  shells.  He  knows  more 
about  fresh  water  shells  than  any  naturalist  in  New  York.  By 
the  way,  have  you  seen  Mr.  Lea's  splendid  monograph  (with  co 
lored  plates)  of  Unios,  in  the  Transactions  of  the  American  Philo 
sophical  Society  ?" 

"  Are  we  to  have  a  narrative  of  the  two  expeditions  in  print  ? 
I  hope  you  consent  to  publish,  and  let  us  have  an  appendix  con 
taining  descriptions  of  the  objects  in  natural  history. 

"  You  have  heard,  perhaps,  something  about  the  University  of 
the  City  of  New  York,  which  was  planned  about  two  years  ago. 
It  went  into  operation  a  few  days  ago,  under  the  most  favorable 
prospects.  The  council  have  given  me  a  place  in  it  (Prof.  Chem. 
Bot.  and  Mineralogy),  the  duties  of  which  I  can  discharge  in  ad 
dition  to  those  which  I  attend  to  in  the  medical  college,  as  the  lat 
ter  occupies  only  four  months  in  the  year." 

About  the  middle  of  September  I  embarked  at  the  Sault  for 
Detroit,  for  the  purpose  chiefly  of  meeting  the  Secretary  of  War 
— taking  with  me  thus  far,  my  little  sister  Anna  Maria,  on  her  way 
to  school  at  Hadley,  in  Massachusetts.  While  at  Detroit,  several 
meetings  of  benevolent  individuals  were  held,  and  the  constitution 
of  the  Algic  Society  was  signed  by  many  gentlemen  of  standing 
and  note,  and  an  election  of  officers  made.  Having  been  honored 
with  the  presidency,  I  delivered  a  brief  address  at  one  of  these 
meetings.  This,  together  with  the  following  resolutions,  which  were 
passed  at  the  same  time,  indicate  the  contemplated  mode  of  action.* 
It  was  not  intended  to  be  exclusively  a  missionary  or  educational 

*  Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  society  be  presented  to  Henry  R. 
Schoolcraft,  Esq.,  for  the  valuable  introductory  remarks  offered  by  him,  and 
that  he  be  requested  to  furnish  a  copy  of  the  same  for  publication. 

Resolved,  That  the  Domestic  Secretary  be  directed  to  prepare  and  submit 
for  the  approbation  of  the  Official  Board,  a  Circular,  to  be  addressed  to  such 
persons  as  have  been  elected  members  of  this  society,  and  others,  setting  forth 


426  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

society,  but  also,  to  collect  scientific  and  statistical  information  essen 
tial  to  both  objects,  and  to  offer  facilities  to  laborers  on  the  frontiers, 
and  answer  inquiries  made  by  agents  authorized  by  the  General 
Boards  from  the  old  States.  The  effort  was  appreciated  and  warmly 
approved  by  the  friends  of  missions  and  humanity  ;  but  it  required 
great  and  continual  personal  efforts  to  enlist  a  sufficient  number  of 
persons  in  the  true  objects,  and  to  keep  their  minds  alive  in  the 
work.  It  demanded,  in  fact,  a  kind  of  literary  research,  which  it 
is  always  difficult  to  command  on  the  frontiers.  To  act,  and  not  to 

its  objects,  its  organization,  constitution,  and  initial  proceedings,  which  cir 
cular,  when  so  prepared,  shall  be  printed  for  the  purpose  of  distribution. 

Resolved,  That  the  Official  Board  be  directed  to  prepare  a  succinct  Tempe 
rance  and  Peace  Circular,  suited  to  the  wants  and  situation  of  the  North 
western  Tribes,  to  be  addressed,  through  the  intervention  of  the  Hon.  the 
Secretary  of  War,  to  the  Agents  of  the  Government  and  Officers  command 
ing  posts  on  the  frontiers,  and  also  to  persons  engaged  in  the  fur  trade  :  to 
travelers,  and  to  gentlemen  residing  in  the  country,  requesting  their  aid  in 
spreading  its  influence. 

Resolved,  That  it  is  expedient  for  this  society  to  procure  an  exact  statistical 
account  of  the  names,  numbers  and  location  of  the  different  bands  of  Indians, 
of  the  Algonquin  stock,  now  living  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States  : — 
also,  the  number  of  missionaries  who  are  now  amongst  them,  and  the  extent 
of  the  field  of  labor  which  they  present. 

Resolved,  That  this  society  will  aid  in  sending  a  winter  express  to  the  mis 
sionaries  who  are  now  stationed  near  the  western  extremity  of  Lake  Supe 
rior. 

Resolved,  That  the  members  of  this  society  residing  at  Sault  St.  Marie  and  at 
Michilimackinack,  shall  constitute  a  standing  committee  of  this  society,  during 
the  ensuing  year,  with  power  to  meet  for  the  transaction  of  business,  and  shall 
report  from  time  to  time,  such  measures  as  they  may  have  adopted  to  promote 
the  objects  of  this  institution  :  which  proceedings  shall  be  submitted  to  the 
society  at  any  stated  or  special  meeting  of  the  same,  and  if  approved  by  them, 
shall  be  entered  on  the  records  of  the  society. 

Resolved,  That  the  President  of  this  society  be  requested  to  deliver,  at  such 
time  as  shall  be  convenient  to  himself,  a  course  of  Lectures  on  the  Gramma 
tical  construction  of  the  Algonquin  language,  as  spoken  by  the  North-West- 
ern  Tribes,  and  to  procure,  from  living  and  authentic  sources,  a  full  and  com 
plete  Lexicon  of  that  language,  for  the  use  of  the  society. 

.  Resolved,  That  the  Rev.  Beriah  Green,  of  the  Western  Reserve  College,  be 
requested  to  deliver  an  address  before  the  society  at  its  next  annual  meeting : 
and,  that  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft,  Esq.,  be  requested  to  deliver  a  poem  on  the 
Indian  Character,  at  the  same  meeting. 

Resolved,  That  the  first  anniversary  of  this  society  be  held  at  Detroit,  on 
the  second  Thursday  of  October,  A.  D.  1833. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  427 

pursue  the  quiet  paths  of  study,  is  the  tendency  of  the  frontier 
mind. 

I  returned  to  St.  Mary's  about  the  middle  of  October.  It  was 
a  proof  of  the  care  and  precision  with  which  my  friends  looked 
out  for  me,  that  I  was  met  by  my  "canoe-elege"  with  a  French 
crew  and  flag  flying  at  the  Detour,  before  the  vessel  had  dropped 
anchor,  so  that  I  went  up  the  river  with  the  accustomed  gayety  of  a 
song.  These  French  songs  have  been  often  alluded  to.  One  of 
them,  the  measure  of  which  is  adapted,  by  its  music,  to  the  short 
stroke  of  the  paddle,  is  given  below.* 

15th.  Dr.  Peters,  Secretary  of  Home  Missions,  writes  to  me, 
from  on  board  a  steamboat  on  Lake  Erie,  proposing  a  plan  for 
bringing  the  subject  of  chaplaincies  in  the  army  to  the  notice  of 
the  Secretary  of  War. 

A  letter  from  a  missionary  (Boutwell)  at  La  Pointe,  L.  S.,  says : 
"  I  endeavor  daily  to  do  something  at  the  language.  But  imagine 
for  one  moment,  what  you  could  do  with  a  boy  (his  interpreter) 
who  knows  neither  English,  French  nor  Indian,  and  yet  is  in  the 
habit  of  mangling  all.  Still  I  am  satisfied  he  is  the  best  Brother 
F.  could  send,  though  but  one  remove  from  none.  Of  one  thing  I 
am  determined,  that  if  I  cannot  teach  him  English,  I  can  to  cut 
bushes.  However,  I  find,  by  daily  visiting  the  lodges,  that  I  may 
retain,  and  probably  add  a  little  now  and  then.  I  find  there  is  a 
trifling  difference  between  the  language  here,  and  as  spoken  at  the 
Sault.  The  difference  consists  principally  in  the  accent.  I  find 
the  interchangeables,  if  possible,  more  irregular  here  than  there. 

•'  The  old  chief  (Pezhiki)  is  very  pleasant  and  kind.  I  find  him 
a  very  good  standard  for  testing  accents.  His  enunciation  is  very 
distinct." 

25th.  The  sub-agent  in  charge  at  Mackinack  writes  :  "  The 
schooner  i  White  Pigeon'  came  in  this  afternoon  from  Green  Bay, 
having  on  board  Major  Fowle's  Company.  She  is  to  sail  early 
to-morrow  morning  for  the  Sault. 

u  The  Indians  appear  satisfied  with  their  treatment  at  this  of 
fice,  and  it  has  been  observed  by  them,  that  more  work  has  been 
done  for  them  since  my  arrival  here  than  Colonel  B.  did  for  them 
in  one  year." 

*  Omitted. 


428  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

His  Excellency,  Gov.  Porter,  called  here  (on  his  way  to  Green 
Bay)  and  examined  the  buildings  and  rooms  of  the  agency.  Cast 
ing  a  hasty  look,  he  observed  that  the  building  would  bring  an  in 
come  of  four  or  five  hundred  dollars  annually,  were  it  at  Detroit, 
for  rent.  He  was  of  opinion  that  the  outer  steps  required  repairs, 
&c. 

"  Gen.  Brook  sailed  on  board  the  i  Black  Hawk'  for  Green  Bay 
on  Sabbath  last,  accompanied  by  Lieut.  Stockton,  and  Messrs. 
Dousman,  Abbott,  and  King.  Major  Thomson  (who  relieves  him) 
arrived  on  Monday  last,  with  the  whole  of  his  troops  and  the 
officers  under  his  command,  Captain  Cobbs,  Lieut.  Gallagher,  and 
Lieut.  Patten. 

"Lieut.  Gallagher  joined  us  at  our  evening  social  prayer  meet 
ing  last  night,  and  it  was  really  cheering  and  reviving  to  hear  him 
pray.  He  is  gifted  with  talent  and  abilities,  and  withal  meekness 
and  humility." 

Nov.  1st.  The  same  agent  writes  :  "  I  forward  to  you  the  chief 
Shaubowayway's  map  of  that  section  of  the  country  lying  be 
tween  the  Detour  and  Point  St.  Ignace,  including  all  the  islands 
on  that  coast.  I  am  now  waiting  for  the  chief  to  proceed  to 
Chenos  as  a  guide,  to  enable  us  to  strike  in  a  straight  line  from 
thence  to  Muddy  Lake  River.  Messrs.  David  Stuart  and  Mitchell 
will  accompany  me." 

19th.  Mr.  Johnston  writes  :  "  I  volunteered  my  services  to 
accompany  Mr.  Ferry  to  get  off  the  partial  wreck  of  the  mis 
sion  schooner  '  Supply,'  near  the  second  entrance  of  the  Chenos, 
eighteen  miles  from  this.  Major  Thompson  furnished  a  detach 
ment  of  fifteen  men  under  Captain  Cobbs.  George  Dousman  went 
also  with  three  of  the  Company's  men.  Four  days'  efforts  were 
cheerfully  rendered,  and  the  vessel  saved  and  brought  into  the 
harbor." 

25th.  As  commerce  increases,  and  stretches  out  her  Bria- 
rean  hands  into  the  stormy  roads  and  bays  of  these  heretofore 
uninhabited  lakes,  losses  from  wrecks  annually  redouble.  And 
the  want  of  light-houses,  buoys,  and  harbors  is  more  strongly 
shown.  James  Abbott,  a  licensed  trader,  was  cast  ashore  by  the 
tempests  of  Lake  Superior,  at  La  Pointe,  and,  being  unable  to 
proceed  to  his  designated  post,  was  obliged  to  winter  there.  He 
gave  out  his  credits,  and  spread  his  men,  therefore,  in  another 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  429 

man's  district.  The  agent  at  Mackinack  (R.  Stuart)  writes,  com 
plaining  of,  and  requesting  me  to  interpose  in  the  matter,  so  as 
"  to  confine  his  trade  to  such  limits  as  may  be  equitable  to  all." 
It  would  be  impossible  to  foresee  such  accidents,  and  appears  al 
most  equally  so  to  correct  the  irregularities,  now  that  they  are 
done.  The  difficulty  seems  rather  to  have  been  the  employment  of 
a  clerk,  whose  action  the  Company  could  not  fully  control. 

29th.  Mr.  B.  F.  Stickney,  of  Vistula  (now  Toledo),  writes : 
"  A  few  days  ago  I  received  from  the  author,  with  which  I  was  ( 
much  pleased,  '  an  Address  before  the  Chippewa  County  Tempe-  : 
ranee  Society  on  the  Influence  of  Ardent  Spirits  on  the  Condition 
of  the  North  American  Indians."  We  conceived  it  to  be  the  most 
fortunate  effort  of  your  pen  upon  the  greatest  subject.  While  we 
have  so  much  season  to  approve,  we  hope  you  will  permit  us  to  be 
frank.  We  conceive  that,  although  you  have  been  more  cautious 
than  is  common,  in  touching  sectarianism,  yet,  if  you  had  not  ( 
named,  or  made  any  kind  of  allusion  to  any  religious  sect,  Christ 
ian,  Jew,  Pagan,  or  Mohammedan,  you  would  have  produced  more 
effect.  There  are  many  individuals  who  neither  touch,  taste,  nor 
handle  this  most  dangerous  of  all  poisons,  who  yet  refuse  to  join 
in  the  general  effort  to  destroy,  prevent  the  use,  or  furnish  an 
antidote,  because  they  conceive  that  the  sectarian  poison  is  not  an 
inferior  evil,  unless  it  may,  perhaps,  be  so  to  the  use  of  alcohol."  \ 

The  true,  but  concealed,  objection  of  this  class  of  non-concur 
rents  in  the  cause  is  not,  it  is  apprehended,  to  "sectarianism," 
per  se,  or  in  any  other  sense  than  that  it  is  an  evidence  of  practical 
Christianity — of  morals  and  axioms  based  on  the  teachings  of  the 
great  Founder  of  the  system — of  a  belief  in  a  moral  accountability 
to  give  all  influence  possessed  to  advance  the  adoption  of  its  maxims 
among  men — in  fine,  of  a  living,  constant,  undying  faith,  not  only 
in  the  truth  of  these  maxims,  but  in  the  divinity  of  the  sublime 
UTTERER  of  them. 

Dec.  lOtfA.  Dr.  Houghton,  my  companion  in  two  expeditions 
into  the  Indian  country,  writes  from  Detroit :  "  You  will  un 
doubtedly  be  a  little  surprised  to  learn  that  I  am  now  in  Detroit, 
but  probably  not  more  than  I  am  in  being  here.  My  passage 
through  Lake  Huron  was  tedious  beyond  endurance ;  and  so  long 
was  I  detained  in  consequence  of  it,  that  it  became  useless  for  me 
to  proceed  to  New  York.  Under  these  circumstances,  after  hav- 


430  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

ing  visited  Fredonia,  I  determined  to  engage  in  the  practice  of 
my  profession,  in  this  place,  at  least  until  spring.  It  is  only 
these  three  days  since  I  arrived  here  and  I  am  not  yet  com 
pletely  settled,  but  probably  will  be  in  a  few  days." 

[Here  are  the  initial  motives  of  a  man  who  became  a  permanent 
and  noted  citizen  of  the  territory,  and  engaged  with  great  ardor 
in  exploring  its  physical  geography  and  resources.  For  two  years, 
he  was  intimately  associated  with  me ;  and  I  saw  him  under  va 
rious  circumstances  of  fatigue  and  trial  in  the  wilderness,  but 
always  preserving  his  equanimity  and  cheerfulness.  He  was  a 
zealous  botanist,  and  a  discriminating  geologist.  Assiduous  and 
temperate,  an  accurate  observer  of  phenomena,  he  accumulated  facts 
in  the  physical  history  of  the  country  which  continually  increased 
the  knowledge  of  its  features  and  character.  He  was  the  means  of 
connecting  geological  observations  with  the  linear  surveys  'of  the 
General  Land  Office,  and  had  been  several  years  engaged  on  the 
geological  survey  of  Michigan,  when  the  melancholy  event  of  his 
death,  in  1846,  in  a  storm  on  Lake  Superior,  was  announced.] 

12th.     E.  A.  Brush,  Esq.,  of  Detroit,  writes:  "Everybody— 
not  here  only,  but  through  the  Union — seems  to  think  with  just 
foreboding  of  the  result  of  the  measures  taken  by  South  Carolina. 
Their  convention  have  determined  to  resist,  after  the  first  day  of 
(I  think)  February. 

"  Gov.  Cass's  family  are  well,  but  he  has  not  been  heard  from 
personally  since  he  left  here.  He  is  too  much  occupied,  I  sup 
pose,  with  the  affairs  of  his  department,  at  the  opening  of  th$ 
session.  Of  course,  you  know  that  General  Jackson  and  Van 
Buren  are  in." 


PERSONAL    MEMOIRS.  431 


CHAPTER    XLVI. 

An  Indian  woman  builds  a  church — Conchology — South  Carolina  prepares  to 
resist  the  revenue  laws — Moral  affairs— Geography — Botany — Chippewas 
and  Sioux — A  native  evangelist  in  John  Sunday — His  letter  in  English  ; 
its  philological  value — The  plural  pronoun  we — An  Indian  battle — Politi 
cal  affairs — South  Carolina  affairs — Tariff  compromise  of  Mr.  Clay — Algic 
Society;  it  employs  native  evangelists — Plan  of  visiting  Europe — Presi 
dent's  tour — History  of  Detroit — Fresh-water  shells — Lake  tides — Prairie 
— Country — Reminiscence. 

•  X'   •"•  '-•'•'/  ' 
1833.     Jan.  1st.     A  REMARKABLE  thing  recently  transpired. 

Mrs.  Susan  Johnston,  a  widow — an  Indian  woman  by  father  and 
mother — built  a  church  for  the  Presbyterian  congregation  at  this 
place.  The  building,  which  is  neat  and  plain,  without  a  steeple, 
was  finished  early  in  the  fall,  and  has  been  occupied  this  season 
for  preaching,  lectures,  &c.  Certainly,  on  the  assumption  of 
theories,  there  is  nothing  predicted  against  the  descendants  of 
Shem  ministering  in  good  things  to  those  of  Japhet ;  but  it  is  an 
instance,  the  like  of  which  I  doubt  whether  there  has  happened 
since  the  Discovery.  The  translation  of  the  Indian  name  of  this 
female  is  Woman  of  the  Green  Valley ;  or,  according  to  the  poly- 
syllabical  system  of  her  people,  O-she'-wush-ko-da-wa-qua. 

2d.  Mr.  John  M.  Earle,  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  solicits  contri 
butions  to  his  collection  of  fresh-water  shells.  "  I  have  a  higher 
object  in  view,"  he  remarks,  "than  the  mere  making  of  a  collec 
tion — viz.,  doing  what  I  can  to  ascertain  what  new  species  remain 
undescribed,  and  what  ones  of  those  already  described  may  be 
only  varieties  of  others ;  and,  in  fine,  by  a  careful  examination  of 
a  large  number  of  shells,  brought  together  from  various  localities, 
to  fix,  more  accurately  than  it  has  heretofore  been  done,  the 
nomenclature  of  the  several  genera  and  species,  and  so  particularly 
to  define  their  specific  characteristics  as  to  leave  little  doubt  on 
the  subject.  The  great  variety  of  our  fresh-water  shells,  exceed 
ing  that  of  any  other  country,  seems  to  require  something  of  this 


432  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

kind,  in  addition  to  the  valuable  labors  of  Say,  Barnes,  Lea,  and 
others,  who,  although  they  have  done  much,  have  yet  left  much 
to  be  done  by  others,  and  have  made  some  mistakes  which  require 
rectifying." 

14£/i.  Mr.  Trowbridge  writes  from  Detroit :  "  The  period  inter 
vening  since  your  last  visit  to  this  place  has  been  an  eventful  one 
to  the  nation.  South  Carolina,  driven  on  by  a  few  infatuated 
men,  has  made  a  bold  effort  to  shake  off  the  bonds  of  Union  and 
Federal  Law,  and,  to  the  minds  of  some  in  whom  you  and  I  repose 
the  utmost  confidence,  a  happy  government  seems  to  totter  on  the 
brink  of  dissolution.  It  is  a  long  story,  and  the  papers  will  tell 
you  all.  God  grant  that  the  impending  evil  may  be  averted,  and 
that  the  moral  and  religious  improvement  of  this  government  may 
not  be  retarded  by  civil  war.''  It  is  thought  that  this  event,  and 
the  course  taken  by  the  President,  will  produce  a  great  reaction  in 
his  favor,  and  that  he  will  be  supported  by  his  old  political  oppo 
nents.  The  governor  is  much  occupied.  It  is  supposed  the  pro 
clamation  is  from  his  pen." 

l&th.  M.  Merrill  announces  the  opening  of  an  infant  school,  in 
which  he  is  to  be  assisted  by  Mrs.  Merrill,  on  Monday  next. 

21s£.  Rev.  J.  Porter,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  reports 
to  the  Algic  Society,  that  there  is  but  little  in  the  present  state  of 
religion  here  that  is  propitious.  "  Of  the  little  church  gathered 
here  during  the  last  year,  ten  persons  are  absent,  scattered  wildly 
through  our  land.  There  now  remain  twenty-six  or  twenty-eight 
communicants.  These  seem,  in  a  measure,  discouraged  by  the 
present  indifference.  The  recent  apparent  conversion  of  three  or 
four  soldiers,  and  the  increasing  interest  in  their  prayer-meetings 
and  Bible  class,  give  us  some  promise.  The  Sabbath  School, 
taught  entirely  by  members  of  the  church,  is  now  in  a  state  of 
pleasing  prosperity.  And  the  infant  school,  lately  organized 
under  the  direction  of  an  admirably  qualified  teacher,  promises  to 
gratify  the  hearts  of  parents." 

22cZ.  The  geography  of  the  line  of  country  between  Sault  St. 
Marie  and  the  shores  of  Lake  Huron,  opposite  to  the  island  of 
Mackinack,  is  a  perfect  terra  incognita.  It  has  been  passed  in  the 
winter  only  on  snow  shoes.  The  distance  in  a  direct  line  from  N.  E. 
to  S.  W.  is  about  forty  or  forty-five  miles.  It  is  about  double  that 
distance  by  the  St.  Mary's  River  and  Lake  Huron — which  is  and 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  433 

has  been  the  ordinary  route,  from  the  earliest  French  days,  and 
for  uncounted  centuries  before.  Mr.  G.  Johnston,  who  has  just 
passed  it,  with  Indian  guides  on  snow  shoes,  writes  :  "  I  reached 
this  place  at  half-past  twelve  this  day,  after  experiencing  great 
fatigue,  caused  by  a  heavy  fall  of  snow  and  the  river  rising.  I 
inclose  herein  a  rough  sketched  map  of  the  region  through  which 
I  passed,  that  is,  from  Lake  Superior  to  Lake  Huron  in  a  direct 
southerly  line. 

"  The  banks  of  the  Pe-ke-sa-we-see,  which  we  ascended,  are  ele 
vated  and  pretty  uniform.  From  its  mouth  to  the  first  fork,  is  a 
growth  of  cedar,  on  either  bank,  intermixed  with  hemlock,  pine, 
birch,  and  a  few  scattered  maples.  Thence  to  the  third  fork,  de 
noted  on  the  map,  the  growth  is  exclusively  pine  and  fir.  This 
river  is  sluggish  and  deep,  and  is  navigable  for  boats  of  ten  to  fif 
teen  tons  burden,  without  any  obstruction  to  the  third  forks.  Its 
width  is  uniform,  about  sixty  to  seventy  feet  wide. 

"  From  this  point  to  Pine  River  of  Lake  Huron,  is  invariably 
level,  gently  rising  to  a  maple  ridge,  and  susceptible  of  a  road,  to 
be  cut  with  facility. 

u  The  banks  of  Pine  River  are  very  high.  The  river  we  found 
open  in  many  places,  indicating  rapids.  It  is  obstructed  in  many 
places  with  drift  wood.  The  pine  ridge,  on  either  bank,  indicates 
a  vigorous  growth  of  the  handsomest  pine  trees  I  ever  beheld.  The 
water  marks  are  high — say  ten  to  twelve  feet,  owing  to  the  spring 
freshets. 

"  I  reached  the  mouth  of  the  river  on  the  Sabbath,  and  en 
camped,  which  gave  the  Methodist  Indian  an  opportunity  of  re 
vealing  God's  Holy  Word  to  Cacogish's  band,  consisting  of  thirty 
souls.  We  were  very  kindly  received,  and  supplied  with  an  abund 
ance  of  food — hares,  partridges,  trout,  pork,  corn  and  flour.  We 
had  clean  and  new  mats  to  sleep  on." 

Feb.  4:th.  The  American  Lyceum  at  New  York  invite  me,  by  a 
letter  from  their  Secretary,  to  prepare  an  essay  on  the  subject 
of  educating  in  the  West. 

6th.  Dr.  John  Torrey,  of  N.  Y.,  writes  on  the  eve  of  his  em 
barkation  for  Europe  :  "  I  shall  take  with  me  all  very  rare  and 
doubtful  plants,  for  examination  and  comparison  with  the  cele 
brated  herbaria  of  Europe. 

"  Your  boxes  and  packages  of  specimens  must  have  been  de- 
28 


434  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

tained  on  the  way  by  the  closing  of  the  (N.  Y.)  canal,  as  I  have 
as  yet  received  nothing  from  you.  The  plan  of  your  proposed 
narrative  I  like  much,  and  I  hope  the  work  will  be  given  to  the 
public  as  early  as  possible.  Dr.  Houghton  did  not  come  to  New 
York,  but  has  settled  himself  (as  you  doubtless  know)  at  Detroit." 

10th.  Lyman  M.  Warren  writes  from  Lake  Superior :  "  Our 
country  at  present  is  in  a  very  unsettled  state,  caused  by  the  un 
happy  wars  between  the  Sioux  and  Chippewas.  The  latter  have 
been  defeated  on  Rum  River — six  men  and  one  woman  killed.  All 
our  Chippewas  are  looking  to  you  for  protection,  as  they  consider 
themselves  wronged  by  the  Sioux,  the  latter  being,  and  constantly 
hunting  within  the  Chippewa  territory.  I  am  afraid  that  a  very 
extensive  war  will  commence  the  ensuing  summer,  through  this 
region,  and  the  whole  upper  country,  if  some  effectual  method  is 
not  adopted  to  stop  it." 

This  war  has  all  the  bitterness  of  a  war  of  races — it  is  the  great 
Algonquin  family  against  the  wide-spread  Dacota  stock — the  one 
powerful  in  the  east,  the  other  equally  so  in  the  west.  And  the 
measures  to  be  adopted  to  restrain  it,  and  to  curb  the  young  warriors 
on  both  sides,  who  pant  for  fame  and  scalps,  must  ever  remain,  to 
a  great  extent,  ineffective  and  temporary,  so  long  as  they  are  not 
backed  up  by  strong  lines  of  military  posts.  Mr.  Calhoun  was 
right  in  his  policy  of  1820. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bout  well  writes  from  the  same  region  :  "  We  re 
joice  that  you  enter  so  fully  into  our  views  and  feelings  relative  to 
the  intellectual  and  moral  improvement  of  the  Indians,  and  rest 
assured  we  can  most  heartily  unite  with  you  in  bidding  God  speed, 
to  such  as  are  willing  to  go  and  do  them  good.'' 

14f7i.  John  Sunday,  a  Chippewa  evangelist  from  Upper  Canada 
among  the  Chippewas  of  Lake  Superior,  writes  from  the  Bay  of 
Keweena,  where  he  is  stationed  during  the  winter : — 

"I  received  your  kind  letter.  I  undersand  you — you  want 
here  the  Indians  from  this  place.  I  will  tell  you  what  to  the  In 
dians  doing.  They  worshiped  Idol  God.  They  make  God  their 
own.  I  undersand  Mr.  D.,  he  told  all  Indians* not  going  to  hear 
the  word  of  God.  So  the  Indians  he  believed  him.  He  tell  the 
Indians  do  worship  your  own  way.  Your  will  get  heaven  quick  is 
us.  So  the  Indians  they  do  not  care  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 

"  But  some  willing  to  hear  preaching.     One  family  they  love  to 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  435 

come  the  meeting.  That  Indian,  by  and  by,  he  got  ligion.  He 
is  happy  now  in  his  heart.  After  he  got  ligion  that  Indian  say, 
Indian  ligion  not  good.  I  have  been  worship  Idol  god  many  years. 
He  never  make  happy.  Now  I  know  Jesus.  His  ligion  is  good, 
because  I  feel  it  in  my  heart.  I  say  white  people  ligion  very  good. 
That  Indian  he  can  say  all  in  Lord's  prayer  and  ten  command 
ments,  and  apostle  creed  by  heart.  Perhaps  you  know  him.  His 
name  is  Shah-wau-ne-noo-tin. 

"  I  never  forget  your  kindness  to  me.  I  thing  I  shall  stay 
here  till  the  May.  I  want  it  to  do  what  the  Lord  say." 

Aside  from  his  teaching  among  the  Chippewas,  which  was  unan 
swerably  effective,  this  letter  is  of  the  highest  consequence  to 
philology,  as  its  variations  from  the  rules  of  English  syntax  and 
orthography,  denote  some  of  the  leading  principles  of  aboriginal 
construction,  as  they  have  been  revealed  to  me  by  the  study  of 
the  Indian  language.  In  truth  he  uses  the  Indian  language  to  a 
considerable  extent,  according  to  the  principles  of  the  Chippewa 
syntax. 

Thus  it  is  perceived  from  the  letter,  which  is  printed  verbatim — 

1.  That  the  letter  t  is  not  uttered  when  standing  between  a 
consonant  and  vowel,  as  in  "  understand." 

2.  The  want  and  misuse  of  the  prepositions  of,  from,  and  to. 

3.  The  use  of  the   participial  form  of  the  verb  for  the  indica 
tive. 

4.  The  use  of  pronouns  immediately  after  nouns  to  which  they 
refer. 

5.  The  interchange  of  d  for  t,  and  g  for  Jc,  as  in  do  for  to,  and 
"  tiling"  for  think. 

6.  The  suppression  of  the  sound  of  r  altogether,  as  heard  in  re, 
and  religion,  &c. 

7.  Confounding  the  perfect  past  with  the  present  tense. 

8.  The  misuse  of  the  indefinite  article,  which  is  wanting  in  the 
Indian. 

9.  The  habitual  non-use  of  the  imperative  mood. 

10.  The  transitive  character  of  verbs   requiring  objective  in 
flections,  for  the  nominative,  &c. 

11.  The  absence  of  simple  possessives. 

12.  The  want  of  the  auxiliary  verbs  have,  are,  is,  &c. 

John  Sunday  came  to  St.  Mary's  in  the  autumn  of  1832.     His 


436  .  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

prayers  and  exhortatory  teaching  completely  non-plussed  the  Chip- 
pewas.  They  heard  him  refute  all  their  arguments  in  their  own 
language.  He  had,  but  a  short  time  before,  been  one  like  them 
selves — a  Manito  worshiper,  an  idler,  a  drunkard.  He  produced 
a  great  sensation  among  them,  and  overthrew  the  loose  fabric  of 
their  theology  and  mythology  with  a  strong  hand.  I  had  never 
before  heard  the  Chippewa  language  applied  to  religion,  and  listened 
with  great  interest  to  catch  his  phrases.  I  was  anxious  to  hear 
how  he  would  get  along  in  the  use  of  the  dual  pronoun  we,  as  ap 
plied  to  inclusive  and  exclusive  persons.  He  spoke  at  once  of  the 
affections  as  they  exist  between  a  father  and  his  children,  and  ad 
dressed  the  Deity  at  all  times  as  Nosa,  which  is  the  term  for  my 
father.  He  thus  made  God  the  inclusive  head  of  every  family, 
and  brushed  away  the  whole  cobweb  system  of  imaginary  spirits, 
of  the  native  Jossakeed,  Medas,  and  Wabanos. 

March  7th.  "  My  heart  was  made  glad,''  writes  Mr.  Bout  well 
from  Lake  Superior,  "  that  Providence  directed  you  to  Detroit  at 
a  season  so  timely,  bringing  you  into  contact  with  the  great  and 
the  good — giving  you  an  opportunity  of  laying  before  them  facts 
relative  to  the  condition  of  the  Indians,  which  eventuated  in  so 
much  good.  We  do  indeed  rejoice  in  the  formation  of  the  '  Algic 
Society,'  which  is,  I  trust,  the  harbinger  of  great  and  extensive 
blessings  to  this  poor  and  dying  people." 

8th.  Mr.  L.  M.  Warren  reports  from  La  Pointe,  at  the  head  of 
Lake  Superior  :  "  Since  my  last,  Mr.  Ayer  has  arrived  from  Sandy 
Lake.  He  reports  that  there  have  been  two  war  parties  sent  out 
against  the  Sioux,  by  the  Sandy  Lake  Band,  thirty  or  forty  men 
each,  without  accomplishing  anything.  Afterwards  a  third  party 
of  sixty  men  assembled  and  went  out  under  the  command  of  Son- 
gegomik — a  young  chief  of  distinguished  character  of  the  Sandy 
Lake  Band.  They  discovered  a  Sioux  camp  of  nineteen  lodges, 
and  succeeded  in  approaching  them  before  daylight  undiscovered, 
until  they  reached,  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  within  ten  yards.  They 
then  opened  a  tremendous  fire,  and,  as  fast  as  the  Sioux  attempted 
to  come  from  their  lodges,  they  were  shot  dead.  The  yelling  of 
Indians,  screaming  of  women,  and  crying  of  children  were  dis 
tressing.  One  Sioux  escaped  unhurt,  and  notified  a  neighboring 
camp.  Their  approach  to  the  assistance  of  their  friends  was  as 
certained  by  a  distant  firing  of  guns.  The  Chippewas,  who  by 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  437 

this  time  had  exhausted  their  ammunition,  began,  and  effected  a 
retreat,  leaving  nineteen  of  their  enemy  dead,  and  forty  wounded. 
This  victory  was  achieved  without  the  loss  of  a  man  on  the  part 
of  the  Chippewas. 

"  Since  that  battle  was  fought,  a  body  of  one  hundred  Sioux 
have  attacked  a  fortified  camp  of  the  Mille  Lac  and  Snake  River 
band,  and  killed  nine  men  and  one  woman." 

13th.  Mr.  Trowbridge  writes  from  Detroit :  "  We  have  just 
heard  of  the  adjournment  of  Congress  ;  a  new  tariff  has  been 
passed,  together  with  a  law  empowering  the  President  to  enforce 
the  collection  of  duties  by  calling  in  aid  the  force  of  the  Union. 
These  bills  are  accompanied  by  Mr.  Clay's  Law  of  Compromise, 
providing  for  the  gradual  reduction  of  duties  to  a  revenue  stand 
ard.  So  that  the  dreaded  Carolina  question  will,  it  is  supposed, 
blow  over,  leaving  the  Union  as  it  was.  The  great  men,  too,  who 
have  been  on  opposite  sides  of  this  question,  have  shaken  hands  at 
parting,  and  this  is  looked  upon  as  another  auspicious  sign. 

u  The  release  of  the  missionaries  in  Georgia,  having  settled  that 
disagreeable  and  disgraceful  affair  to  the  State,  although  not  done 
with  that  magnanimity  which  ought  to  have  characterized  the  pro 
ceeding,  leaves  no  general  question  at  issue,  but  the  Indian  ques 
tion  ;  and  from  the  prudent  measures  of  government  in  that  re 
gard,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  that  also  will  be,  at  length,  amicably 
arranged. 

"  I  mention  these  facts  because  I  am  told  that  no  newspapers 
will  be  sent  to  the  upper  country.'7 

18th.  Lieut.  J.  Allen,  U.  S.  A.,  way  topographer  on  the  recent 
expedition,  sends  me  maps  of  Leech  Lake,  Cass  Lake,  and  Itasca 
Lake,  to  be  used  in  my  narrative  of  the  journey  to  the  source  of 
the  Mississippi  River.  Correspondents  appear  solicitous  for  a 
published  account  of  this  expedition,  and  frequently  allude  to  it, 
and  to  the  opportunity  it  gave  for  extending  our  knowledge  of  the 
geology  and  natural  history  of  the  country. 

April  8th.  Dr.  J.  B.  Crawe,  of  Waterton,  N.  Y.,  proposes  an 
interchange  of  specimens  in  several  departments  of  science.  Hon. 
Micah  Sterling,  of  the  same  place,  commends  to  my  notice  Dr. 
Richard  Clark,  who  is  ordered  on  this  frontier,  as  a  "  young  man 
of  merit  and  respectability."  My  correspondence  with  naturalists, 
in  all  parts  of  the  Union,  and  my  list  of  exchanges,  had,  indeed, 


438  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

for  some  years  been  large  and  active,  and  was  by  no  means  dimin 
ished  since  my  last  two  expeditions.  But  new  sympathies  have  been 
awakened,  particularly  during  the  last  two  years,  with  philanthro 
pists  and  Christians,  which  added  greatly  to  the  number  of  my 
correspondents,  without  taking  from  its  gratifications. 

12th.  Rev.  Ansel  R.  Clark  of  Hudson,  Ohio,  an  agent  of  the 
Education  Society,  writes  on  the  importance  of  that  cause,  on  the 
state  and  prospects  of  American  society,  the  spread  of  vital  morals 
in  neighborhoods  on  the  great  line  of  the  frontiers,  Indian  civiliza 
tion,  &c.  In  connection  with  the  last  topic,  he  acknowledges  the 
receipt  of  the  proceedings  published  by  the  Algic  Society,  and 
expresses  his  interest  in  its  objects. 

This  society,  by  its  standing  committee  here,  received  Elder 
John  Sunday  in  the  autumn,  furnished  him  with  lodgings  while  at 
the  place,  and  an  outfit  for  his  missions  to  the  Indians  at  Keweena 
Bay  in  Lake  Superior.  It  also  furnished  John  Cabeach  and  John 
Otanchey — all  converted  Chippewas  from  the  vicinity  of  Toronto, 
U.  C.,  with  the  means  of  practical  teaching  and  traveling  among 
various  bands  of  the  Northern  Chippewas.  It  sent  an  express  in 
the  month  of  January  to  La  Pointe,  L.  S.,  to  communicate  with  the 
mission  family  there,  with  their  papers,  letters,  &c.  Regular 
monthly  meetings  of  the  St.  Mary's  committee  were  held,  and  the 
proceedings  denote  the  collection  of  much  information  of  high 
interest  to  the  cause  of  the  red  man. 

15th.  I  was  anxious  now  to  extend  the  sphere  of  my  observa 
tion  to  Europe.  I  had  been  engaged  twelve  consecutive  years 
out  of  a  period  of  fifteen  (omitting  1823,  1828,  1829  and  1830) 
in  journeys  chiefly  in  the  great  Valley  of  the  Mississippi,  the  vast 
flanks  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  Upper  Lakes,  and  the  north 
western  frontiers.  And  I  began  to  sigh  for  a  prospect  of  older  coun 
tries  and  institutions.  The  time  seemed  favorable,  in  my  mind,  for 
such  a  movement,  and  I  wrote  to  a  friend  high  in  influence  at 
Washington,  on  the  subject.  In  a  reply  of  this  date,  he  throws, 
with  adroitness,  cold  water  on  the  subject.  He  weighs  matters  in 
scales  which  will  only  keep  their  equipoise  at  the  place  of  the 
seat  of  government ;  and,  if  I  may  say  so,  require  their  equipoise 
to  be  kept  up  by  casting  on  the  golden  weights  of  political  expe 
diency.  Like  those  seemingly  mysterious  charms  which  produce 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  439 

the  variations  in  the  compass,  the  effects  are  always  instantly 
visible,  we  see  the  dip  and  intensity  of  the  needle,  while  the 
causes  are  in  great  measure  out  of  sight. 

A  correspondent  at  Washington  writes — "  The  President"  talks 
of  a  tour  to  the  East.  He  will  probably  leave  here  about  the  last 
of  May.  He  will  go  to  Portland,  then  through  New  Hampshire 
and  Vermont  to  Lake  Champlain,  and  thence  through  the  western 
part  of  New  York  to  Buffalo."  This  was  originally  the  programme 
of  Gen.  Jackson's  tour  to  New  England  in  1833. 

16th.  Charles  Cleland,  Esq.,  of  Detroit,  writes  :  "  My  partner, 
Franklin  Sawyer,  Jr.,  has,  for  some  months  past,  been  collecting 
materials  to  enable  him  to  publish  a  history  of  Detroit,  and  he  has 
this  moment  requested  me  to  solicit  your  friendly  aid.  You  might 
have  in  your  possession  many  interesting  facts,  and  much  informa 
tion  which  might  give  great  value  to  the  work." 

The  true  history  of  Detroit  lies  scattered  abroad  in  the  public 
archives  of  Paris  and  London,  and  in  the  Catholic  College  of 
Quebec.  It  is  inseparable  in  a  measure,  not  only  from  the  history 
of  Michigan,  but  New  France. 

~L7th.  George  L.  Whitney,  of  Detroit,  writes  me  respecting  the 
printing  of  the  narrative  of  my  expedition  to  Itasca  Lake. 

IQth.  Rev.  John  Clark  writes  from  New  York,  that  the  Me 
thodist  Society  have  determined  to  establish  a  mission  among  the 
Chippewas  at  Sault  St.  Marie — that  he  is  pleased  to  hear  the 
"native  speakers"  (Sunday,  Cabeach  and  Tanchay)  have  wintered 
in  the  county,  and  that  he  expects  to  reach  St.  Mary's  by  the  10th 
of  June. 

20th.  Dr.  D.  Houghton  transmits  from  Detroit,  a  map  necessary 
to  illustrate  my  narrative  of  the  expedition  to  Itasca  Lake. 

May  9th.  Wm.  Cooper,  of  New  York,  undertakes  to  describe 
the  collection  of  fresh-water  shells  made  on  the  recent  expedition. 
"Yrou  are  not,  perhaps,  aware,"  he  adds,  "that  Dr.  Torrey  is 
gone  to  Europe.  He  sailed  rather  unexpectedly  in  February,  and 
will  be  absent  until  next  October.  I  hope  this  will  not  be  too 
great  a  delay  for  you,  as  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  another 
botanist  equally  capable  of  describing  your  plants. 

"  Dr.  Dekay  is  in  New  York  at  present,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
will  contribute  his  assistance  in  the  examination  of  your  collec 
tion." 


440  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Major  H.  Whiting  remarks :  "  The  lake  here  is  about  two  feet 
lower  than  it  was  at  this  time  the  last  year.  How  is  the  level 
with  you  ?  I  have  the  cause  fixed  on  record  this  time.  Mem. — 
Not  much  snow  during  the  winter,  and  a  dry,  a  very  dry  spring — 
only  one  brief  rain  during  the  months  of  March  and  April.  We 
must  watch  over  these  things  and  fix  data,  which  will  show  that 
the  theorizing  of  the  past,  has  sprung  mostly  from  the  barrenness 
of  observation. 

"  Emigration  is  settling  again  this  way,  as  if  the  East  were  in 
love  with  the  West.  I  am  not  surprised  at  it.  An  admirer  of 
the  picturesque  might  like  the  hills  of  the  former,  but  a  farmer 
would  prefer  to  see  them  lie  down  on  one  of  our  prairies — such  as 
Prairie  Rond.  I  found  out  all  their  fascination  when  lately  on  a 
visit  to  the  St.  Joseph's  country." 

20th.  I  had  now  performed  my  last  labor  at  St.  Mary's — which  was 
the  preparation  of  my  narrative  of  the  expedition  to  Itasca  Lake. 
I  looked,  in  parting,  with  fond  regret  at  the  trees  I  had  planted,  the 
house  I  had  built,  the  walks  I  had  constructed,  the  garden  I  had  cul 
tivated,  the  meadow  lands  I  had  reclaimed  from  the  tangled  forest, 
and  the  wide  and  noble  prospects  which  surrounded  Elmwood.  All 
was  to  be  left — and  I  only  waited  for  a  suitable  vessel  to  embark, 
bag  and  baggage,  for  the  sacred  island  whose  formal  polysyllables 
had  formed  the  dread  of  my  spelling  days  at  school — Michilimacki- 
nack. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  441 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

Earliest  point  of  French  occupancy  in  the  area  of  the  Upper  Lakes — Ke- 
moval  of  my  residence  from  the  Sault  St.  Marie  to  the  island  of  Michili- 
mackinack — Trip  to  New  York — Its  objects — American  Philosophical  So 
ciety  —  Michilimackinack  ;  its  etymology  —  The  rage  for  investment  in 
western  lands  begins — Traditions  of  Saganosh — Of  Porlier — Of  Perrault 
—Of  Captain  Thorn— Of  the  chief,  Old  Wing— Of  Mudjekewis,  of  Thun 
der  Bay — Character  of  Indian  tradition  respecting  the  massacre  at  old  Tort 
Mackinack  in  1763. 

1833.  June  1st.  THE  cascades,  or  rapids  of  Sault  de  Ste.  Marie, 
which  occur  at  the  point  of  the  sinking  of  the  water  level  between 
Lakes  Superior  and  Huron,  were,  it  seems,  first  visited,  under  the 
French  government,  by  Charles  Raumbault,  in  1641.  It  appears 
to  have  been  one  of  the  earliest  points  occupied.  In  1668,  Claude 
D'Ablon  and  James  Marquette  established  there  the  mission  of  St. 
Mary — since  which,  the  place  and  the  rapids  have  borne  that 
name. 

I  had  been  a  member  of  the  first  exploring  expedition  which  the 
U.  S.  Government  sent  into  that  region  in  1820.  Troops  landed 
here  to  occupy  it  in  1822,  on  which  occasion  I  was  entrusted  by 
the  President,  with  the  management  of  Indian  affairs.  I  had  now 
lived  almost  eleven  years  at  this  ancient  and  remote  point  of  set 
tlement,  which  is  at  the  foot  of  the  geological  basin  of  Lake  Su 
perior — a  period  which,  aside  from  official  duties,  was,  in  truth, 
devoted  to  the  study  of  the  history,  customs,  and  languages  of  the 
Indians.  These  years  are  consecrated  in  my  memory  as  a  period 
of  intellectual  enjoyment,  and  of  profound  and  pleasing  seclusion 
from  the  world.  It  was  not  without  deep  regret  that  I  quitted  long 
cherished  scenes,  abounding  in  the  wild  magnificence  of  nature, 
and  went  back  one  step  into  the  area  of  the  noisy  world,  for  it 
was  impressed  on  my  mind,  that  I  should  never  find  a  theatre  of 
equal  repose,  and  one  so  well  adapted  to  my  simple  and  domestic 
tastes  and  habits.  For  I  left  here  in  the  precincts  of  Elmwood,  a 


442  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

beautiful  seat,  which  I  had  adorned  with  trees  of  my  own  planting, 
which  abounded  in  every  convenience  and  comfort,  and  commanded 
one  of  the  most  magnificent  prospects  in  the  world. 

The  change  seemed,  however,  to  flow  naturally  from  the  de 
velopment  of  events.  The  decision  once  made,  I  only  waited  the 
entrance  into  the  straits  of  a  first  class  schooner,  which  could  be 
chartered  to  take  my  collections  in  natural  history,  books,  and  fur 
niture — all  which  were  embarked,  with  my  family,  on  board  the 
schooner  "  Mariner"  the  last  week  in  May.  Captain  Fowle  (who 
met  a  melancholy  fate  many  years  afterwards,  while  a  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  on  board  the  steamer  "Moselle"  on  the  Ohio)  had  been 
relieved,  as  commanding  officer  of  the  post,  at  the  same  time,  and 
embarked  on  board  the  same  vessel  with  his  family.  We  had  a 
pleasant  passage  out  of  the  river  and  up  the  lake,  until  reaching 
the  harbor  of  Mackinack,  which  we  entered  early  on  the  morning 
of  the  27th  of  May.  Coming  in  with  an  easterly  wind,  which 
blows  directly  into  it,  the  vessel  pitched  badly  at  anchor,  causing 
sea-sickness,  and  the  rain  falling  at  the  same  time.  As  soon  as  it 
could  be  done,  I  took  Mrs.  S.  and  the  children  and  servants  in 
the  ship's  yawl,  and  we  soon  stood  on  terra  firma,  and  found  our 
selves  at  ease  in  the  rural  and  picturesque  grounds  and  domicil  of 
the  U.  S.  Agency,  overhung,  as  it  is,  by  impending  cliffs,  and  com 
manding  one  of  the  most  pleasing  and  captivating  views  of  lake 
scenery.  Here  the  great  whirl  of  lake  commerce  from  Buffalo  to 
Chicago,  continually  passed.  The  picturesque  canoe  of  the  In- 
,  dian  was  constantly  gliding,  and  the  footsteps  of  visitors  were 
frequently  seen  to  tread  in  haste  the  "sacred  island,"  rendering 
it  a  point  of  continual  contact  with  the  busy  world.  Emigrants  of 
every  class,  agog  for  new  El  Dorados  in  the  West,  eager  mer 
chants  prudently  looking  to  their  interests  in  the  great  area  of 
migration,  domestic  and  foreign  visitors,  with  note-book  in  hand, 
and  some  valetudinarians,  hoping  in  the  benefits  of  a  pure  air 
and  "white  fish" — these  constantly  filled  the  harbor,  and  consti 
tuted  the  ever-moving  panorama  of  our  enlarged  landscape. 

The  necessary  repairs  to  the  buildings  were  not  yet  completed, 
when  I  embarked  about  the  10th  of  June  for  New  York,  in  order 
to  fall  in  with  the  President's  cortege  to  the  East.  About  seven 
weeks  were  devoted  to  this  excursion,  during  which  I  made  an  ar- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  443 

rangement  with  the  Harpers  to  publish  my  narrative  of  the  ex 
pedition  to  Itasca  Lake,  the  printing  to  be  done  at  Detroit. 

July  19th.  The  American  Philosophical  Society  at  Philadelphia 
informs  me  of  my  election  as  a  member. 

28th.  I  returned  to  Michilimackinack  from  my  excursion  to  New 
York,  and  began  to  inquire  of  aged  persons,  white  and  red,  as 
they  visited  the  office,  into  the  local  traditions  of  the  place. 

There  is  a  hiatus  in  the  history  of  the  island,  extending  from 
1763,  the  date  of  the  massacre  of  the  British  garrison  on  the  main 
land,  to  about  1780,  the  probable  date  of  the  removal  of  the  post 
from  the  apex  of  the  peninsula  (Peekwutinong  of  the  Indians)  to 
the  island. 

The  name  of  the  place  is  pronounced  Mish-i-nim-auk-in-ong, 
by  the  Indians.  The  term  mishi,  as  heard  in  misliipisMu^  pan 
ther,  and  misJiigenabik,  a  gigantic  serpent  of  fabled  notoriety, 
signifies  great;  nim,  appears  to  be  derived  from  nwii,  to  dance, 
and  auJc  from  autig,  tree  or  standing  object ;  ong  is  the  common 
termination  for  locality,  the  vowels  i  (second  and  fifth  syllable) 
being  brought  into  the  compound  word  as  connectives.  In  a  lan 
guage  which  separates  all  matter,  the  whole  creation,  in  fact,  into 
two  classes  of  nouns — deemed  animates  and  inanimates — the  distinc 
tions  of  gender  are  lost,  so  far  as  the  laws  of  syntax  are  involved. 
It  is  necessary  only  to  speak  of  objects  as  possessing  and  wanting 
vitality,  to  communicate  to  them  the  property  named,  whether  it 
rn  reality  possesses  it  in  nature  or  not.  For  this  purpose  word 
which  lack  it  in  their  penultimate  syllables,  take  the  consonant 
to  make  their  plurals  for  inanimates,  and  g  for  animates. 
this  simple  method,  the  whole  inanimate  creation — woods,  trees, 
rocks,  clouds,  waters,  &c. — is  clothed  at  will  with  life,  or  the  oppo 
site  class  of  objects  are  shorn  of  it,  which  enables  the  speaker, 
whose  mind  is  imbued  with  his  peculiar  mythology  and  necro 
mancy,  to  create  a  spiritual  world  around  him.  In  this  creation  it 
is  known  to  all  who  have  investigated  the  subject,  that  the  Indian 
mind  has  exercised  its  ingenuity,  by  creating  classes  and  species  of 
spirits,  of  all  imaginable  kinds,  which,  to  his  fancied  eye,  fill  all  / 
surrounding  space.  If  he  be  skilled  in  the  magic  rites  of  the  \ 
sacred  meda,  or  jesukewin,  it  is  but  to  call  on  these  spirits,  and  j 
his  necromantic  behest  is  at  its  highest  point  of  energy. 

In  reference  to  this  spiritual  creation,  the  word  mish  signifies 


444  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

great,  or  rather  big,  but  as  adjectives  are,  like  substantives,  tran 
sitive,  the  term  requires  a  transitive  objective  sign,  to  mark  the 
thing  or  person  that  is  big,  hence  the  term  michi  signifies  big 
spirit,  or  "fairy" — for  it  is  a  kind  of  pukwudjininne,  and  not 
of  monetoes  that  are  described.  The  terms  nim  and  auk,  dance 
and  tree,  and  the  local  ong,  are  introduced  to  describe  the  particular 
locality  and  circumstances  of  the  mythologic  dances.  The  true 
meaning  of  the  phrase,  therefore,  appears  to  be,  Place  of  the 
Dancing  Spirits.  The  popular  etymology  that  derives  the 
word  from  Big  Turtle,  is  still  farther  back  in  the  chain  of 
etymology,  and  is  founded  on  the  fact  that  the  michi  are  turtle 
spirits.  This  is  the  result  of  my  inquiries  with  the  best  inter 
preters  of  the  language.  The  French,  to  whom  we  owe  the  ori 
ginal  orthography,  used  ch  for  sA,  interchanged  n  for  I  in  the  third 
syllable,  and  modified  the  syllables  auk  and  ong  into  the  sounds  of 
acJc — which  are,  I  believe,  general  rules  founded  on  the  organs  of 
utterance,  in  their  adoption  by  that  nation  of  Indian  words. 
Hence  Michilimackinack.  The  word  has,  in  Indian,  a  plural  in 
flective  in  oag,  which  the  French  threw  away.  The  Iroquois,  who 
extended  their  incursions  here,  called  it  Ti-e-don-de-ro-ga. 

Aug.  1st.  While  at  Detroit  (July  24th)  Mr.  Arthur  Bronson, 
the  money  capitalist,  and  Mr.  Charles  Butler,  from  New  York, 
came  to  that  place  with  a  large  sum  for  investment  in  lands. 
This  appeared  to  be  the  first  unmistakeable  sign  in  this  quarter, 
of  that  rage  for  investment  in  western  lands,  which  the  country 
experienced  for  several  years,  and  which,  acting  universally,  pro 
duced  in  1836  a  surplus  revenue  to  the  U.  S.  treasury  of  fifty  mil 
lions  of  dollars. 

15th.  Saganosh,  an  Ottawa  chief  of  St.  Martin's  Island,  visited 
the  office  with  eleven  followers.  I  asked  him  if  any  of  the  rela 
tives  of  Gitche  Naigow,  of  whom  tradition  spoke,  yet  lived.  He 
pointed  to  his  wife,  and  said  she  was  a  daughter  of  Gitche  Naigow. 
I  asked  her  her  age.  She  did  not  know  (probably  fifty-five  to 
sixty).  She  said  her  father  died  and  was  buried  at  the  Manistee 
River  (North),  that  he  was  very  old,  and  died  of  old  age — pro 
bably  ninety.  She  said  he  was  so  old  and  feeble,  that  the  last 
spring  before  his  death,  when  they  came  out  from  their  sugar  camp 
to  the  open  lake  shore,  she  carried  him  on  her  back. 

He  had  not,  she  said,  been  at  the  massacre  of  old  Mackinack 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  445 

(described  by  Henry),  being  then  at  L'Arbre  Croclie,  but  he  came 
to  the  spot  soon  afterwards.  She  had  heard  him  speak  of  it.  Says 
she  was  a  little  girl  when  the  British,  in  removing  the  post  from  the 
main  land,  first  brought  over  their  cattle,  and  began  to  take  pos 
session  of  the  present  island  of  Mackinack. 

The  old  fort  on  the  peninsula  was  called  Bik-wut-ih-ong  by  the 
Indians,  but  the  island  always  had  the  name  of  Mish-in-e-mauk- 
in-ong.  Her  father  used  to  encamp  where  the  village  of  Macki 
nack  is  now  built.  Her  name  is  Na-do-wa-kwa,  Iroquois  woman. 
Thus  far  the  wife  of  Saganosh.  The  man  added  that  he  lived  on  the 
island  of  Boisblanc,  where  he  had  a  garden,  when  the  English 
vessel  arrived  to  take  possession  of  Mackinack.  He  then  went 
to  the  largest  of  the  St.  Martin's  islands,  where  he  has  continued 
to  reside  to  this  day,  with  intervals  of  absence.  He  does  not 
know  his  age,  he  may  be  seventy.  Neither  of  them  recollect  to 
have  heard  of  "Wawetum,"  or  "Menehwehwa,"  mentioned  by 
Alexander  Henry.* 

16th.  Mr.  Porlier,  of  Green  Bay,  remarks  that  he  is  now  in 
the  sixty-ninth  year  of  his  age.  Fifty  years  ago,  he  says,  he 
first  came  to  Michilimackinack,  and  the  post  had  then  been  removed 
from  the  main  land  about  three  years.  This  would  place  the  date 
of  the  removal  about  1780. 

On  turning  to  the  MSS.  of  John  Baptiste  Perrault,  in  my  pos 
session,  he  says  that  he  arrived  at  Mackinack  on  the  28th  of  June, 
1783.  That  the  merchants  had  not  then  completed  all  their  build 
ings  consequent  on  the  removal.  That  the  removal  had  taken  place 
recently  under  Gov.  Sinclair,  a  commanding  officer,  so  called  by 
the  French,  who  had  been  relieved  the  preceding  year  by  Captain 
Robinson.  And  that  the  15th  of  July  was  kept  as  the  anniversary 
of  the  removal.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  the  post  had  been 
transferred  in  1780  or  '81. 

The  transfer  from  old  to  new  Mackinack  seems  to  have  been 
gradual  with  the  inhabitants.  Among  the  reasons  for  it,  I  was  told, 
was  the  fear  of  disturbance  from  the  American  war.  The  main 
reason  doubtless  was  the  superiority  of  the  island  as  a  strong  mili 
tary  position  against  Indian  attacks. 

Captain  Thorn  told  me  that  he  had  sailed  to  old  Mackinack 

*  Henry's  Travels. 


446  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

seven  years  after  the  massacre.  The  inhabitants  did  not  go  all  at 
once.  They  dismantled  their  houses,  and  took  away  the  windows, 
doors,  &c. 

Aug.  19th.  Ningwegon  (or  the  Wing)  visited,  with  his  band, 
consisting  (by  the  bundles  of  sticks)  of  ten  men,  'twelve  women, 
and  six  children. 

Asked  him  where  he  was  when  the  British  took  possession  of 
this  island  in  1812.  He  said  at  Detroit ;  that  he  had  gone  there 
previous  to  the  taking  of  the  fort  by  the  party  from  St.  Joseph's ; 
that  he  remained  at  Detroit  during  the  war ;  formed  an  acquaint 
ance  with  Gov.  Cass,  who  was  then  commanding  officer  at  that 
post,  and  had  promised  that  his  services  should  be  remembered.* 

He  said  his  father  was  a  native  of  Detroit,  having  lived  a  little 
above  the  present  site  of  the  city.  He  was  an  Ottawa.  He  emi 
grated,  with  his  father  and  grandmother,  to  Waganukizzi  (L'Arbre 
Croclie),  when  young,  and  he  had  since  lived  there.  His  father 
died,  not  many  years  since,  a  very  old  man,  at  Maskigon  River. 
He  is  himself  seventy-six  years  of  age,  and  gray  headed — the  little 
hair  he  has  (his  head  being  shaved  after  the  Indian  fashion). 
His  eyesight  fails  in  relation  to  near  objects,  but  is  good  in  viewing 
distant  ones.  He  bears  his  age  well,  looks  firm,  and  is  erect  of 
body,  face  full,  and  voice  unimpaired.  He  is  a  man  above  six 
feet  in  height,  and  well  proportioned. 

In  speaking  of  the  Seneca  nation,  he  called  them  As-sig-un-aigs, 
a  term  by  which  they  are  distinguished  from  the  general  Algon 
quin  term  of  Na-do-wa,  or  Iroquis. 

Of  the  establishment  of  the  present  military  post  of  Mackinack, 
he  said  that,  when  young,  he  had  come  over  from  the  main  with 
his  father,  along  with  the  party  of  British  officers  who  came  to 
reconnoitre  the  place  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  post  on  it. 
The  party  dined  under  the  trees  (pointing  to  some  large  sugar- 
maples  then  standing  in  the  military  garden,  under  the  cliffs). 
The  British  officer,  who  had  led  the  party,  then  asked  the  Indians' 
consent  to  occupy  it.  This  was  not  immediately  given  ;  they  took 
time  to  consider,  and  the  removal  of  the  fort  was  next  year. 

Presented  him  a  nest  of  kettles  (twelve),  two  pieces  of  factory 

*  This  chief  received  an  annuity  under  the  treaty  of  28th  March,  1836. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  447 

cloth,  two  guns,  five  pounds  of  net-thread,  and  two  hoes,  together 
with  a  requisition  for  provisions. 

2Wi.  Mud-je-ke-wiss,  chief  of  Thunder  Bay,  a  descendant  of 
the  captor  of  old  Mackinack,  being  questioned  of  his  family,  their 
former  residence,  his  knowledge  and  remembrance  of  affairs  at 
old  Mackinack,  replied  that  his  father's  name  was  Mud-je-ke- 
wiss  ;  it  had  been  Kaigwiaidosa  when  he  had  been  a  young  man. 
He  had  lived  at  Mackinack,  going  to  Thunder  Bay  to  hunt.  He 
died,  not  very  old,  at  a  treaty  held  on  the  Maumee.  He  (himself) 
had  heard  of  the  taking  of  old  Mackinack,  but  was  born  after  the 
removal  of  the  post  to  the  island,  and  his  father  died  before  he 
had  instructed  him.  He  had  not  heard  of  Wawitum,  or  Meneh- 
wehwa,  of  whom  I  questioned  him. 

This  answer  is  a  specimen  of  Indian  caution  and  suspicion  of 
white  men.  I  knew  but  little  of  the  man  then,  and  had  seen  him 
but  once  or  twice.  He  evidently  "played  shy,"  and  was  deter 
mined  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  should  get  no  facts  from  him  that 
might  ever  be  told  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  Indians  who  had 
once,  under  the  lead  of  a  noted  chief  (Pontiac),  been  led,  under 
the  deception  of  a  ball-play,  to  foil  on  the  unprepared  ranks  of  a 
British  garrison,  and  stain  their  history  with  a  horrible  tale  of 
blood.  Henry's  travels  preserve  the  most  vivid  account  of  this 
massacre,  for  he  was  himself  an  eye  witness  of  some  of  its  atroci 
ties,  and  was  spared,  by  a  remarkable  Providence,  from  being  one 
of  its  victims. 

It  was  not  credible  that  seventy  years  should  have  left  so  little 
of  Indian  tradition  of  that  sanguinary  event. 

It  is  reported  that  letters  written  by  Longlade,  Indian  inter 
preter  at  old  Mackinack,  at  and  during  the  era  of  the  massacre 
of  the  English  garrison,  are  in  the  possession  of  the  Greenough 
family,  at  Green  Bay.  They  wouldr  perhaps,  throw  some  light 
on  a  transaction  which  is  by  far  the  most  tragic  event  of  this 
transition  period  of  our  Indian  history.  By  transition,  I  mean 
the  era  of  the  change  from  French  to  English  supremacy. 


448  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XLVIII. 

Anniversary  of  the  Algic  Society — Traditions  of  Chusco  and  Mukudapenais 
respecting  Gen.  Wayne's  treaty — Saliferous  column  in  American  geojogy 
— Fact  in  lake  commerce — Traditions  of  Mrs.  Dousman  and  Mr.  Abbott 
respecting  the  first  occupation  of  the  Island  of  Michilimackinack — Question 
of  the  substantive  verb  in  the  Chippewa  language — Meteoric  phenomena 
during  the  month  of  December — Historical  fact — Minor  incidents. 

1833.  Oct.  12th.  BUSINESS  called  me  to  Detroit,  where  I  had 
a  work  in  the  press,  early  in  October.  The  Algic  Society  held 
its  first  anniversary  this  day,  in  the  Session  Room  of  the  Presby 
terian  Church.  The  Secretary  read  a  report  of  its  proceedings, 
and  submitted  a  body  of  the  vital  statistics  of  the  tribes  of  the 
Upper  Lakes,  which  elicited  an  animated  discussion.  Mr.  La- 
throp  called  attention  to  the  singular  fact,  that  of  the  mothers 
reported  in  the  tables,  the  rate  of  reproduction  in  the  hunter 
tribes  did  not  exceed  an  average  of  over  two  children  per  female. 
Mr.  Sheldon  thought  the  causes  of  their  depopulation,  since  we 
have  been  their  neighbors,  were  rather  seated  in  their  extraordinary 
attachment  to  the  use  of  ardent  spirits,  than  in  the  effects  of 
wars,  internal  or  external.  Mr.  Clark  believed  the  Indian  youth 
were  capable  of  being  brought  under  the  power  of  moral  and  reli 
gious  instruction.  Mr.  Schoolcraft  depicted  the  adverse  circum 
stances  under  which  the  masses  had  heretofore  labored,  in  coming 
under  plans  of  instruction  and  Christianity,  owing  to  their 
poverty ;  their  dispersion  over  large  areas  of  country  for  large 
parts  of  the  year  ;  the  impracticability  of  their  finding  subsistence 
in  large  bodies  at  one  place ;  and  the  deleterious  influence  of  the 
commerce  in  furs  and  peltries,  on  their  moral  and  mental  charac 
ter.  He  submitted  a  report  of  the  proceedings  of  the  St.  Mary's 
committee,  showing,  in  detail,  operations  within  the  year.  With 
the  limited  sum  of  $151  10,  they  had  been  able  to  furnish  elder 
John  Sunday  an  outfit  for  Keweena  Bay  in  Lake  Superior,  and 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  449 

given  two  other  native  converts,  namely,  John  Otanchey  and  John 
Cabeach,  the  means  of  pursuing  their  labors  amongst  the  Chip- 
pewas  during  the  winter  of  1833.  They  had  sent  an  express, 
during  the  month  of  February,  to  the  mission  of  the  American 
Board  at  La  Pointe,  in  Lake  Superior.  Their  minutes  of  monthly 
meetings  denoted  that  a  valuable  body  of  information  had  been 
collected,  respecting  the  population  and  statistics  of  the  Chippewa 
nation,  and  the  grammatical  structure  of  their  language,  &c. 

The  occasion  being  coincident  with  the  meeting  of  the  Synod 
of  the  Western  Reserve,  at  Detroit,  many  gentlemen  of  learning, 
benevolence,  and  piety,  were  brought  together,  and  a  high  degree 
of  interest  excited  respecting  the  condition  and  prospects  of  the 
tribes. 

In  accordance  with  a  resolution  passed  the  year  previous,  I 
recited  a  poetic  address  on  the  character  of  the  race,  which  was 
received  with  approbation,  and  directed  to  be  printed.  This  had 
been,  in  fact,  sketched  in  a  time  of  leisure  in  the  wilderness  some 
years  before. 

I  returned  to  Mackinack  near  the  close  of  October,  when  I 
resumed  my  traditionary  inquiries.  It  was  sought,  as  a  mere  matter 
of  tradition,  to  obtain  from  the  Indians  a  recognition  of  the  cession 
of  this  island,  &c.  made  by  them  to  the  United  States  through  the 
instrumentality  of  Gen.  Wayne,  at  Greenville,  in  Ohio,  in  1793. 

Chusco*  (muskrat),  the  old  prophet  or  jossakeed  of  the  Ottawa 
nation,  had  told  me  of  his  presence  at  Greenville,  at  the  treaty, 
while  a  young  man,  along  with  others  of  his  tribe.  He  was  a  man 
who  would  attract  attention,  naturally,  from  the  peculiarities  of  his 
person  and  character.  He  had  been  a  man  of  small  stature,  not 
over  five  feet  four  inches,  when  young,  and  of  very  light  make. 
But  he  was  now  bent  by  age,  and  walked  with  a  staff.  His  hazel 
eyes  still  sparkled  in  a  head  of  no  striking  development,  and  with, 
a  peculiarity  of  expression  of  his  lips,  gave  him  a  striking  expres 
sion  of  placidity  in  cunning.  Hence  his  name,  which  was  given  by 
the  Indians  from  some  fancied  resemblance  to  this  animal,  when  jut 
ting  its  head  above  water.  He  had,  for  forty  years,  made  jeesuckd- 
win  (prophecying)  for  his  people,  when  he  was  converted  to  Christi 
anity  at  the  Mackinack  Mission.  He  gave  up  at  once  his  Indian 

*  From  Wauzhusko. 

29 


450  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

rites,  but  retained,  to  a  great  degree,  his  characteristic  expres 
sion.  Some  one  had  given  him  an  old  blue  broadcloth  coat 
with  yellow  metal  buttons,  which  he  matched  with  dark-colored 
trousers,  a  vest,  hat,  and  moccasons.  I  always  received  him  with 
marked  attention,  and  often  sent  him  to  the  kitchen  for  a  meal, 
where,  indeed,  the  Indians  had  their  claims  ever  allowed  by  Mrs.  S. 

Z*lih.  Muekudapenais,  or  Blackbird,  an  Ottawa,  chief  of  L'Arbre 
Croche,  visited  the  office.  I  directed  his  attention  to  the  tradition 
mentioned  by  Chusco,  respecting  Wayne's  treaty,  and  the  inclusion 
of  Michilimackinack  in  the  cessions.  He  confirmed  this  tradition. 
He  said  that  his  uncle,  Ish-ke-bug-ish-kum,  gave  the  island,  and 
that  when  he  returned  he  denied  that  he  had  given  it,  but  the  Bri 
tish  took  away  his  medal  in  consequence.  He  said  that  three  men 
of  the  party,  who  attended  this  treaty,  were  still  living.  They  were 
Op-wagun,  Che-mo-ke-maun,  and  Chusco.  He  thinks  the  land  taken 
by  the  late  surveys  of  Mr.  Ellis,  at  Point  St.  Ignace,  was  not 
given,  but  admits  that  the  cession  embraced  the  area  around  old 
Mackinack,  and  the  island  of  Boisblanc.  The  Indians  called  Gen. 
Wayne  Che  N6den,  the  Strong  Wind. 

30£/i.  The  series  of  deposits,  which  embrace  fossil  salt,  or  pro 
duce  strong  brine  water,  in  the  geological  column  of  the  rocks  of  the 
United  States,  constitute  a  deeply  important  subject  in  science, 
and  public  economy.  Mr.  James  R.  Rees,  of  Clyde,  Ontario  County, 
N.  Y.,  sends  me  the  result  of  borings,  made  at  that  place,  to  the 
depth  of  376  feet,  with  samples  of  the  rock,  which  appear  to  denote, 
if  I  have  rightly  judged  the  geological  data,  a  roof  and  floor,  to 
the  saliferous  formation.  And  the  result  gives  a  stimulant  to  fur 
ther  investigations. 

9th.  Commerce  is  rapidly  invading  the  wilderness.  Wheat  in 
bulk,  and  flour  in  bags  and  barrels,  were  brought  down  from  St. 
Joseph's,  through  the  straits  of  Michigan,  this  fall ;  which  is  the 
first  instance  of  the  kind,  but  one,  in  the  commercial  history  of 
the  country.  Beef  and  wheat  were  brought  from  the  same  post 
last  season. 

Nov.  I3£A.  A  remarkable  display  of  the  aurora  borealis  was 
observed  last  night.  The  Indians,  who  call  this  phenomenon 
Jebiug  nemeiddewaud,  or  dancing  spirits,  describe  it  as  radiating 
balls,  streams  of  fire  or  falling  stars  from  the  zenith  into  the  lake. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  451 

Mr.  Wm.  Johnston,  who  was  at  Leech  Lake,  on  the  sources  of 
the  Mississippi,  describes  the  changing  phenomena  as  wonderful. 
"The  weather,"  he  says  (13th  Nov.),  "is  still  very  pleasant,  with 
very  little  frost  at  night.  About  two  or  three  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing  one  of  the  men  came  and  awoke  me.  i  Come  and  see  a  strange 
sight,'  he  said.  We  went  to  the  door,  where  we  saw,  every  now  and 
then,  stars  shooting  or  falling.  The  centre  from  whence  they  first 
appeared  to  the  eye  was,  to  us,  nearly  in  a  direct  line  above  our 
heads — from  whence  they  went  in  all  directions,  to  all  points  of  the 
compass.  Most  all  our  village  people  were  looking  at  them  with 
fearful  astonishment,  and  they  were  making  their  remarks  as  their 
feelings  caused  them.  We  went  in  the  house,  and  each  smoked 
his  pipe,  and  we  could  not  say  much  about  the  cause  of  what  we 
had  seen,  but  only  expressed  our  astonishment  to  each  other. 

"  Before  going  to  bed,  we  thought  we  would  take  another  look 
at  the  heavens.  What  a  sight  it  was !  The  whole  heaven  appeared 
to  be  lit  with  the  falling  stars,  and  we  could  now  more  plainly  see, 
as  it  were,  the  centre  from  whence  they  would  shoot.  The  night 
was  calm,  the  air  clear,  nothing  to  disturb  the  stillness,  but  the 
hushed  breathings  of  the  men.  The  stars  were  accompanied  with 
a  rustling  noise,  and,  though  they  appeared  to  fall  as  fast  and  as 
thick  as  hail,  above  them,  now  and  then,  we  could  see  some  of  the 
fixed  stars,  shining  as  bright  as  ever.  But  these  (falling  stars) 
appeared  to  be  far  below  them.  I  can  compare  it  to  nothing  more 
comprehensive  than  a  hail  storm.  The  sight  was  grand  beyond 
description.  Yet  I  must  confess  that  my  feelings  were  awed  into 
a  perfect  silence.  We  stood  and  gazed,  till  we  saw  the  bright 
streaks  of  day  appearing,  and  the  stars  began  gradually  to  be  less 
in  number,  till  the  light  of  the  sun  caused  them  to  disappear." 

28th.  I  resumed  the  old  traditions.  Mrs.  Michael  Dousman 
observes  that  her  father  (McDonnel)  came  to  the  island,  with  the 
troops,  in  1782.  That  the  government  house,  so  called,  was  then 
built,  and  a  few  other  buildings,  but  nothing  as  yet  had  been  done 
towards  the  present  fort  on  the  cliff.  Gov.  Sinclair,  so  called, 
was  then  in  command.  He  was  relieved  that  year  by  Captain 
Robinson. 

She  thinks  the  removal  from  old  Mackinack  must  have  taken 
place  about  1778  or  1779,  under  Sinclair.  The  inhabitants  trans- 


452  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

ferred  their  residences  gradually,  bringing  over  the  sashes  and 
doors  of  their  old  houses  and  setting  them  up  here. 

After  the  massacre,  the  troops  remained  some  time.  The  Indians 
had  not  burned  the  fort. 

Says  that  Wawetum,  the  Indian  chief,  became  blind,  and  was 
burned,  accidentally,  in  his  lodge  at  the  point  (Ottawa  Point).  I 
had  been  inquiring  about  Henry's  account  of  him. 

The  Indians  at  Mackinack,  she  says,  opposed  its  occupancy. 
Things  came  to  such  a  height  in  1782  that  Gov.  Sinclair  sent  to 
Detroit  for  cannon.  It  was  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  brig  Dun- 
more,  sent  down  on  this  occasion,  was  absent  from  the  island  but 
eight  days,  during  which  she  went  to  and  returned  from  Detroit, 
bringing  the  expected  supply.  She  entered  Mackinack  harbor  on 
the  eighth  day,  on  the  same  hour  she  had  left  it,  and  fired  a  salute. 

Mrs.  Dousman  says  that  charges  had  been  preferred  against 
Gov.  Sinclair  (the  term  constantly  used  by  the  old  inhabitants) 
for  extravagance.  He  had,  as  an  example,  paid  at  the  rate  of  a 
dollar  per  stump  for  clearing  a  cedar  swamp,  which  is  now  part  of 
the  public  fields. 

Respecting  the  massacre  in  1763,  she  says  that  Mr.  Solomons 
and  a  Mr.  Clark,  the  latter  long  resident  with  Mr.  Abbot,  were 
present. 

3Qth.  Mr.  Abbot  (Sam.)  says  he  arrived  at  Mackinack  in  1803. 
The  government-house  was  then  occupied  by  Col.  Hunt.  A  man 
named  Clark,  who  had  formerly  lived  with  him,  was  a  boy  in  the 
employ  of  Solomons  at  the  massacre  of  old  Mackinack.  He  crept 
up  a  chimney,  where  he  remained  a  day  or  two,  and  was  thus  saved. 
Solomons  hid  himself  under  a  heap  of  corn,  and  was  thus  saved. 

Mr.  Abbot  does  not  know,  with  certainty,  the  date  of  the  trans 
fer  of  the  post,  but  says  the  papers  of  all  the  notaries,  including 
all  grants  of  commanding  officers,  are  in  a  trunk  at  Mr.  Dousman' s. 
Thinks  these,  by  showing  the  date  of  the  earliest  grants,  will  de 
cide  the  question. 

Dec.  1st.  Finished  an  article  for  the  Literary  and  Theological 
Review,  on  the  influence  of  the  native  priests,  or  metais,  and 
the  adaptation  of  the  general  principles  of  Christianity  to  the 
North  American  Indians.  Some  of  the  phenomena  of  the  Chip- 
pewa  language  are  of  deep  interest.  The  substantive  verb  to 
be,  deemed  by  many  philologists  to  be  wanting  in  the  Indian  Ian- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  453 

guage  of  this  continent,  is  perceived  to  be  freely  used  by  Mr. 
Peter  Jones  in  the  translation  of  John,  as  in  c.  i.  1, 6, 15,  &c.  The 
existence  of  this  verb  in  the  northern  dialects  may  be  adverted  to 
as  affording  the  probable  root  of  many  active  verbs.  It  is  a  subject 
eliciting  discussion,  as  bearing  on  a  point  early  stated  by  theolo 
gians,  viz.,  the  origin  of  the  tribes.  The  verb  iau,  spelled 
"  ahyah''  in  the  verses  referred  to,  with  the  particle,  for  past  tense, 
"ke,"  prefixed,  and  "bun"  suffixed,  appears  to  be  restricted  in 
its  use  to  objects  possessed  of  vitality,  but  cannot,  it  seems,  be 
applied  to  mere  passion  or  feeling.  These,  by  a  peculiarity  of  the 
grammar,  are  referred  to  as  subordinate  parts,  or  increments  in 
animate  of  the  organization,  i.  e.,  as  things  without  flesh  and  blood, 
and  not  as  units  or  whole  bodies.  The  native  speaker  does  not, 
therefore,  say  I  am  glad,  I  am  sorry,  &c.,  but  merely  I  glad,  I 
sorry,  &c.  This  has,  probably,  led  philologists  to  observe  that 
the  verb  declarative  of  existence,  was  wanting,  and  discouraged 
them  in  the  search  of  it.  But  is  it  so  ?  When  it  becomes  neces 
sary  for  the  Indian  to  describe  the  abstract  truth  of  existence — 
as  that  God  is — the  appropriate  pronominal  form  of  the  verb 
iau  or  I-e-au  is  used,  and  apparently  with  great  force  and  pro 
priety.  It  is  a  rule  of  this  grammar,  not  to  apply  it  to  emotions. 
When  nouns  inanimate  proper  are  used,  or  objects  of  a  non-vital 
character,  the  corresponding  verb  is  atta*  The  present  tense,  in 
dicative  of  these  two  parallel  verbs,  for  material  and  for  god-like 
existence,  are  as  follows: — 

Iau  (animate)  To  'be.  Atta  (inanimate) — To  be. 

Nin,  Diau — I  am,  or  my  spirit  is.  Atta — It  is. 

Ki,    Diau — Thou  art,  &c.  Atta-aun — They  are. 

Iau — He  (or  she]  is.  Atta-bun — It  was. 

Nin,  Diau-min  (ex.) — We  (excluding  you)  are.  Atta-aubun — They  have  been. 

Ki,    Diau-min  (in.) — We  (including  you)  are.  lah  atta — It  shall  be. 

Ki,    Diau-ni — Ye  are.  lah  atta-win — They  shall  be. 

lau-wug — They  are. 

There  is  probably  no  language  so  barbarous  as  not  to  have 
words  to  address  God.  But,  of  all  languages  under  heaven, 
the  Indian  dialects  appear  to  me  the  most  fruitful  in  termina 
tions  and  adjuncts  to  point  their  expressions,  and  to  give  to  them 
living  and  spiritual  meanings.  They  appear,  by  their  words,  to 
live  in  a  world  of  spirits.  Aside  from  the  direct  words  for  Father, 


454  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

as  the  universal  Parent,  and  of  Maker,  and  Great  Spirit,  they 
have  an  exact  term  for  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  he  who  has  ever  heard 
a  converted  Indian  pray,  and  can  understand  his  petition,  will 
never  afterwards  wish  to  read  any  philological  disquisitions  about 
the  adaptation  of  their  languages  to  the  purposes  of  Christianity. 

Dec.  2d.  I  determined  that  part  of  the  diversions  of  my  first 
winter  at  Mackinack  should  consist  of  notices  of  its  meteorology, 
the  changes  of  winds  and  currents  in  the  straits,  &c.  Shut  out 
from  the  world  by  a  long  expanse  of  coasts,  which  cannot  be 
navigated  in  the  winter,  much  of  the  sum  of  our  daily  observation 
must  necessarily  take  its  impress  from  local  objects.  To  pass  a 
winter  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  great  lakes — the  Huron — was 
itself  a  subject  of  excitement.  Mild  weather  had  characterized 
the  season,  which  had  been  predicted  by  some  persons  as  the  con 
sequence  of  the  remarkable  meteoric  displays  in  November. 

At  the  monthly  concert  in  the  evening,  interesting  statements 
were  made  on  the  efforts  now  in  progress  to  evangelize  the  world. 
In  this  the  Bible,  tract,  and  mission  causes  were  shown  to  act  with 
harmonious  power. 

3d.  I  employed  myself  in  the  morning  in  a  revision  of  papers 
relating  to  subjects  of  natural  history,  and  in  references  to  Cony- 
beare  and  Phillips.  In  the  evening,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ferry  and  Mr. 
Barber  were  visitors. 

4ith.  The  last  vessel  for  the  season,  the  "Marengo,"  left  the 
harbor  for  Detroit,  taking  on  board  our  expressmen,  who  are  to 
return  by  land.  The  weather  has  continued  mild,  with  the  winds 
from  the  westward  and  southward. 

6th.  Some  rain  fell  in  the  evening,  which  did  not,  however, 
prevent  friends  from  passing  the  evening  with  us. 

1th.  Weather  still  mild. 

10th.  The  continued  mildness  of  the  atmosphere  has  induced 
the  Indians  from  the  adjacent  shores  to  visit  the  island.  There 
are  no  Indians  permanently  resident  on  it.  Within  the  last  ten 
days,  rising  of  eighty  souls  have  visited  the  agency  and  shops. 
Some  have  iron  work  to  mend.  Most  of  them  have  applied  for 
provisions.  Several  aged  persons  and  widows  have  asked  for 
blankets. 

I  employed  the  day  in  reading  Humboldt's  "  Superposition  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  455 

Rocks  in  both  Hemispheres."  Humboldt  is  the  Dr.  Johnson  of 
geology. 

11th.  Kwewis,  a  Chippewa  convert,  returned,  after  spending  a 
week  or  more  among  the  Point  St.  Ignace  Indians.  He  complained 
of  the  listlessness  and  want  of  attention  of  the  Indians  to  the  truths 
by  Mr.  C.,  his  spiritual  guide. 

I  determined  to  send  an  express,  as  soon  as  the  state  of  the  ice 
will  permit,  to  St.  Mary's,  with  directions  for  its  continuance  from 
that  place  to  La  Pointe,  in  Lake  Superior — the  missionary  station. 

12th.  The  meteorologic  phenomena  begin  to  thicken.  The  ther 
mometer,  at  2  P.  M.  to-day,  stood  at  48°.  Some  snow,  of  a  moist, 
sleety  character.  Wind  easterly.  Not  a  particle  of  ice  has  formed 
in  the  harbor  up  to  this  day. 

13th.  Perused  Stewart's  visit  to  the  South  Seas  and  the  Sand 
wich  Islands.  Certainly  the  author  is  one  of  the  most  gifted  re 
ligious  travelers.  He  reminds  the  reader,  by  his  graphic  descrip 
tions,  sometimes  of  Bishop  Heber.  It  is  remarkable,  that  with 
every  improvement,  the  population  of  these  islands  declines. 

A  blow  from  the  east,  with  depression  of  temperature,  and  some 
snow. 

14th.  Easterly  wind  continues.     Thermometer  at  noon  38°. 

16th.  Strong  easterly  winds. 

Vlth.  On  rising  this  morning  and  drawing  the  curtains  aside,  I 
observed  a  vessel  in  the  harbor  from  Detroit.  It  proved  to  be  the 
"  General  Warren,"  with  supplies  for  the  inhabitants,  ordered  in 
the  fall,  but,  for  two  or  three  weeks  back,  not  expected.  By  her 
we  have  New  York  city  papers  to  Nov.  26th,  and  Detroit  dates  to 
Dec.  4th.  What  a  jumble  is  a  newspaper !  Here  we  have  the 
death  of  Ferdinand  of  Spain,  and  the  report  of  troubles  in  Europe: 
the  appointment  of  Mr.  Butler  as  Attorney-General,  and  the  busy 
note  of  editorial  discussion  preparatory  to  the  meeting  of  Congress; 
the  result  of  elections,  progress  of  nullification,  "cussin  and  dis 
cussion"  by  Jack  Downing,  a  terrible  list  of  murders,  accidents, 
&c.  Prominent  among  things  for  scientific  readers,  are  accounts 
of  the  meteoric  phenomena  of  November. 

18th.  Dispatched  an  express  to  St.  Mary's  with  letters  for  the 
sub-agency,  missionaries,  &c.  In  the  evening  the  vessel  sailed  for 
Detroit  with  a  light  westerly  breeze,  which  is  fair. 

Mr.  Abbot,  being  in  the  office  during  the  day,  remarked  that 


456  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

he  had  examined  the  old  records  before  alluded  to ;  that  the  first 
public  act  of  the  commanding  officer  is  the  appointment  of  a  notary 
by  Gov.  Sinclair  in  1780 ;  the  next  is  a  grant  of  land  in  1781. 

Stating  these  facts  afterwards  to  Mr.  Mitchell  (William),  he  ob 
served  that  his  father,  who  was  the  post  surgeon,  remarked  that 
the  removal  of  the  troops  from  old  Mackinack  was  the  year  after 
the  massacre,  which  would  be  1764.  This  is  astounding.  Yet 
Carver's  Mackinack,  in  1766,  appears  to  have  been  "old  Macki 
nack." 

19th.  Thanksgiving  day  for  the  territory.  A  practical  discourse 
from  Mr.  Ferry.  Lieut,  and  Mrs.  K.,  &c.,  to  dinner.  The  Indian 
Kwewis  returns  to  St.  Mary's,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Cameron. 

20th.  Mr.  Mitchell  passed  the  evening. 

2~Lst.  Visited  Mr.  Ferry  in  the  afternoon.  Conversation  on 
various  religious  topics.  Coming  home,  found  company;  Lieut, 
and  Mrs.  P.,  Miss  D.,  and  Miss  H.,  who  remained  to  tea,  and 
spent  the  evening. 

22d.  S.  visited  the  infant-school  in  the  village,  and  made  some 
remarks. 

24:th.  Visited  Mr.  Barber,  who  directed  conversation  to  various 
theological  points,  and  the  state  of  religion  on  the  island. 

25th.  Christmas.  The  Catholics  have  had  the  usual  services, 
and  have  gone  to  the  usual  extremes  of  a  pantomimic  ceremony  at 
midnight,  &c.  As  a  question  of  time,  we  cannot  say  that  this  is 
the  exact  day  of  the  anniversary  of  the  Saviour's  birth ;  but  the 
computation  and  adjustment  of  dates  were  made,  I  believe,  on  the 
best  astronomical  data,  and  before  the  Romish  Church  assumed 
political  power. 

26th.  Wind  N.  W.  Depression  of  temperature;  freezes  all  day. 
Mr.  F.  visited  me,,  and  directed  my  attention  to  the  Mosaical 
geology,  or  account -of  the  creation,  which  he  thinks  the  pride  of 
science  has  sadly  misunderstood. 

21th.  Snow.  No  ice;  not  the  slightest  lordage  yet  in  the  har 
bor.  Lieut.  P.,  Mrs.  P.,  Mrs.  K.,  and  Dr.  Turner  visit.  In 
the  afternoon,  the  Maternal  Association,  at  Mrs.  Schoolcraft's 
invitation,  assemble.  I  wrote  to  Prof.  Olmstead  a  notice  of  the 
falling  stars  of  Nov.  13th,  as  described  by  the  Indians. 

2Sth.  Wind  from  the  westward  and  southward ;  moderate  for  the 
season. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  457 

29M.  Wind  veers  to  the  east. 

30th.  A  blow  on  the  lake,  creating  a  perfect  tempest.  Before 
noon,  the  wind  veers  south-easterly,  and  snow  melts  on  the  roofs. 

Ackuckojeesh  and  band,  from  the  north  shore,  visit  the  office, 
He  presents  me  a  small  mukuJc  of  maple  sugar,  made  during  the 
month,  as  a  proof  of  the  mildness  of  the  weather. 

Continue  my  biblical  readings,  with  a  view  of  noticing  the  coin 
cidence  of  passages  referred  to  by  clergymen  who  have  visited  me. 
Quite  satisfied  that  "day,"  in  Gen.  i,  5,  means,  in  that  place,  a 
natural  day  of  twenty-four  hours.  The  context  cannot  be  read 
without  it.  Mr.  M.  and  Mr.  Stuart  pass  the  evening. 

31st.  No  thawing  to-day.  There  has  been  quite  a  blow  on  the 
lake.  Began  some  sketches  of  biblical  geology. 


458  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    XLIX. 

Population  of  Mlchilimackinack — Notices  of  the  weather — Indian  name  of 
the  Wolverine — Harbor  closed — Intensity  of  temperature  which  can  be 
borne — Domestic  incidents — State  of  the  weather — Fort  Mackinack  unsuc 
cessfully  attacked  in  1814 — Ossiganoc — Death  of  an  Indian  woman — Death 
of  my  sister — Harbor  open — Indian  name  of  the  Sabbath  day — Horticul 
tural  amusement — Tradition  of  the  old  church  door — Turpid  conduct  of 
Thomas  Shepard,  and  his  fate — Wind,  tempests,  sleet,  snow — A  vessel 
beached  in  the  harbor — Attempt  of  the  American  Fur  Company  to  force 
ardent  spirits  into  the  country,  against  the  authority  of  the  Agent. 

1834.  Jan.  1st.  MY  journal  for  this  winter  will  be  almost  purely 
domestic.  It  is  intended  to  exhibit  a  picture  of  men  and  things, 
immediately  surrounding  a  person  isolated  from  the  world,  on  an 
island  in  the  wide  area  of  Lake  Huron,  at  the  point  where  the 
current,  driven  by  the  winds,  rushes  furiously  through  the  straits 
connected  with  Lake  Michigan.  Where  the  ice  in  the  winter 
freezes  and  breaks  up  continually,  where  the  temperature  fluc 
tuates  greatly  with  every  wind,  and  where  the  tempests  of  snow, 
rain  and  hail  create  a  perpetual  scene  of  changing  phenomena. 

Society  here  is  scarcely  less  a  subject  of  remark.  It  is  based 
on  the  old  French  element  of  the  fur  trade — that  is,  a  common 
alty  who  are  the  descendants  of  French  or  Canadian  boatmen,  and 
clerks  and  interpreters  who  have  invariably  married  Indian  women. 
The  English,  who  succeeded  to  power  after  the. fall  of  Quebec, 
chiefly  withdrew,  but  have  also  left  another  element  in  the  mix 
ture  of  Anglo-Saxons,  Irishmen  or  Celts,  and  Gauls,  founded  also 
upon  intermarriages  with  the  natives.  Under  the  American  rule, 
the  society  received  an  accession  of  a  few  females  of  various 
European  or  American  lineage,  from  educated  and  refined  circles' 
In  the  modern  accession,  since  about  1800,  are  included  the  chief 
factors  of  the  fur  trade,  and  the  persons  charged  by  benevolent 
societies  with  the  duties  of  education  and  of  missionaries ;  and, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  459 

more  than  all,  with  the  families  of  the  officers  of  the  military  and 
civil  service  of  the  government. 

In  such  a  mass  of  diverse  elements  the  French  language,  the 
Algonquin,  in  several  dialects,  and  the  English,  are  employed. 
And  among  the  uneducated,  no  small  mixture  of  all  are  brought 
into  vogue  in  the  existing  vocabulary.  To  fouchet,  and  to  chemai, 
were  here  quite  common  expressions. 

The  continued  mildness  of  the  weather  enabled  the  Indians 
from  the  surrounding  shore  to  approach  the  island,  not  less  than 
fifty-four  of  whom,  in  different  parties,  visited  the  office  during 
the  day.  This  day  is  a  sort  of  carnival  to  these. people,  who  are 
ever  on  the  qui  vive  for  occasions  "to  ask  an  alms."  I  had  pre 
pared  for  this.  To  each  person  a  loaf  of  bread. 

To  adult  males  a  plug  of  tobacco.  No  drink  of  any  kind,  but 
water,  to  a  soul. 

Snow  fell  during  the  day,  rendering  it  unpleasant. 

Jan.  2d.  Shabowawa,  a  Chippewa  chief,  and  part  of  his  band, 
with  the  remainder  of  the  Point  St.  Ignace  band,  got  across  the 
Traverse  this  morning.  The  whole  number  who  visited  the  office 
during  the  day  was  thirty.  Shabowawa  said  we  might  soon  ex 
pect  cold  weather. 

3d.  Visits  from  a  number  of  Indians  (about  twenty),  who  had 
not  before  called,  to  offer  the  bon  jour  of  the  season.  Among  them 
were  several  widows  and  disabled  old  people,  to  whom  presents  of 
clothing  were  given. 

The  atmosphere  has  been  severely  cold.  A  hard  frost  last 
night.  I  killed  an  ox  for  winter  beef,  and  packed  it,  when  cut  into 
pieces,  in  snow.  There  has  been  floating  ice,  for  the  first  time,  in 
the  harbor.  The  severe  weather  prevented  the  St.  Ignace  Indians 
from  returning. 

One  of  the  St.  Ignace  Indians,  referring  to  the  meteoric  phe 
nomenon  of  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  November,  said  that  the 
stars  shot  over  in  the  form  of  a  bow,  and  seemed  to  drop  into  the 
lake.  Such  a  display,  he  added,  was  never  before  seen.  He  says 
that  the  Chippewa  Indians  called  the  Wolverine  "  Gween-guh- 
auga,"  which  means  underground  drummer.  This  animal  is  a  great 
digger  or  burrower. 

4th.  Stormy  and  cold. 

5th.  S.  Cold.     Mr.  Barber  preached  on  the  character  and  trials 


460  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

of  Noah.  The  old  N.  E.  divines  loved  to  preach  from  texts  in  the 
Old  Testament. 

6th.  A  change  of  wind  from  N.  to  S.  W.  created  a  very  per 
ceptible  increase  of  temperature.  Indians,  who  had  been  detained 
by  floating  ice  since  New  Year's  day,  got  over  to  Point  St.  Ignace. 

The  postmaster  sends  me  word  that  the  second  express  will  start 
to-morrow,  without  awaiting  the  return  of  the  first. 

On  visiting  the  monthly  concert  in  the  evening,  I  was  reminded 
that  this  day  had  been  set  apart  by  various  churches  for  imploring 
a  special  blessing  on  the  Word  of  God,  in  the  conversion  of  the 
world. 

*Ith.  Yesterday  afternoon  the  harbor  filled  with  floating  ice. 
This  morning  it  is  frozen  over  into  a  solid  body,  completely  closing 
up  the  harbor.  But  the  passage  between  it  and  Round  Island  is 
open,  and  the  lake  in  other  directions.  Wind  northerly  and  west- 
wardly ;  thermometer  as  on  the  3d,  4th,  and  5th ;  but  the  air  does 
not  feel  to  be  as  cold  as  those  days.  This  is  the  effect  of  its  having 
remained  about  a  week  of  nearly  the  same  temperature.  It  is,  in 
truth,  the  range  of  the  thermometer  between  given  points,  and 
not  the  absolute  degree  of  it,  that  creates  the  sensation  of  intense 
change.  And  herein  must  be  sought  the  secret  of  people's 
standing  a  great  degree  of  cold  in  the  north,  without  being  duly 
sensible  of  the  extreme  degree  of  it.  This  remark  ought,  perhaps, 
to  be  limited  to  such  severe  degree  of  cold  (say  40°  below  zero), 
as  a  man  can  withstand  or  live  in. 

The  ice,  being  only  glued  together,  separated  about  2  o'clock, 
and  left  the  harbor  free  again  before  night. 

The  express  from  St.  Mary's  came  in,  about  two  hours  after  our 
Detroit  express  left.  By  letters  brought  by  it,  I  learn  that  letters 
of  recall  have  recently  passed  the  Sault  for  Capt.  Back.  It  is  stated 
that  Capt.  Ross  has  unexpectedly  returned  to  England,  after  an 
absence  of  four  years,  great  part  of  which  time  he  had  passed 
among  the  Esquimaux,  or  in  an  open  boat  on  the  sea.  That  he 
had  made  observations  to  fix  the  magnetic  meridian,  and  had  dis 
covered  a  large  island,  almost  the  size  of  Great  Britain,  which  he 
named  Boothea. 

Mr.  Ferry,  Lieut.  Kingsbury,  and  Mr.  P.  passed  the  evening 
with  us. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  461 

Fires  were  seen  on  the  main  land,  which  are  supposed  to  be 
signals  from  our  express  men. 

8th.  Snow — blustering — cold.  Our  first  express  to  Detroit  has 
so  far  overstayed  its  time,  that  it  is  impossible  to  say  when  it  may 
now  be  expected.  Fires  again  seen  on  the  main  land,  and  an  un 
successful  attempt  made  to  reach  them,  the  floating  ice  preventing. 

9th.  Maternal  Association  meets  at  my  house,  which,  Mrs.  S. 
reports,  is  well  attended.  In  the  evening,  Mr.  H.,  Mr.  J.,  Miss 
McF.,  and  Miss  S. 

Floating  ice  in  the  straits,  and  no  crossing. 

11th.  Snowing — blustering.  Expecting  the  mail  soon,  I  pre 
pared  my  letters,  and,  being  Saturday,  sent  them  to  the  post-office, 
lest  the  mail  should  arrive  and  depart  on  Sunday. 

~LQth.  Deep  snow  drifts,  stormy — cold.  Very  difficult,  in  conse 
quence  of  the  drifts,  to  reach  the  teacher's  concert,  in  the  evening, 
which  met  at  the  Court  House.  Meeting  between  Mr.  D.  and 
Mr.  Ferry  at  my  house,  to  try  the  effects  of  conciliation. 

14:th.  High  wind  died  away  last  night :  the  sun  rose,  this  morn 
ing,  clear  and  pleasant,  but  the  air  still  cold.  Ice  completely  fills 
the  channel  between  Boisblanc  and  the  main  harbor ;  the  outer 
channel  is  still  open. 

Mrs.  Kingsbury  passed  the  day  with  us.  The  church  session 
on  examination  accepts  her,  and  Mr.  D.  Stuart,  the  gentleman 
named  in  Irving's  Astoria. 

15th.  The  express  from  Detroit  arrives,  having  crossed  from  the 
main  to  Boisblanc  on  the  ice,  and  from  thence  in  a  boat.  By  this 
mail  we  have  a  week's  later  dates  than  were  brought  by  the 
"  Warren."  No  political  intelligence  of  importance.  I  received 
a  number  of  printed  sheets  of  the  appendix  to  the  narrative  of  my 
tour  to  Itasca  Lake.  Heard  also  from  LeConte,  the  engraver,  at 
New  York. 

16th.  Took  Mr.  D.  in  my  cariole  to  Mr.  Ferry's,  to  further  the 
object  of  a  reconciliation  of  the  matters  in  difference  between  them. 
It  commenced  raining,  soon  after  we  got  there,  and  continued 
steadily  all  evening.  Got  a  complete  wetting  in  coming  home,  and 
in  driving  to  the  fort  Mrs.  Kingsbury,  whom  I  found  there. 

\1th.  Yesterday's  rain  has  much  diminished  the  quantity  of 
snow ;  bare  ground  is  to  be  seen  in  some  spots.  Atmosphere 


462  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

murky,  and  surcharged  with  moisture,  rendering  it  disagreeable 
to  be  out  of  doors. 

The  soldiery  of  the  garrison  invite  Mr.  F.  to  hold  a  meeting  in 
the  garrison  every  Sabbath  afternoon,  showing  an  awakened  moral 
sense  among  them. 

18^.  Depression  of  the  atmospheric  temperature.  Frost  renders 
the  walking  slippery,  and  the  snow  crusted  and  hard.  This  con 
dition  of  things,  in  the  forest,  is  fatal  to  wild  hoofed  animals,  which 
at  every  step  are  subject  to  break  through,  and  cut  their  ankles. 
In  this  way  the  Indians  successfully  pursue  and  take  the  moose 
and  reindeer  of  our  region. 

19th.  Mr.  David  S.  and  Mrs.  K.  are  admitted  to  the  commu 
nion,  on  a  profession  of  faith,  and  Mr.  Seymour,  Miss  Owen,  and 
Miss  Leverett,  by  letter.  The  Rev.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barber  were 
also,  for  the  first  time,  present. 

Snow  fell  upon  the  previous  glare  surface,  and,  being  attended 
with  wind,  rendered  the  day  very  blustering  and  boisterous.  The 
wind  being  from  the  west,  was  very  strong — so  strong  as  to  blow 
some  persons  down.  The  temperature  at  the  same  time  was  quite 
cold. 

20th.  Coldness  continued ;  the  thermometer  stood  at  only  2° 
above  zero  at  8  o'clock  in  the  morning;  the  west  wind  continuing. 
The  air,  in  consequence  of  this  depression,  became  colder  than  the 
water  of  the  lake,  producing  an  interchange  of  temperature,  and 
the  striking  phenomenon  of  rising  vapor.  The  open  lake  waters 
gave  out  their  latent  heat,  like  a  boiling  pot,  till  the  equilibrium 
was  restored.  This  singular  phenomenon  I  had  seen  before  in  the 
North,  and  it  is  to  be  observed,  in  the  basin  of  the  upper  lakes, 
some  days  every  winter. 

I  received  a  visit  from  Mr.  Barber.  Conversation  on  the  state 
of  religious  knowledge.  Do  geology  and  the  natural  sciences 
afford  external  evidence  of  the  truth  of  God's  word  ? 

21s£.  Atmospheric  temperature  still  low ;  the  thermometer  at 
8  o'clock  A.  M.  standing  at  9°  above  zero.  The  harbor  and 
straits,  between  the  island  and  Point  St.  Ignace,  frozen  over ;  but 
the  channel,  in  which  there  is  a  strong  current,  between  the  outer 
edge  of  the  harbor  and  Round  Island,  still  open.  Along  this  edge 
very  deep  water  is  immediately  found,  and  these  waters,  under  the 
pressure  of  lake  causes,  rush  with  the  force  of  a  mill-race. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  463 

22d.  The  air  is  slightly  warmer,  the  thermometer  standing  at 
8  o'clock,  A.  M.,  at  16°  above  zero.  The  soldiery  further  request 
of  Mr.  F.  to  hold  a  Bible  class  in  the  fort. 

23d.  The  temperature  still  rises  a  few  degrees,  the  thermometer 
standing  at  21°  at  8  o'clock,  A.  M.  The  express  from  the  Sault 
arrives.  Prepared  my  mail  matter  and  dispatched  it  to  the  office. 

24th.  The  thermometer  falls  five  degrees,  standing  at  16°  at  8 
o'clock  A.  M.;  but  in  consequence  of  the  cessation  of  winds  at 
night,  and  accumulation  of  floating  ice,  the  open  districts  of  the 
lake  were  entirely  frozen  over.  Kebec,  the  Sault  expressman, 
went  off  on  his  way  to  Detroit,  at  a  very  early  hour,  walking  on 
the  ice  from  about  abreast  of  the  Old  Still  House,  direct  to  the 
main.  The  thermometer  in  the  fort  was  observed  to  be,  at  one 
time  during  the  night,  at  5°  below  zero,  denoting  more  intense  cold 
than  my  8  o'clock  observation  indicates.  This  is,  therefore,  so  far, 
the  maximum  cold  for  January. 

25th.  A  strong  easterly  wind  broke  up  the  ice,  which  was  solid, 
as  far  as  the  Light-House,  about  ten  miles,  and  again  exposed  the 
limpid  bosom  of  the  lake  in  that  direction ;  but  it  did  not  disturb 
the  straits  west.  My  son  John  began,  this  day,  to  pronounce 
words  having  the  sound  of  r,  for  which,  agreeably  to  a  natural 
organic  law  recognized  by  philologists,  he  has  heretofore  substituted 
the  sound  of  I. 

26th.  S.  A  sermon  on  the  inefficacy  of  the  prayer  of  faith  with 
out  submission  to  God's  better  wisdom.  I  was  this  day  set  apart 
as  an  elder. 

21th,  The  temperature,  which  has  risen  since  the  24th,  still  rises, 
creating  a  perceptible  change  in  feelings.  Visited  Mr.  Agnew,  who 
reached  the  island  from  the  Sault  yesterday. 

2Sth.  The  harbor  breaks  up  with  a  south-east  wind,  but  the  ice 
remains  firm  between  the  island  and  the  main,  and  in  the  direction 
to  Pt.  St.  Ignace.  This  wind  is  attended  with  a  farther  moderation 
of  the  temperature.  I  fell  in  descending  the  steep  hill,  which  is 
exposed  to  the  south,  in  coming  back  from  a  visit  to  Lieut.  Pen- 
rose,  in  the  fort.  This  fort  is  what  engineers  call  a  talus,  being, 
as  I  suppose,  the  exact  area,  very  nearly,  of  the  top  of  a  cliff 
overlooking  the  town.  It  was  very  effective  for  controlling  the 
Indians,  but  was  found  in  1812  to  be  commanded  by  a  still  higher 


464  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

point  within  cannon  range,  which  was  seized  and  fortified  by  the 
British. 

This  apex  they  made  the  site  of  Fort  George;  the  Americans 
changed  the  name  to  Fort  Holmes,  after  a  gallant  officer,  a  Ken- 
tuckian,  who  fell  in  the  unsuccessful  attempt  of  Col.  Croghan  to 
retake  the  island  in  1814. 

29th.  The  temperature  still  rises,  and  is  mild  for  the  season. 
Gave  each  of  my  children  a  new  copy  of  the  Scriptures.  If  these 
truths  are  important,  as  is  acknowledged,  they  cannot  too  early 
know  them.  I  visited  Mr.  Mitchell. 

SQth.  The  temperature  continues  to  moderate.  Drove  to  the 
mission,  accompanied  by  Mr.  D.,  to  converse,  at  his  request,  with 
Mr.  Barber,  on  the  unhappy  topics  of  difference  between  him  and 
Mr.  F.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Abbott  called  at  my  house,  in  the  interval, 
and  were  received  by  Mrs.  S.  In  the  evening  I  attended  the 
social  prayer  meeting  at  Mr.  Dousman's. 

31s£.  The  sun  shone  clear;  no  snow,  no  high  winds,  but  a  serene 
and  pleasant  atmosphere.  Visits  were  received  from  Maj.  Whistler 
and  Lieut.  Kingsbury.  Conversation  on  the  probable  reception  of 
the  President's  Message,  &c.,  by  our  next  express. 

This  being  Mrs.  Schoolcraft's  birth-day,  I  presented  her  a  Bible. 

Feb.  1st.  The  mildness  and  pleasantness  of  the  weather  con 
tinued.  Drove  out  to  Mr.  Davenport's  with  Mrs.  Schoolcraft  and 
the  children.  Davenport  is  a  Virginian.  He  was  one  of  the 
residents  driven  off  the  island  by  the  events  of  the  late  war,  and 
was  on  board  of  Commodore  St.  Clair's  squadron,  sailing  around 
the  island,  and  in  sight  of  his  own  home,  during  the  expedition 
to  recapture  the  island,  in  1814.  For  his  sufferings  and  losses  he 
ought  to  have  been  remunerated  by  the  Government,  whom  he 
faithfully  served. 

Our  second  express  from  Detroit  arrived,  bringing  us  the  ex 
pected  newspaper  intelligence,  and  letters  from  friends.  Heard  of 
the  alarming  illness  of  my  sister,  in  Oneida  County,  N.  Y. 

%d.  S.  A  sermon  on  the  often-handled  subjects  of  election  and 
free  grace — how  God  elects,  and  how  man  is  free  to  come  himself. 

3d.  Devoted  to  newspaper  reading.  In  the  evening  attended  the 
monthly  concert. 

4:th.  A  small  party  at  dinner,  namely,  Major  Whistler,  Lieut. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  465 

Kingsbury,  Mr.  Agnew,  Mr.  Stuart  the  elder,  Mr.  Abbott,  Mr. 
Dousman,  and  Mr.  Johnston.  The  weather  continues  mild,  clear, 
and  calm.  In  the  evening  I  prepared  my  mail  matter  for  the 
Sault,  intending  to  dispatch  it  by  a  private  express  to-morrow. 

5th.  Finished  and  dispatched  my  mail  for  St.  Mary's  by  two 
Indians,  who  set  out  at  ten  o'clock  A.  M.  I  received  an  official 
visit  from  Ossiganac,  and  seven  men  from  the  village  of  L'Arbre 
Croche.  He  stated  it  to  be  the  wish  of  the  Ottawas,  to  visit 
Washington.  The  reasons  for  such  a  visit  arose  from  a  desire  to 
see  the  President,  on  the  subject  of  their  lands.  Many  of  these 
lands  were  denuded  of  game.  Drummond  Island  had  been  aban 
doned.  They  thought  themselves  entitled  to  compensation  for  it. 
They  were  poor  and  indebted  to  the  traders.  The  settlements 
would  soon  intrude  on  their  territories.  Wood  was  now  cut  for 
the  use  of  steamboats  and  not  paid  for.  They  had  various  topics 
to  confer  about.  This  was,  in  fact,  the  first  move  of  the  Lake 
Indians,  leading  in  the  sequel  to  the  important  treaty  of  March 
28th,  1836. 

6th.  The  thermometer  is  again  depressed,  and  a  recurrence  of 
easterly  winds. 

*tth.  The  depression  of  temperature  creates  the  sensation  of 
coldness  after  the  late  mild  weather,  although  the  thermometer, 
examined  at  8  o'clock,  has  not  fallen  below  26°,  but  six  degrees 
below  the  freezing  point. 

I  embodied  Ossiganac 's  remarks  in  a  letter  to  the  Department, 
and  also  requesting  the  survey  of  the  old  grants  under  Wayne's 
Treaty  of  1793.  I  likewise  proposed  the  establishment  of  an 
Indian  Academy  at  Michilimackinack  for  the  Indian  tribes  of  the 
upper  lakes.  Mackinack  has  peculiar  facilities  of  access  in  the 
open  months  for  a  large  circle  of  cognate  tribes  ;  and,  in  view  of  a 
future  cession  of  the  country,  these  tribes  will  possess  ample  means. 
I  wrote  to  my  sister  Catharine,  in  the  prospect  of  her  dying  of 
consumption;  directing  her  mind  to  the  great  moral  remedy  in 
the  intercession  of  Christ. 

8th.  Our  third  express  for  Detroit  left  this  morning.  The  day 
was  clear  and  calm,  with  the  thermometer  at  30°  at  8  o'clock.  I 
began  sketching  some  remarks,  to  be  transmitted  to  the  American 
Lyceum,  on  the  best  mode  6f  educating  the  Indians. 

9th.  S.  Mild.  An  Indian  woman  was  buried  to-day,  who  has 
30 


466  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

borne  the  character  of  a  Christian.  As  her  end  drew  near  she  said 
she  did  not  fear  to  "  pass  through  the  valley  of  death."  She  appear 
ed  to  be  prepared  to  die,  and  had  the  testimony  of  Christians  in  her 
behalf,  many  of  whom  attended  her  funeral.  As  a  general  fact, 
the  Christian  Indians  whom  I  have  known,  seize  with  great  sim 
plicity  of  faith  on  an  Intercessor  and  his  promises. 

10th.  Mild.  In  consequence  of  the  protracted  mildness  of  the 
weather,  Indians  from  Thunder  Bay  visited  the  office.  They 
spoke  of  the  meteoric  phenomenon  of  November.  I  asked  the 
leader  of  the  party  what  he  thought  of  it.  He  replied  that  it  be 
tokened  evil  to  the  Indian  race — that  sickness  would  visit  them 
calamitously. 

In  the  evening  the  wind  veered  from  a  favorable  quarter  sud 
denly  to  the  north,  producing  a  strong  sensation  of  cold. 

I2th.  Dine  with  Kingsbury. 

13JA.  Dine  with  Mitchell.  In  the  afternoon  Mr.  F.  and  Mr. 
D.  met  by  appointment  at  my  house,  to  endeavor  to  close  their  ac 
counts  and  terminate  their  difficulties. 

~L4:th.  Yesterday's  effort  to  compromise  matters  between  F.  and 
D.  was  continued  and  brought  to  a  close,  so  far  as  respected  items 
of  account ;  but  this  left  unhealed  the  wounds  caused  by  mutual  hard 
thoughts,  of  a  moral  character,  and  for  which  there  has  seemed,  to 
Christians,  in  Mr.  D.,  a  cause  of  disciplinary  inquiry.  I  felt 
friendly  to  Mr.  D.,  and  thought  that  he  was  a  man  whose  pride 
and  temper,  and  partly  Christian  ignorance,  had  induced  to  stand 
unwittingly  in  error.  But  he  took  counsel  of  those  who  do  not 
appear  to  have  been  actuated  by  the  most  conciliatory  views.  He 
stood  upon  his  weakest  points  with  an  iron  brow  and  "  sinews  of 
brass." 

~L5th.  Visited  Mr.  Barber.  Meeting  in  the  evening  at  Mr. 
Mitchell's. 

16th.  Snow. 

Vlth.  The  temperature  fell  several  degrees,  and  lake  closed,  as 
seen  at  a  distance.  I  finished  my  remarks  for  the  American  Ly 
ceum. 

ISth.  Engaged  in  pursuing  Mr.  F.'s  lectures,  delivered  at  a 
prior  time,  on  the  character  and  differences  between  the  Protestant 
and  Romish  Churches.  » 

19th.  The  weather  assumes  a  milder  turn,  and  gives  us  rain. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  467 

Messrs.  F.  and  D.,  having  called  on  Mr.  Mitchell,  renew  their 
meeting  at  my  house. 

20th,  Rain  and  thunder. 

21st.  Temperate;  sinks  and  turns  cold  in  the  evening. 

22d.  Cold,  with  some  snow. 

23d.  Thermometer  continues  to  sink,  and  the  ice  is  reported  as 
having  become  strong  everywhere. 

24th.  The  third  express  from  Detroit  came  in  at  an  early  hour, 
and  my  letters  and  papers  were  brought  in  before  breakfast. 
During  breakfast  I  opened  a  letter,  announcing  the  death  of  my 
sister  Catharine,  on  the  9th  of  January,  at  Vernon,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Agnew  and  Mr.  Chapman,  who  have  been  guests  on  the 
island,  set  out  for  the  Sault.  The  lake  is  now  finally  and  strongly 
closed  by  a  covering  of  solid  ice.  Trains  cross  to-day,  for  the  first 
time,  to  Point  St.  Ignace. 

25th.  Mr.  Levake,  another  guest  on  the  island,  called  at  eight 
o'clock  for  my  letters,  with  a  view  of  overtaking  the  party  who 
left  yesterday. 

26th.  Wind  west,  and  so  strong  as  to  drive  the  ice  out  between 
the  harbor  and  the  light-house,  but  did  not  affect  the  harbor  itself, 
nor  the  straits. 

27th.  Snow  and  rain.  Richardson  May,  a  discharged  soldier, 
and  Manito  Geezhig  (Spirit-sky),  a  Chippewa  Indian,  arrived  with 
the  express  mail  for  Saginaw. 

28th.  The  weather  is  mild  again.  An  express  from  the  Hud 
son's  Bay  Company  departed  for  Saginaw,  at  seven  o'clock  A.  M. 
The  adverb  "fiducially"  first  brought  to  my  notice,  as  the  sy 
nonym  of  confidently,  steadily.  Finished  the  perusal  of  Mr.  F.'s 
manuscript  lectures  on  the  Romish  Church.  Think  them  an  off 
hand  practical  appeal  to  truth,  clear  in  method,  forcible  in  illus 
tration.  Learning  and  research,  such  as  are  to  be  drawn  from 
books  other  than  the  Bible,  have  not  been  evidently  relied  on. 
They  might  not  do  to  print  without  revision.  The  New  Testament 
does  not,  as  an  example,  declare  that  Peter  ever  was  at  Rome, 
and  yet  that  fact,  got  from  other  sources,  is  much  relied  on  by 
that  Church. 

March  1st.  The  change  in  temperature  continues.  It  is  so  mild 
and  warm  that  the  snow  melts. 

2d.  S.  Mild,  and  Sabbath  exercise  as  usual. 


468  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

3c?.  The  temperature  falls,  and  it  becomes  sensibly  cold  and 
wintry.  The  sky  and  lower  atmosphere,  however,  remain  clear. 

Cadotte,  an  expressman  from  La  Pointe,  Lake  Superior,  arrived 
in  the  course  of  the  afternoon,  with  letters  from  Mr.  Warren.  Miss 
W.,  Miss  D.  and  Mr.  J.,  pass  the  evening. 

4th.  Weather  mild  ;  snow  soft  and  sloppy.  Receive  visits  from 
Mr.  Abbott,  Mr.  Ferry,  and  Mr.  Mitchell. 

5th.  Snow  has  melted  so  much,  in  consequence  of  the  change 
of  temperature,  that  I  am  compelled  to  stop  my  team  from  draw 
ing  wood.  The  ice  is  so  bad  that -it  is  dangerous  to  cross.  The 
lake  has  been  open  from  the  point  of  the  village  to  the  light-house, 
since  the  tempest  of  the  26th  ultimo.  The  broad  lake  below  the 
latter  point  has  been  open  all  winter.  The  lake  west  has  been, 
in  fact,  fast  and  solidly  frozen,  so  as  to  be  crossed  with  trains,  but 
twelve  days  ! 

Mr.  Warren's  express  set  out  for  Lake  Superior  this  morning. 
Our  fourth  express  from  Detroit  came  in  during  the  evening, 
bringing  New  York  dates  to  the  4th  of  February. 

6th.  The  evidences  of  the  approach  of  spring  continue.  The 
sun  shines  with  a  clear  power,  unobstructed  by  clouds.  Snow  and 
ice  melt  rapidly.  Visited  the  Mission's  house  in  the  evening. 

*lth.  Clouds  intercept  the  sun's  rays.  An  east  wind  broke  up 
the  ice  in  the  harbor,  and  drives  much  floating  ice  up  the  lake. 

Sth.  The  wind  drives  away  the  broken  and  floating  ice  from  the 
harbor,  and  leaves  all  clear  between  it  and  Round  Island.  It  be 
came  cold  and  freezing  in  the  afternoon.  Conference  and  prayer 
meetings  at  my  house. 

9th.  Very  slippery,  and  bad  walking,  and  icy  roads.     Freezes. 

IQth.  In  consequence  of  the  increase  of  cold,  and  the  preva 
lence  of  a  calm  during  the  night,  there  was  formed  a  complete 
coating  of  ice  over  the  bay,  extending  to  Round  Island.  This  ice 
was  two  inches  thick.  Mrs.  Schoolcraft  spent  the  evening  at  Mrs. 
Dousman's.  On  coming  home,  about  nine  o'clock,  we  found  the 
ice  suddenly  and  completely  broken  up  by  a  south  wind,  and  heaped 
up  along  shore. 

llf h.  Harbor  and  channel  quite  clear  ;  the  weather  has  assumed 
a  mildness,  although  the  sky  is  overcast,  and  snow  drifted  in  the 
roads  during  the  morning.  Miss  Jones,  Mr.  D.  Stuart,  Dr.  Tur 
ner,  and  Mr.  Johnston  spent  the  evening  with  me. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  469 

12th.  Filled  my  ice-house  with  ice  of  a  granular  and  indifferent 
quality,  none  other  to  be  had. 

12th.  Mild,  thawing,  spring-like  weather.  Visits  by  Captain 
and  Mrs.  Barnum. 

lAth.  About  eight  o'clock  this  morning,  a  vessel  from  Detroit 
dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor,  causing  all  hearts  to  be  gay  at  the 
termination  of  our  wintry  exclusion  from  the  world.  It  proved 
to  be  the  "  Commodore  Lawrence,"  of  Huron,  Ohio,  on  a  trip  to 
Green  Bay.  Our  last  vessel  left  the  harbor  on  the  18th  of  De 
cember,  making  the  period  of  our  incarceration  just  eighty-five 
days,  or  but  two  and  a  half  months.  Visited  by  Lieut,  and  Mrs. 
Lavenworth. 

15th.  Mild  and  pleasant.  Plucked  the  seed  of  the  mountain 
ash  in  front  of  the  agency  dwelling,  and  planted  it  on  the  face  of 
the  cliif  behind  the  house.  Mr.  Chapman  arrived  with  express 
news  from  the  Sault. 

IQth.  S.  Anni-me-au-gee-zMck-ud)  as  the  Indians  term  it,  and 
a  far  more  appropriate  term  it  is  than  the  unmeaning  Saxon  phrase 
of  Sunday. 

17th.  Very  mild  and  pleasant  day.  The  snow  is  rapidly  disap 
pearing  under  the  influence  of  the  sun.  Mackinack  stands  on  a 
horse-shoe  bay,  on  a  narrow  southern  slope  of  land,  having  cliffs 
and  high  lands  immediately  back  of  it,  some  three  hundred  feet 
maximum  height.  It  is,  therefore,  exposed  to  the  earliest  influ 
ences  of  spring,  and  they  develop  themselves  rapidly.  Mr.  Hul- 
bert  arrived  from  the  Sault  in  the  morning,  bringing  letters  from 
Rev.  Mr.  Clark,  Mr.  Audrain,  my  sub-agent  at  that  point,  &c. 

ISth.  Wind  southerly.  This  drives  the  ice  from  the  peninsula 
into  the  harbor,  it  then  shifts  west,  and  drives  it  down  the  lake. 
A  lowering  sky  ends  with  a  sprinkling  of  rain  in  the  forenoon ;  it 
then  clears  up,  and  the  sun  appears  in  the  afternoon.  Dr.  Turner 
visits  me  at  the  office.  Conversation  turns  on  my  translations  into 
the  Indian,  and  the  principles  of  the  language.  An  Indian  has  a 
term  for  man  and  for  white ;  but,  when  he  wishes  to  express  the 
sense  of  white  man,  he  employs  neither.  He  then  compounds  the 
term  wa-bish-kiz-zi — that  is,  white  person. 

19th.  The  weather  is  quite  spring-like.  Prune  cherry  trees  and 
currant  bushes.  Transplant  plum  tree  sprouts.  Messrs.  Biddle 
and  Drew  finish  preparing  their  vessel,  and  anchor  her  out. 


470  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

20th.  The  thermometer  sinks  to  18°  at  eight  o'clock  A.  M. 
Snows,  and  is  boisterous  all  day,  the  wind  being  north-east. 

21st.  The  snow,  which  has  continued  falling  all  night,  is  twelve 
to  fourteen  inches  deep  in  the  morning ;  being  the  heaviest  fall  of 
snow,  at  one  time,  all  winter.  Some  ice  is  formed. 

22d.  The  body  of  snow  on  the  ground,  and  the  continuance  of 
cold,  give  quite  a  wintery  aspect  to  the  landscape.  In  the  course 
of  the  day,  Mr.  Ferry,  Mr.  Mitchell,  and  Mr.  Stuart  call. 

23d.  S.  Cold. 

24ith.  Wintery  feeling  and  aspect. 

25th.  The  temperature  still  sinks.  Visits  from  Mr.  Mitchell, 
Mr.  Ferry,  and  Mr.  Stuart.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mitchell,  Mr.  Hulbert, 
Mr.  Chapman,  and  Mr.  Johnston  spend  the  evening. 

2Qth.  Drove,  with  Mr.  Ferry,  to  Mr.  Boyd's,  and  Whence  to 
Mr.  Davenport's. 

27th.  Ice  still  lingers  in  the  harbor,  but  the  day  is  clear  and 
sunshiny,  and  the  snow  melts  rapidly.  Visit  the  mission,  and  in 
quire  into  the  effects  of  its  government  and  discipline  on  the  cha 
racter  of  the  boys,  one  or  two  of  whom  have  been  recently  the 
subject  of  some  scandals.  Accompanied  in  this  visit  by  Mr.  Hul- 
bert,  Mr.  Stuart,  and  Mr.  Mitchell.  Thomas  Shepard,  a  mission 
boy,  calls  on  me  at  an  early  hour,  and  states  his  contrition  for  his 
agency  in  any  reports  referred  to. 

28th.  Weather  mild;  snow  melts;  wind  S.  W. ;  some  rain. 

With  this  evening's  setting  sun, 
Years  I  number  forty-one. 

Visited  the  officers  in  the  fort.  Rode  out  in  rny  carriage  in  the 
evening,  with  Mrs.  Schoolcraft,  to  see  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mitchell,  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ferry.  Satan's  emissaries  appear  to  be  busy  in 
circulating  scandal  respecting  our  pastor,  Mr.  F.,  a  person  of 
high  moral  worth  and  probity. 

To  put  these  down  effectively,  it  appears  necessary  to  probe 
them  to  the  bottom,  and  ascertain  their  length  and  breadth.  This 
was  a  duty  of  the  eldership,  and  it  could  be  thoroughly  performed 
without  fear,  respecting  a  man  of  Mr.  F.'s  character.  It  was  neces 
sary,  I  found,  to  unmask  all  the  actors.  The  scandal  appears  to  be 
one  originating  with  certain  Metif  boys  of  the  Mission  school.  One 
of  these,  it  was  averred,  had  looked  through  the  key-hole  of  the 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  471 

common  parlor  door  of  the  Mission  house,  and  beheld  the  Rev. 
Mr.  F.  sitting  near  a  Miss  S.,  one  of  the  assistant  missionaries  of 
the  establishment.  The  door  was  locked.  The  hair  of  the  young 
lady  was  dishevelled ;  her  comb  had  fallen  on  the  floor.  It  was 
early  in  the  morning.  Another  boy  was  called  to  look ;  no  change 
of  position  was  observed — nothing  that  was  not  respectful  and 
proper. 

This  story  was  detailed,  a  night  or  two  afterwards,  by  Thomas 
Shepard,  one  of  the  boys,  at  a  drinking  conclave  in  the  village, 
where  bon  vivants,  and  some  persons  inimical  to  Mr.  F.  were  pre 
sent,  and  created  high  merriment.  From  that  den  it  was  spread. 
It  appeared  that  Miss  S.  had,  for  some  time,  had  doubts  on  the 
subject  of  her  conversion,  and  sought  a  conversation  with  her  pas 
tor  to  resolve  them. 

29th.  Moderate  temperature  continues.  A  meeting  of  some  of 
the  leading  persons  of  the  place,  citizens  and  officers,  at  which 
statements,  embracing  the  above  narrative,  were  made,  which  were 
quite  satisfactory  in  regard  to  the  reports  above  mentioned.  The 
reports  are  traced  to  a  knot  of  free  livers,  free  drinkers,  and  in 
fidels,  who  meet  a-nights,  in  the  village,  to  be  merry,  and  who 
drew  some  of  the  mission  boys  into  their  revelries.  A  case  of 
discipline  in  the  church,  which  led,  finally,  to  the  excommunica 
tion  of  one  of  the  leading  persons  of  the  place,  has  raised  enemies 
to  the  Rev.  Mr.  F.,  who  were  present  at  these  orgies,  and  helped 
to  spread  the  report. 

30th.  Service  as  usual,  but  more  than  usually  interesting. 

31st.  Mild  weather  continues ;  clear  and  sunny ;  snow  melts. 
The  remaining  ice  is  completely  broken  up  by  an  easterly  wind. 
Visit  Mr.  Stuart's  child,  which  is  very  low. 

April  1st.  A  dark  drizzly  morning  terminates  before  ten  o'clock 
in  rain.  It  cleared  away  at  noon ;  the  broken  ice  of  the  day  and 
night  previous,  is  mostly  driven  down  the  lake  by  westerly  winds. 

Satisfied  of  the  excellency  of  the  mission  school,  I  sent  my 
children  to  it  this  morning.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Ferry,  Rev.  Mr.  Bar 
ber,  Mr.  Mitchell,  Mr.  D.  Stuart,  and  Mr.  Chapman  dine  with 
me.  In  the  evening,  Capt.  and  Mrs.  Barnum,  and  Lieut.  Kings- 
bury  make  a  visit. 

2d.  The  harbor  is  now  entirely  clear  of  ice,  with  a  west  wind. 
Wrote  to  Rev.  D,  Greene,  Missionary  Rooms,  Boston,  giving  my 


472  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

opinion  respecting  the  establishment  of  a  mission  among  the 
Odjlbwas  at  Fond  du  Lac,  Lake  Superior. 

3c?.  Pleasant,  mild,  clear.  Winter  has  now  clearly  relaxed  his 
hold.  Indians  who  came  in  to-day  from  L'Arbre  Croche,  report 
that  the  ice  is,  however,  still  firm  at  Point  Wa-gosh-ains  (Little 
Fox  Point),  on  the  straits  above.  This  point  forms  the  bight  of 
the  straits,  some  twenty  miles  off,  at  their  entrance  into  Lake 
Michigan.  Attended  the  funeral  of  William  Dolly,  a  Metif  boy, 
of  Indian  extraction. 

4th.  The  season  is  visibly  advancing  in  its  warmth  and  mildness. 
Began  to  prepare  hot-beds.  Set  boxes  for  flowers  and  tubs  for 
roots. 

5th.  The  mission  schooner  "  Supply"  leaves  the  harbor  on  her 
first  trip  to  Detroit,  with  a  fine  west  wind,  carrying  our  recent 
guests  from  St.  Mary's.  Transplant  flowering  shrubs.  Miss 
McFarland  passes  the  day  with  Mrs.  Schoolcraft  at  the  agency. 

7th.  Cloudy  but  mild.  Adjusting  fixtures  for  gooseberry  bushes, 
&c. 

8th.  Superintending  the  construction  of  a  small  ornamental 
mound  and  side  wall  to  the  piazza,  for  shrubbery  and  flowers. 
Books  are  now  thrown  by  for  the  excitement  of  horticulture.  Some 
Indians  visit  the  office.  It  is  remarkable  what  straits  and  suffer 
ing  these  people  undergo  every  winter  for  a  bare  existence.  They 
struggle  against  cold  and  hunger,  and  are  very  grateful  for  the 
least  relief.  Kitte-mau-giz-ze  Sho-wain-e-min,  is  their  common 
expression  to  an  agent — I  am  poor,  show  me  pity,  (or  rather)  charity 
me ;  for  they  use  their  substantives  for  verbs. 

9th.  The  schooner  "White  Pigeon,"  (the  name  of  an  Indian 
chief,)  enters  the  harbor,  with  a  mail  from  Detroit.  "A  mail!  a 
mail!"  is  the  cry.  Old  Saganosh  and  five  Indian  families  come  in. 
The  Indians  start  up  from  their  wintering  places,  as  if  from  a  ceme 
tery.  They  seem  almost  as  lean  and  hungry  as  their  dogs — for  an 
Indian  always  has  dogs — and,  if  they  fare  poor,  the  dogs  fare 
poorer. 

Resumed  my  preparations  at  the  garden  hot-beds. 

The  mail  brought  me  letters  from  Washington,  speaking  of  po 
litical  excitements.  The  project  for  an  Indian  academy  is  bluffed 
off,  by  saying  it  should  come  through  the  Delegate.  Major  Whit- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  473 

ing  writes  that  he  is  authorized  to  have  a  road  surveyed  from 
Saginaw  to  Mackinack. 

10th.  Engaged  at  my  horticultural  mound.  The  weather  con 
tinues  mild. 

llth.  Transplanting  cherry  trees. 

12th.  Complete  hot-bed,  and  sow  it  in  part. 

14th.  The  calmness  and  mildness  of  the  last  few  days  are  con 
tinued.  Spring  advances  rapidly. 

15th.  Mild,  strong  wind  from  the  west,  but  falls  at  evening. 
Write  to  Washington  respecting  an  Indian  academy. 

Walking  with  the  Rev.  Wm.  M.  Ferry  through  the  second  street 
of  the  village  (M.),  leading  south,  as  we  came  near  the  corner, 
turning  to  Ottawa  Point,  he  pointed  out  to  me,  on  the  right  hand, 
half  of  a  large  door,  painted  red,  arched  and  filled  with  nails, 
which  tradition  asserts  was  the  half  of  the  door  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church  at  old  Mackinack.  The  fixtures  of  the  church, 
as  of  other  buildings,  were  removed  and  set  up  on  this  spot.  I 
afterwards  saw  the  other  half  of  the  door  standing  against  an  ad 
joining  house. 

16th.  Wind  westerly.  Begin  to  enlarge  piazza  to  the  agency. 
A  party  of  Beaver  Island  Indians  come  in,  and  report  the  water 
of  the  Straits  as  clear  of  ice,  and  the  navigation  for  some  days 
open. 

The  schooner  " President,"  from  Detroit,  dropped  anchor  in  the 
evening. 

17th.  The  schooners  "Lawrence,"  "White  Pigeon,"  and  "Pre 
sident,"  left  the  harbor  this  morning,  on  their  way  to  various  ports 
on  Lake  Michigan,  and  we  are  once  more  united  to  the  commercial 
world,  on  the  great  chain  of  lakes  above  and  below  us.  The 
"Lawrence,"  it  will  be  remembered,  entered  the  harbor  on  the 
14th  of  March,  and  has  waited  thirty-two  days  for  the  Straits  to 
open. 

ISth.  Wind  N.  E.,  chilly.  It  began  to  rain  after  twelve  o'clock 
A.  M.,  which  was  much  wanted  by  the  gardens,  as  we  have  had  no 
rain  for  nearly  a  month.  All  this  while  the  sun  has  poured  down 
its  rays  on  our  narrow  pebbly  plain  under  the  cliffs,  and  made  it 
quite  dry. 

I  was  present  this  morning  at  the  Mission,  at  the  examination 
of  the  Metif  boy  Thomas  Shepard,  and  was  surprised  at  the  reck- 


474  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

lessness  and  turpidity  of  his  moral  course,  as  disclosed  by  himself, 
and,  at  the  announcement  of  the  names  of  his  abettors. 

The  fate  of  this  boy  was  singular.  He  set  out  alone  to  return 
to  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  where  his  relations  lived,  across  the  wilderness. 
After  striking  the  main  land,  his  companions  returned.  All  that 
was  ever  heard  of  him  afterwards,  was  the  report  of  Indians  whom 
I  sent  to  follow  his  trail,  as  the  season  opened,  who  found  a  spot 
where  he  had  attempted,  unsuccessfully,  to  strike  a  fire  and  encamp. 
From  obscure  Indian  reports  from  the  channels  called  Chenos,  the 
Indians  there  had  been  alarmed  by  news  of  the  inroads  of  Na-do- 
was  (Iroquois),  and  seeing  some  one  on  the  shore,  in  a  questionable 
plight,  they  fired  and  killed  him.  This  is  supposed  to  have  been 
Thomas  Shepard. 

19fA.  Wind  westerly — chilly — cloudy — dark. 

20th.  The  " Austerlitz,"  and  "Prince  Eugene,"  two  of  Mr. 
Newbery's  vessels,  arrived  during  the  afternoon.  Rain  fell  in  the 
evening. 

2~Lst.  The  schooner  "  Nancy  Dousman"  arrived  in  the  morning 
from  below.  A  change  of  weather  supervened.  Wind  N.  E.,  with 
snow.  The  ground  is  covered  with  it  to  the  depth  of  one  or  two 
inches.  Water  frozen,  giving  a  sad  check  to  vegetation. 

22d.  This  morning  develops  a  north-east  storm,  during  which 
the  "Nancy  Dousman"  is  wrecked,  but  all  the  cargo  saved :  a  proof 
that  the  harbor  is  no  refuge  from  a  north-easter.  The  wind  abates 
in  the  evening. 

23d.  Wind  west,  cloudy,  rainy,  and  some  sleet.  About  mid 
night  the  schooner  "  Oregon"  came  in,  having  rode  out  the  tempest 
under  Point  St.  Ignace. 

2£th.  Still  cold  and  backward,  the  air  not  having  recovered  its 
equilibrium  since  the  late  storm. 

25th.  Cloudy  and  cold — flurries  of  snow  during  the  day. 

26th.  The  weather  recovers  its  warm  tone,  giving  a  calm  sky 
and  clear  sunshine.  The  snow  of  the  21st  rapidly  disappears,  and 
by  noon  is  quite  gone,  and  the  weather  is  quite  pleasant.  The 
vessels  in  the  harbor  continue  their  voyages. 

2^th.  S.  A  boat  reaches  us  from  the  Sault,  showing  the  Straits 
and  River  St.  Mary  to  be  open.  It  brought  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clark, 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  who  occupies  Mr.  F.'s  position, 
before  the  soldiery,  in  the  evening. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  475 

28th.  The  atmosphere  is  still  overcast,  although  the  thermometer 
ranges  high. 

Levake,  a  trader  for  the  Indian  country,  went  off  about  two 
o'clock  P.  M.  On  granting  him  his  license,  I  directed  him  to  take 
no  ardent  spirits.  He  therefore  ordered  a  barrel  of  whisky  to  be 
taken  back  to  the  American  Fur  Company's  store,  where  he  had 
purchased  it.  Mr.  Abbot,  the  agent,  sent  it  back  to  him.  Mr. 
Levake  finally  remanded  it.  Mr.  Abbot  said,  "  Why !  Mr.  School- 
craft  has  no  authority  to  prevent  your  taking  it!''  The  moment, 
in  fact,  the  boats  leave  the  island  they  enter  the  Indian  country, 
where  the  act  provides  that  this  article  shall  not  be  taken  on  any 
pretence.  This  was  an  open  triumph  of  the  Agent  of  the  United 
States  against  the  Fur  Company.  I  wrote  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bout- 
well,  at  Leech  Lake,  by  this  opportunity. 

29th.  The  atmosphere  has  regained  its  equilibrium  fully.  It  is 
mild  throughout  the  day.  Indians  begin  to  come  in  freely  from 
the  adjacent  shores.  Sow  radishes  and  other  early  seeds. 

30th.  The  schooner  "Napoleon,"  and  the  " Eliza,"  from  Lake 
Ontario,  come  in.  The  Indian  world,  also,  seems  to  have  awaked 
from  its  winter's  repose.  Pabaumitabi  visits  the  office  with  a  large 
retinue  of  Ottawas.  Shabowawa  with  his  band  appear  from  the 
Chenoes.  Vessels  and  canoes  now  again  cross  each  other's  track 
in  the  harbor. 


476  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    L. 

Visit  to  Isle  Rond — Site  of  an  ancient  Indian  village — Ossuarie — Indian  pro 
phet — Traditions  of  Chusco  and  Yon  respecting  the  ancient  village  and 
bone  deposit — Indian  speech — Tradition  of  Mrs.  La  Fromboise  respecting 
Chicago — Etymology  of  the  name — Origin  of  the  Bonga  family  among  the 
Chippewas — Traditions  of  Viancour — Of  Nolan — Of  the  chief  Aishqua- 
gonaibe,  and  of  Sagitondowa — Evidences  of  antique  cultivation  on  the  Is 
land  of  Mackinack — View  of  affairs  at  Washington — The  Senate  an  area 
of  intellectual  excitement — A  road  directed  to  be  cut  through  the  tfilder- 
ness  from  Saginaw — Traditions  of  Ossaganac  and  of  Little  Bear  Skin  re 
specting  the  Lake  Tribes. 

1834.  May  1st.  AT  last  "  the  winter  is  gone  and  past,"  and  the 
voice  of  the  robin,  if  not  of  the  "turtle,"  begins  to  be  heard  in 
the  land.  The  whole  day  is  mild,  clear,  and  pleasant,  notwith 
standing  a  moderate  wind  from  the  east.  The  schooner  "Huron" 
comes  in  without  a  mail — a  sad  disappointment,  as  we  have  been 
a  long  time  without  one. 

I  strolled  up  over  the  cliffs  with  my  children,  after  their  return 
from  school  at  noon,  to  gather  wild  flowers,  it  being  May-day. 
We  came  in  with  the  spring  beauty,  called  miscodeed  by  the  In 
dians,  the  adder's  tongue,  and  some  wild  violets. 

The  day  being  fine  and  the  lake  calm,  I  visited  the  Isle  Rond — 
the  locality  of  an  old  and  long  abandoned  village.  On  landing  on 
the  south  side,  discovered  the  site  of  an  ancient  Indian  town — an 
open  area  of  several  acres,  with  graves  and  boulder  grave  stones. 
Deep  paths  had  been  worn  to  the  water.  The  graves  had  in- 
closures,  more  or  less  decayed,  of  cedar  and  birch  bark,  and  the 
whole  had  the  appearance  of  having  been  last  occupied  about  seventy 
years  ago.  Yet  the  graves  were,  as  usual,  east  and  west.  I  dis 
covered  near  this  site  remains  of  more  ancient  occupancy,  in  a 
deposit  of  human  bones  laid  in  a  trench  north  and  south.  This 
had  all  the  appearance  of  one  of  the  antique  ossuaries,  constructed 
by  an  elder  race,  who  collected  the  bones  of  their  dead  period!- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  477 

eally.     The   Indians  call  this  island  Min-nis-ais,  Little  Island. 
Speaking  of  it,  the  local  termination  ing  is  added. 

During  the  day  the  old  Indian  prophet  Chusco  came  in,  having 
passed  the  winter  at  Chingossamo's  village  on  the  Cheboigan 
River,  accompanied  by  an  Indian  of  that  village,  who  calls  himself 
Yon,  which  is  probably  a  corruption  of  John,  for  he  says  that 
his  father  was  an  Englishman,  and  his  mother  a  Chippewa  of  St. 
Mary's. 

Chusco  and  Yon  concur  in  stating  that  the  old  town  on  Round 
Island  was  Chi  Naigow's,  where  he  and  Aishquonaibee's*  father 
ruled.  It  was  a  large  village,  occupied  still  while  the  British  held 
old  Mackinack,  and  not  finally  abandoned  until  after  the  occu 
pancy  of  the  island-post.  It  consisted  of  Chippewas.  Chi  Naigow 
afterwards  went  to  a  bay  of  Boisblanc,  where  the  public  wharf 
now  is,  where  he  cultivated  land  and  died.f 

These  Indians  also  state,  that  at  the  existence  of  the  town  on 
Round  Island,  a  large  Indian  village  was  seated  around  the  pre 
sent  harbor  of  Mackinack,  and  the  Indians  cultivated  gardens 
there.  Yon  says,  that  at  that  time  there  was  a  stratum  of  black 
earth  over  the  gravel,  and  that  it  was  not  bare  gravel  as  it  is 
now.J  (He  is  speaking  of  the  shores  of  the  harbor.) 

Yon  says  that  a  man,  called  Sagitondowa,  is  now  living  at 
Chingassamo's  village,  who  once  lived  in  Chi  Naigow's  village  at 
Minnissais — and  that  he  is  about  his  age.  Yon  was  about  seventy. 
He  further  says  that  the  traverse  to  Old  Mackinack  was  made 
directly  from  the  old  town  on  Round  Island,  and  that  it  was  from 
thence  they  went  over  to  get  rum. 

Chusco  made  the  following  speech  :  "  Nosa,  when  I  first  spoke 
to  you  it  was  at  the  camp  of  the  Strong  Wind  (Gen.  Wayne). 
You  then  told  me  that  I  should  not  be  troubled  with  the  smoke, 
(meaning  intrusion  from  settlement.)  It  was  said  to  me  that  a 
place  should  be  provided  by  our  Great  Father  for  us.  My  home 
was  then  at  Waganukizzi,  the  place  of  the  crotched  tree  (L'Arbre 
Croche). 

"  About  twenty  men  had  the  courage  to  go,  and  united  in  the 

*  A  Chief  of  Grand  Traverse. 

f  His  daughter,  who  was  most  likely  to  know,  says  he  died  at  Manista. 
See  prior  part  of  Journal. 
%  At  Mackinack,  they,  in  some  places,  raise  potatoes  in  clean  gravel. 


478  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

treaty.  Chemokoman  was  one  of  them.  The  old  chief  Nis- 
kauzhininna  did  not  go.  He  was  afraid  of  the  Americans.  I 
carried  my  ancient  implements,  which  you  know  I  have  forever  laid 
aside.  (He  was  the  Seer.) 

"  The  English  did  not  come  up  to  their  promises.  The  land  was 
lost.  The  posts  were  lost.  They  were  all  given  up,  and  we  only 
were  the  sufferers.  Hard  is  our  fate. 

"  Strong  Wind  said  to  the  chiefs  that  there  should  be  a  place  for 
the  old  and  disabled,  where  they  should  have  food.  We  were  ab 
sent  at  this  treaty  all  summer.  We  came  back  late  in  the  fall. 

Forty  winters  have  past.  I  am  poor  and  old,  and  cannot  go 
about  any  more.  Look  at  me.  I  want  a  house  and  a  shelter. 
Tell  me,  shall  I  have  it?"* 

2d.  Having,  on  the  19th  of  April,  called  the  attention  of  Mrs. 
La  Fromboise,  an  aged  Metif  lady,  to  the  former  state  of  things 
here,  she  says  that  the  post  of  Chicago  was  first  established  under 
English  rule,  by  a  negro  man  named  Pointe  aux  Sables,  who  was 
a  respectable  man. 

The  etymology  of  Chicago  appears  to  be  this : — 

Chi-cag,  Animal  of  the  Leek  or  Wild  Onion. 

Chi-cag-o-wunz,     The  Wild  Leek  or  Pole-cat  Plant. 
Chi-ca-go,  Place  of  the  Wild  LeeJc. 

She  also  says  that  Captain  Robinson,  while  commanding  at 
Mackinack,  discharged  a  negro  servant  named  Bonga,  who  after 
wards,  with  his  wife,  purchased  the  house  and  lot  in  which  Mr. 
Wendell  now  lives  (the  old  red  house  next  Dousman's,  south), 
where  he  kept  a  tavern,  and  maintained  a  respectable  character. 
He  afterwards  sold  out  and  went  to  Detroit,  and  lived  with  Mr. 
Meldrum. 

She  adds  :  "  The  son  of  this  Bonga  was  the  late  Bonga,  who 
died  as  a  comme  at  Lake  Winnepec,  of  the  Fond  du  Lac  Depart 
ment.  The  present  Stephen  Bonga  of  Folleavoine,  a  trustworthy 
trader,  is  the  grandson  of  this  Bonga — Robinson's  freed  slave. 
His  connections  are  Chippewas,  and  all  speak  the  Chippewa  lan 
guage  fluently. 

*  In  the  treaty  of  28th  March,  1836,  a  dormitory  was  provided  for  the 
Indians  visiting  the  post  of  Mackinack.  Chusco  was  granted  an  annuity  in, 
coin. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  479 

Having  seen  and  known  this  Bonga,  the  grandson,  I  was  led  to 
remark  that  climate  and  intermarriage  have  had  little  or  no  ap 
preciable  effect  on  the  color  of  the  skin. 

The  traditions  of  Mr.  Viancourt,  one  of  the  oldest  French  resi 
dents  of  Point  St.  Ignace,  who  visited  the  office  (24th  April),  relate 
that  he  was  born  the  year  Montreal  was  taken,  1759.  That 
Mackinack  (the  island)  was  first  occupied  four  years  after. 

He  further  says  that  Gov.  Sinclair  built  a  small  fort  on  Black 
River,  and  that  he  gave  his  name  to  that  part  of  the  straits  which 
have  since  been  called  St.  Glair.*  Says  he  has  been  on  the  island 
forty-seven  years,  consequently  came  in  1788. 

The  late  Mr.  J.  B.  Nolin,  of  Sault  St.  Marie,  remarked  to  John 
Johnson,  Esq.,  that  Governor  Sinclair  came  up  with  troops  the 
year  after  the  massacre  at  old  Mackinack ;  and  that  he  landed  with 
a  broad  belt  of  wampum  in  his  hands. 

Aishkwagon-ai-bee,  or  the  feather  of  honor,  first  chief  of  the 
Chippewas  of  Grand  Traverse  Bay,  Lake  Michigan,  says  that  the 
Nadowas  (Iroquois)  formerly  lived  at  Point  St.  Ignace — that  they 
fell  out  with  the  Chippewas  and  Ottawas  on  a  certain  day,  at  a 
ball-playing,  when  a  Chippewa  was  killed.  Hereupon,  the  Chip 
pewas  and  Ottawas  united  their  strength  and  drove  them  away, 
destroying  their  village. 

The  Chippewas  and  Ottawas  then  divided  the  land  by  natural 
boundaries.  Grand  Traverse  Bay  fell  to  the  Chippewas. 

Another  Indian  tradition  respecting  the  old  village  on  Isle  Rond, 
was  gleaned : — 

Sagitondowa  visits  the  office :  he  says  he  lacks  one  year  of  fifty. 
His  earliest  recollections  are  of  the  old  village  on  Round  Island. 
It  was  then  (say  1783,  the  close  of  the  American  Revolutionary 
War)  a  large  village,  and  nearly  half  the  island  in  cultivation.  It 
was  not  finally  abandoned  until  lately. 

Having  his  attention  called  to  the  deposit  of  old  bones  exposed 
by  the  action  of  the  lake,  he  finally  said  he  knew  not  how  they 
came  there,  that  they  must  be  of  ancient  date,  and  were  probably 
of  the  same  era  with  the  bones  in  the  caves  of  the  island  of  Macki 
nack.  He  said  when  he  was  young  there  was  no  village  on  that 

*  Consult  Charlevoix's  Journal.  Is  not  so,  so  far  as  the  origin  of  the  name 
is  concerned. 


480  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

part  of  the  bay  of  Mackinack  situated  between  the  old  Govern 
ment  house,  and  the  present  Catholic  church.  This  was  formerly 
a  cedar  swamp.  There  was  a  village  near  Porkman's  (Mr.  Edward 
Biddle's),  and  another  near  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

3(2.  Seed  the  borders  around  the  garden  lots  with  clover  and 
timothy,  united  with  oats.  Continue  to  plant  in  hot-beds,  and  in 
the  ornamental  mound.  The  "Huron"  departs  up  the  lake,  the 
"Austerlitz  returns." 

Drove  out  in  my  carriage  with  Mrs.  Schoolcraft  and  children, 
round  the  island.  I  found  no  traces  of  snow  or  ice. 

5th.  A  gale  from  the  east,  which  began  to  show  itself  yesterday. 

The  schooner  uLady  of  the  Lake"  comes  in,  without  a  mail. 
During  the  afternoon,  the  wind  also  brings  in  the  "Marengo,"  with 
a  mail,  and  in  the  night,  the  "  Supply." 

6th.  Wind  from  the  S.  W.  and  W.     Rain,  chilly,  cloudy. 

*Ith.  A  complete  counterpart  of  the  weather  of  yesterday. 

Sth.  The  same  weather  in  every  respect,  with  light  snow  flurries. 
The  last  four  or  five  days  have  been  most  disheartening  weather 
for  this  season,  and  retarded  gardening.  The  leaves  of  the  pie 
plant  have  been  partially  nipped  by  the  frost. 

9th.  Clear  and  pleasant — wind  west.  Drove  out  with  Mrs. 
Schoolcraft  and  children  to  see  the  arched  rock,  the  sugar-loaf 
rock,  Henry's  cave,  and  other  prominent  curiosities  of  the  island. 
There  are  extensive  old  fields  on  the  eastern  part  of  the  island,  to 
which  the  French  apply  the  term  of  Grrands  Jardins.  No  resi 
dent  pretends  to  know  their  origin.  Whether  due  to  the  labors  of 
the  Hurons  or  the  Wyandots,  who  are  known  to  have  been  driven 
by  the  Iroquois  to  this  island  from  the  St.  Lawrence  valley,  early 
in  the  17th  century ;  or  to  a  still  earlier  period,  when  the  ancient 
bones  were  deposited  in  the  caves,  is  not  known.  It  is  certain  that 
the  extent  of  the  fields  evince  an  agricultural  industry  which  is 
not  characteristic  of  the  present  Algonquin  race.  The  stones  have 
been  carefully  gathered  into  heaps,  as  in  the  little  valley  near  the 
arched  rock,  to  facilitate  cultivation.  These  heaps  of  stones,  in 
various  places  might  be  mistaken  for  Celtic  cairns. 

10th.  The  schooner  "Mariner,"  our  old  friend,  comes  into  port 
with  forty  emigrants  for  Chicago.  During  the  evening  the  "  Com 
merce"  and  "America"  join  her. 

11th.  S.  Cold  north-west  wind,  gloomy  and  cloudy. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  481 

12^.  A  report  is  received  that  the  President  has  communicated 
a  protest  to  the  Senate  on  the  expression  of  their  views  respecting 
the  removal  of  the  deposits. 

I  told  a  party  of  Ottawas,  who  applied  for  food,  that  their  Great 
Father  was  not  pleased  that  his  bounties  should  be  misused  by 
their  employing  them  merely  to  further  their  journeys  to  foreign 
agencies,  where  the  counsels  they  got  were  such  as  he  could  not 
approve.  That  hereafter  such  bounties  must  not  be  expected ;  that 
the  poor  and  suffering  would  always  find  the  agency  doors  open, 
but  I  should  be  compelled  to  close  them  to  such  as  turned  a  deaf 
ear  to  his  advice,  if  their  practices  in  visiting  these  foreign  assem 
blies  were  persisted  in. 

13^.  A  slight  snow  covers  the  ground  in  the  morning,  it  melts 
soon,  but  the  day  is  ungenial,  with  S.  W.  wind,  and  cloudy  atmo 
sphere. 

14th.  A  powder  of  snow  covers  the  ground  in  the  north,  the 
wind  in  the  N.  "W.  It  varies  from  N.  W.  to  S.  W.,  and  by  ten 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  it  is  pleasant  and  clear.  Plant  garden  corn,  an 
early  species  cultivated  by  the  Ottawas. 

15th.  Cold  and  clear  most  of  the  day. 

~L6th.  Young  Robert  Gravereat  first  came  to  the  office  in  the 
capacity  of  interpreter.  It  is  a  calm  and  mild  day ;  the  sun  shines 
out.  The  thermometer  stands  at  50°  at  8  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and 
the  weather  appears  to  be  settled  for  the  season.  Miss  Louisa 
Johnston  comes  to  pass  the  summer. 

15th.  Ploughed  potato  land,  the  backward  state  of  the  season 
having  rendered  it  useless  earlier.  Even  now  the  soil  is  cold,  and 
requires  to  lay  some  time  after  being  ploughed  up. 

The  steamer  "  Oliver  Newberry''  arrives  in  the  afternoon,  bring 
ing  Detroit  dates  of  May  5th,  and  Washington  dates  a  week  later. 

The  new  brig  "John  Kinzie"  enters  the  harbor  on  the  19th, 
bringing  up  Gov.  D.  R.  Porter,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  suit,  with 
forty  passengers. 

20th.  I  may  now  advert  to  what  the  busy  world  has  been  about, 
while  we  have  been  watching  fields  of  floating  ice,  and  battling  it  with 
the  elements  through  an  entire  season.  A  letter  from  E.  A.  Brush, 
Esq.,  Washington,  March  13th,  says:  "Nothing  is  talked  about 
here,  as  I  may  well  presume  you  know  from  the  papers,  but  the  de 
posits  and  their  removal,  and  their  restoration ;  and  that  frightful 
31 


482  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

mother  of  all  mischief,  the  money  maker  (U.  S.  Bank).  Every 
morning  (the  morning  begins  here  at  twelve,  meridian)  the  Senate 
chamber  is  thronged  with  ladies  and  feathers,  and  their  obsequious 
satellites,  to  hear  the  sparring.  Every  morning  a  speech  is  made 
upon  presentation  of  some  petition  representing  that  the  country  is 
overwhelmed  with  ruin  and  disasters,  and  that  the  fact  is  notorious 
and  palpable;  or,  that  the  country  is  highly  prosperous  and  flourish 
ing,  and  that  everybody  knows  it.  One,  that  its  only  safety  lies 
in  the  continuance  of  the  Bank;  and  the  other,  that  our  liberties 
will  be  prostrated  if  it  is  re-chartered.  Of  course,  the  well  in  which 
poor  truth  has  taken  refuge,  in  this  exigency,  is  very  deep. 

"  But  the  Senate  is,  at  this  moment,  an  extraordinary  constellation 
of  talent.  There  is  Mr.  Webster,  and  Mr.  Clay,  and  Mr.  Calhoun, 
and  a  no-way  inferior,  Mr.  Preston,  the  famous  debater  in  the  South 
Carolina  troubles,  and  Mr.  Benj.  Watkins  Leigh,  the  equally  cele 
brated  ambassador  near  the  government  of  South  Carolina.  All 
are  ranged  on  one  side,  and  it  is  a  phalanx  as  formidable,  in  point 
of  moral  force,  as  the  twenty-four  can  produce.  Mr.  Forsyth  is 
the  atlas  upon  whose  shoulders  are  made  to  rest  all  the  sins  of  the 
administration.  Every  shaft  flies  at  him,  or  rather  is  intended  for 
others  through  him  ;  and  his  Ajax  shield  of  seven  bull  hides  is  more 
than  once  pierced,  in  the  course  of  the  frequent  encounters  to  which 
he  is  invited,  and  from  which  they  will  not  permit  him  to  secede. 
But  it  is  all  talk.  They  will  do  nothing.  A  constitutional  majority 
in  the  Senate  (two-thirds)  is  very  doubtful,  and  a  bare  one  in  the 
House,  still  more  problematical.  Of  course,  you  are  aware  that 
the  executive  has  expressed  its  unyielding  determination  not  to  sign 
a  bill  for  the  re-charter,  or  to  permit  a  restoration  of  the  deposits. 

"Houses  are  cracking  in  the  cities,  as  if  in  the  midst  of  an  earth 
quake,  and  there  is  hardly  a  man  engaged  in  mercantile  operations 
(I  might  say  not  one)  who  will  not  feel  the  c  pressure."1 

Major  W.  "Whiting  writes  from  Detroit,  March  28th:  "I  spoke 
of  the  project  of  a  road  to  Mackinack,  which  you  wished  me  to  bear 
in  mind.  The  Secretary  approved  the  project,  and  the  Quarter- 
Master  General  said  it  might  be  done  without  a  special  appropria 
tion.  I  was  authorized  to  have  the  survey  made  as  soon  as  the 
season  will  permit,  and  an  officer  has  reported  to  me  for  that  pur 
pose.  He  will  start  from  Saginaw  some  time  in  the  next  month, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  483 

to  make  a  reconnoisance  of  the  country,  and  will  appear  at  the 
head  of  the  peninsula  when  perhaps  you  little  expect  such  a  visitor. 

"  As  soon  as  the  survey  shall  be  completed,  the  cutting  out  will 
be  put  under  contract.  When  this  road  shall  be  completed,  you 
will  feel  more  neighborly  to  us.  The  express  will  be  able  to  perform 
the  journey  in  half  the  time,  and,  of  course,  the  trips  can  be  mul 
tiplied." 

June  4th.  Reuben  Smith,  a  Mission  scholar  of  the  Algonquin 
lineage,  determines  to  leave  his  temporary  employment  at  the 
agency,  and  complete  his  education  at  the  eastward. 

5th.  Ossiganac,  an  Ottawa,  who  was  formerly  interpreter  at  the 
British  post  at  Drummond  Island,  says  that  Ottawa  tradition  points 
back  to  the  Manitouline  Islands,  as  the  place  of  their  origin.  They 
call  those  islands  Ottawa  Islands,  and  Lake  Huron  Ottawa  Lake. 
They  call  Lake  Superior  Chippewa  Lake.  All  the  Ottawas,  he 
says,  of  L'Arbre  Croche,  Grand  River,  &c.,  came  from  the  Ottawa 
or  Manitouline  Islands.  The  French  first  found  them  there.* 

They  migrated  down  Lake  Michigan,  and  lived  with  the  Pota- 
wattomies.  After  awhile,  the  Potawattomies  growing  uneasy  of 
their  presence,  accused  them  of  using  bad  medicine,  which  was  the 
cause  of  their  people  dying.  The  Ottawas  replied,  that  if  they 
were  jealous  of  them,  they  would  retire,  and  they  accordingly  with 
drew  up  the  peninsula.  While  in  the  course  of  withdrawing,  one 
of  their  number  was  killed  by  the  Potawattomies. 

6th.  Ossiganac,  at  an  interview  at  my  house  this  afternoon,  says 
that  the  Ottawas  of  Maumee,  Ohio,  sent  a  message  to  the  Ottawas 
of  L'Arbre  Croche,  in  Governor  Hull's  time — consequently  be 
tween  1805  and  1812 — saying:  "We  were  originally  of  one  fire, 
and  we  wish  to  come  back  again  to  you,  that  we  may  all  derive 
heat  again  from  the  same  fire."  (  . 

The  Ottawas  of  L'Arbre  Croche  replied:  "True,  but  you  took  a 
coal  to  warm  yourselves  by.  Now,  it  will  be  better  that  you  re 
main  by  your  own  coal,  which  you  saw  fit  long  ago  to  take  from 
our  fire.  Remain  where  you  are.''  From  that  day  the  Ottawas  of 
Maumee  have  said  nothing  more  about  joining  us. 

Now  (1834)  the  Potawattomies  come  with  a  request  to  join  our 


*  This  is  pretty  well  for  Indian  tradition,  but  is  not  so,  in  truth,  as  Charle- 
voix's  Hist,  of  New  France  denotes. 


484  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

fire.  Shall  we  receive  them,  when  we  refused  our  brethren-,  who 
are  more  nearly  related  to  us  ?  I  think  not. 

7th.  The  Little  Bear  Skin,  Muk-ons-e-wj-an-ais,  of  Manistee, 
Inquires  respecting  the  truth  of  a  rumor,  that  the  Potawattomies, 
since  selling  their  lands  at  Chicago,  are  coming  to  the  North, 
amongst  the  Ottawas  and  Chippewas.  He  deprecates  such  a  move 
ment.  Says  the  habits  of  the  Potawattomies  are  so  different  that 
they  would  not  be  satisfied  were  they  to  come.  Their  horses  are 
their  canoes.  They  know  nothing  of  traveling  by  water,  beyond 
shore  navigation.  They  are  sea-sick  on  the  lakes. 

Little  Bear  Skin  says  he  lives  on  the  first  forks  of  the  Manistee. 
Although  a  Chippewa,  he  is  in  the  habit  of  cultivating  gardens. 
He  is  originally,  by  his  parents,  from  the  North — is  related  to  the 
St.  Mary's  and  Taquimenon  Indians.  He  himself  was  born  on  the 
Manistee.  He  is  a  temperance  man. 

Cherry  trees  in  full  bloom.  The  steamer  "Uncle  Sam"  enters 
the  harbor,  being  the  first  of  a  line  established  to  Chicago. 

9th.  Apple  and  plum  trees  pretty  full  in  flower. 

~LQth.  Mrs.  Robert  Stuart  makes  a  handsome  present  of  con- 
oliological  species  from  foreign  localities  to  be  added  to  my  cabinet. 

15th.  Major  Whistler  interdicts  preaching  in  the  fort.  Mr.  R. 
Stuart,  having  returned  recently  from  the  East,  resumes  the  super 
intendence  of  the  Sabbath  School  at  the  Mission,  from  which  I  had 
relieved  him  in  the  autumn. 

I  have  written  these  sketches  for  my  own  satisfaction  and  the  re 
freshment  of  my  memory,  in  the  leading  scenes  and  events  of  my 
first  winter  on  the  island,  giving  prominence  to  the  state  and 
changes  of  the  weather,  the  occurrences  among  the  natives,  and 
the  moral,  social,  and  domestic  events  around  me.  But  the  cur 
tain  of  the  world's  great  drama  is  now  fully  raised,  by  our  free  com 
mercial  and  postal  union  with  the  region  below  us;  new  scenes  and 
topics  daily  occur,  which  it  would  be  impossible  to  note  if  I  tried, 
and  which  would  be  useless  if  possible.  Hereafter  my  notices  must 
be  of  isolated  things,  and  may  be  "few  and  far  between." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  485 


CHAPTER    LI. 

Trip  to  Detroit — American  Fur  Company;  its  history  and  organization — 
American  Lyceum  ;  its  objects — Desire  to  write  books  on  Indian  subjects 
by  persons  not  having  the  information  to  render  them  valuable — Reappear- 
rance  of  cholera — Mission  of  Mackinack ;  its  history  and  condition — Visit 
of  a  Russian  officer  of  the  Imperial  Guards — Chicago ;  its  prime  position 
for  a  great  entrepot — Area  and  destiny  of  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

1834.  ABOUT  the  first  of  July,  I  embarked  for  Detroit,  for  the 
purpose  chiefly  of  meeting  the  Secretary  of  War,  during  his  summer 
refuge  from  the  busy  scenes  at  Washington.  There  were  some 
questions  to  be  decided  important  to  my  duties  at  Mackinack  and 
St.  Mary's,  arising  from  recent  changes  in  the  laws  or  regulations. 
He  wrote  to  me  on  the  21st  of  July,  from  the  White  Sulphur 
Springs,  in  Virginia,  that  he  should  probably  reach  Detroit  before 
the  10th  or  12th  of  August;  but  his  delay  had  been  protracted 
so  much,  that  after  reaching  the  city  I  felt  compelled  to  return  to 
iny  agency  without  seeing  him. 

One  reason  for  this  step,  which  operated  upon  my  mind,  was  the 
change  in  the  partnership  and  management  of  the  affairs  of  the 
American  Fur  Company,  consequent  on  Mr.  John  Jacob  Astor's 
withdrawal  from  it.  This  company  was  founded  by  this  noted  and 
successful  merchant's  having  purchased,  at  the  close  of  the  war, 
about  1815,  the  trading  posts,  consisting  of  buildings,  property, 
&c.,  of  the  British  North-West  Company,  who  had  been  so  long 
the  commercial,  and  to  all  practical  intents,  the  political  lords 
of  the  regions  of  the  north-west.  He  organized  the  concern  in 
shares,  under  an  act  of  incorporation  of  the  Legislature  of  New 
York,  and  began  operations  by  establishing  his  central  point  of 
interior  action  at  Michilimackinack.  This  was  in  1816.  From 
data  submitted  at  a  treaty  at  Prairie  du  Chien  by  Mr.  R.  Stuart, 
the  whole  capital  invested  in  the  business,  was  not  less  than 
800,000  dollars.  The  interior  sub-posts  were  spread  over  the 


486  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

entire  area  of  the  frontiers  up  to  the  parallel  of  59°  north  latitude, 
extending  to  the  Missouri.  Together  with  the  posts,  indeed,  the 
North- West  Company  turned  over,  in  effect,  some  of  its  agents 
and  the  principal  part  of  its  clerks,  interpreters,  and  boatmen  for 
this  area,  who  were,  I  believe,  without  a  single  exception,  foreign 
ers,  chiefly  Canadian  French,  Scotchmen,  Irishmen,  and  perhaps  a 
few  Englishmen. 

Congress  passed  an  act  the  same  year  (1816)  providing  that  this 
trade  should  be  carried  on  under  licenses,  by  American  citizens, 
who  were  permitted,  however,  to  employ  this  class  of  foreigners,  by 
entering  into  bonds  for  their  proper  conduct.  This  created  a  class 
of  duties  for  the  agents,  on  the  line  of  the  Canada  frontiers,  which 
was  at  all  times  onerous.  To  carry  on  the  trade  at  all,  the  old 
and  experienced  "  servants  of  the  N.  W.,"  as  they  were  called, 
were  necessary,  and  it  was  sometimes  essential  to  take  ou't  the 
license  in  the  names  of  American  boys,  or  persons  by  no  means 
competent,  by  their  experience  in  this  trade,  to  conduct  the  busi 
ness,  which  was,  in  fact,  still  in  the  hands  of  the  old  employees. 

It  was  a  false  theory,  from  the  start,  that  ardent  spirits  was  one 
of  the  articles  necessary  to  trade.  Congress  entertained  an  opinion 
of  its  injuriousness  to  the  character  of  the  Indians,  and  passed 
laws  excluding  it.  This  constituted  another  class  of  duties  of  the 
agents  who  were  entrusted  with  their  execution,  and  required  them 
to  "  search  packages,"  and  to  judge  of  the  probabilities  of  all  per 
sons  applying  for  licenses  keeping  the  laws. 

To  expect  that  this  mixed  body  of  foreigners  would  exert  any 
very  favorable  political  influence  on  the  mass  of  Indian  minds  in 
the  north-west,  was  indulging  a  hope  not  very  likely  to  be  fulfilled. 
They  were  employed  to  glean  the  Indian  lodges  of  furs,  and  ex 
pected  to  make  good  returns  to  their  employers  atMichilimackinack; 
and,  if  they  kept  the  ground  of  neutrality  with  respect  to  govern 
ments,  it  was  considered  as  exempting  them  from  censure. 

The  great  body  of  the  Indians  in  the  upper  lakes,  and  through- 
out  the  north-west,  extending  to  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi, 
were  averse  to  the  American  rule.  Many  of  them  had  been 
embodied  to  fight  against  the  Americans,  who  were  successively 
met  by  ambuscade,  surprise,  or  otherwise,  as  at  Chicago,  at  Michili- 
mackinack,  Brownstown,  River  Raisin,  Maumee,  Fort  Harrison, 
and  other  places.  They  had  been  assembled  in  large  bodies,  by 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  487 

the  delusive  prophesyings  of  Elksatawa,  and  by  the  not  less  delu 
sive  promises  of  the  agents  of  the  British  Indian  Department,  on 
the  lines,  that  the  Americans  were  to  be  driven  back  to  the  line  of 
the  Illinois,  if  not  of  the  Ohio— an  old  and  very  popular  idea 
with  the  lake  Indians  from  early  days. 

The  lake  Indians  had  suffered  severely  from  the  war,  chiefly  from 
the  camp  fevers  and  irregularities.  They  had  finally  been  defeated 

their  great  Avar  captain  killed,  their  false  prophet  driven  from  the 

Wabash  into  Canada;  and,  to  crown  the  whole,  were  themselves 
abandoned,  one  and  all,  by  their  allies,  at  the  treaty  of  Ghent. 
Many  never  returned  to  the  homes  of  their  fathers — entire  villages 
were  depopulated,  and  their  sites  overgrown  in  a  few  years  with 
shrubbery.  Those  who  came  back  from  the  active  campaign  of 
1814,  were  sullen  and  desponding.  As  an  evidence  of  what  they 
had  suffered,  and  how  completely  they  had  been  abandoned  by 
their  allies,  the  transactions  of  the  first  treaty  at  Springwells,  at 
the  close  of  the  war,  may  be  referred  to.  The  tribes  were  lite 
rally  starving  and  in  rags. 

The  agents  of  the  Executive  and  Governors,  who  were  appointed 
to  conduct  their  intercourse  after  the  war,  were,  in  reality,  called  to 
execute  a  high  class  of  diplomatic  functions,  second  only  in  general 
importance  to  those  required  at  the  prime  courts  of  Europe.  The 
several  classes  of  duties  which  have  been  described  denote,  to  some 
extent,  in  what  this  importance  consisted.  *  Eighteen  years  had 
now  elapsed  since  this  important  commercial  company  had  furnished 
traders  to  the  discomfited  tribes.  During  twelve  years  of  this 
period  I  had  had  charge  of  the  intercourse  with  by  far  the  largest 
and  most  unfriendly  and  warlike  of  the  tribes;  and,  when  I  saw 
that  Mr.  Astor  had  disconnected  himself  from  the  concern  which 
he  had  organized  ;  and  that,  to  some  extent,  new  agents  and  actors 
were  called  to  the  field,  I  felt  anxious  to  be  at  my  post,  to  super 
vise,  personally,  the  intercourse  act,  and  to  see  that  no  improper 
persons  should  enter  the  country. 

15th.  Dr.  L.  D.  Gale,  of  New  York,  writes  me  that  the  American 
Lyceum  has  resolved  to  enlarge  the  scope  of  its  objects.  "  We 
have,  therefore,"  he  remarks,  "as  we  now  stand,  1.  The  depart 
ment  of  education.  2.  The  department  of  physical  science.  3. 
Moral  and  political  science.  4.  Literature  and  the  arts.  The  in 
fluence  of  the  society  has  been  very  much  enlarged  since  its  last 


488  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

meeting,  and  it  now  enrolls  amongst  its  active  members  many,  in 
deed  I  may  say  a  large  share  of  the  most  valuable  men  of  science 
of  the  United  States.  The  chief  object  of  the  physical  science 
department  is  to  obtain,  as  far  as  possible,  a  report  of  the  recent 
history  and  progress,  and,  in  some  cases,  the  future  prospects  of 
the  different  departments.  So  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  form  a 
volume  of  transactions  that  shall  embrace  all  that  is  new  or  recent 
in  the  departments,  posted  up  to  the  present  time. 

"  The  subject  of  the  antiquities  of  the  western  countries  of  the 
United  States,  and  especially  the  remains  of  towns  and  fortifica 
tions,  which  appear  to  have  been  built  by  a  civilized  population, 
has  been  frequently  agitated  this  side  of  the  Alleghanies,  and  it 
was  thought  by  the  executive  committee  that  justice  would  be  done 
to  the  subject  in  your  hands.  They  have,  accordingly,  requested 
that  you  would  consent  to  give  them  a  paper  on  the  subject.  They 
presumed  that  you  were  in  possession  of  much  interesting  and 
valuable  matter  that  has  never  yet  come  to  the  eyes  of  the  world." 

2(jth.  I  have  been  often  written  to,  by  persons  at  a  distance 
wishing  for  information  on  the  Indian  tribes,  or  their  languages,  or 
antiquities,  and  uniformly  responded  favorably  to  such  applications., 
sending  a  little  where  it  was  not  practicable  to  do  more.  It  has  ever 
appeared  to  me,  that  the  giving  of  information  was  just  one  of  those 
points  which  rendered  me  not  a  whit  more  ignorant  myself,  and 
might  add  something  to  the  knowledge,  as  it  certainly  would  to  the 
gratifications  of  others.  The  only  good  objection  is,  that  time  and 
attention  is  required  for  every  such  effort.  But  cannot  this  be 
easily  redeemed  from  waste  hours,  when  the  object  is  to  add  to  the 
moral  gratifications  of  others  ? 

A  letter  was  addressed  to  me,  this  day,  from  a  Mr.  H.  Newcomb, 
Alleghany,  near  Pittsburg,  which  certainly  seems  a  little  onerous 
in  the  tax  it  imposes  on  my  time-;  as  the  writer  announces  his  in 
tention  of  publishing  two  or  three  volumes,  on  the  subject  of  the 
Indians,  and  presents  a  formidable  array  of  subjects  respecting 
which  he  is  to  treat.  In  only  one  respect  it  strikes  me  as  singular, 
namely,  that  any  writer  west  of  the  Alleghanies  should  set  down 
to  write  a  work  on  such  a  subject,  without  personal  observation.  In 
older  areas,  where  the  Indian  has  disappeared,  books  must  alone  be 
relied  on  ;  but  in  the  West,  there  should  be  something  fresh,  some 
thing  distinctive  and  personal,  to  give  vitality  to  such  a  work.  The 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  489 

writer  observes,  "  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  obtain  materials  for 
the  first  two  volumes  satisfactory  to  myself." 

August  1st.  Mr.  Theodore  Dwight,  Jr.,  writes:  "Cannot  a  syl 
labic,  or  semi-syllabic  alphabet,  be  applied  to  our  Indian  tongues?" 

Rev.  Leonard  Woods,  Jr.,  of  New  York,  Editor  of  the  New  York 
Theological  Review,  desires  a  paper  on  the  subject  of  the  American 
Indians.  "  I  have  found,"  he  says,  "that  while  the  subject  is  one 
of  very  general  interest,  there  are  few  who  possess  the  requisite 
information  to  do  it  justice." 

16th.  The  cholera,  which  first  appeared  in  this  country  in  1833, 
made  its  second  appearance  in  Detroit,  in  the  month  of  July.  It 
was  not,  however,  of  the  same  virulence  as  the  first  attack.  "From 
present  appearances,"  writes  a  friend  at  that  place,  "the  cholera 
is  vanishing."  Having  matters  of  eminent  concern  there,  I  deter 
mined  to  make  a  brief  visit  to  the  place.  My  health  was  very  good, 
and  had  never,  indeed,  been  subject  to  violent  fluctuations  of  the 
digestive  functions,  and,  after  attaining  the  object,  I  returned  to 
Mackinack.  I  again  visited  Detroit  for  a  short  time,  during  the 
latter  part  of  August,  and  resumed  my  position  at  Mackinack  in 
September.  Indian  affairs,  in  the  upper  lakes,  were  now  hasten 
ing  to  a  crisis,  which  in  a  year  or  two,  developed  themselves  in  ex 
tensive  sales  of  territory  by  the  Indians,  who,  as  game  failed,  saw 
themselves  in  straits.  These  events  will  be  mentioned  as  they 
take  definite  shapes  of  action. 

Sept.  2d.  Mr.  David  Green,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Com 
missioners  for  American  Missions,  Missionary  Rooms,  Boston,  de 
picts  a  crisis  in  the  mission  at  Mackinack.  "  Your  favor  by  Mr. 
Ferry,"  he  remarks,  "  has  come  to  hand.  As  you  anticipated,  he 
has  requested  our  Missionary  Board  to  relieve  him  from  the  mis 
sionary  service,  and  they,  though  with  much  reluctance,  have 
granted  his  request.  He  seems  fully  convinced  that  he  is  not  likely 
to  be  hereafter  useful,  to  any  great  extent,  in  connection  with  the 
Mackinack  mission ;  and  that  the  claims  of  his  family  call  him  to  a  dif 
ferent  situation.  This  movement  on  his  part,  though  he  has  before 
suggested  that  such  a  step  might  be  expedient,  was  quite  unex 
pected  by  us  at  this  time;  and  I  fear  that  we  shall  not  find  it  easy 
to  obtain  a  suitable  man  to  fill  his  place.  No  such  -person  is  now 
at  our  disposal.  I  have  written  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Peters,  of  New 
YTork,  Secretary  of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society, 
stating  the  circumstances  of  the  place,  inquiring  if  it  would  not 


490  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

properly  fall  within  that  portion  of  the  Lord's  Vineyard,  and  whe 
ther  they  could  not  furnish  a  suitable  man  to  cultivate  it. 

"  That  Society,  as  well  as  ours,  is,  I  believe,  pressed  for  mis 
sionaries  on  every  hand.  The  prayers  of  all  the  Lord's  people 
should  be,  in  these  exigencies,  '  Send  forth  laborers  into  thy  har 
vest.'  Men  of  devoted  piety  and  zeal,  and  of  high  intellectual  cha 
racter,  and  judgment,  and  enterprise,  are  needed  in  great  numbers 
both  in  our  oivn  land  and  abroad.  The  want  of  such  men  is  now 
the  most  serious  impediment  which  our  societies  have  to  contend 
with. 

"  You  may  be  assured,  sir,  that  we  shall  do  all  in  our  power, 
consistent  with  the  claims  of  our  other  missions,  to  send  some 
person  to  Mackinack  ;  but  we  cannot  promise  to  succeed  imme 
diately.  Mr.  Ferry,  we  hope,  will  remain  the  next  spring. 

"  Some  embarrassment  is  felt  by  our  Board,  from  the  fact  that 
foreign  fields,  offering  access  to  densely  populated  districts,  where 
millions  speaking  the  same  language,  can  be  easily  approached — 
are  more  attractive  to  the  candidates  for  the  missionary  work  than 
the  small,  scattered,  and  migratory  bands  of  our  Indians. 

"  I  fear  that  a  preference  of  this  nature  will  cause  our  friends 
— the  Indians — to  be  neglected,  if  not  forgotten.  As  Providence 
seems,  in  so  many  ways,  to  be  against  the  Indians,  I  often  fear 
that  no  considerable  portion  of  them  are  ever  to  enjoy  the  bless 
ings  of  civilization  and  Christianity.  But  we  must  leave  them  in 
the  hands  of  God,  after  using  faithfully  the  means  which  he  places 
at  our  disposal." 

"  We  are  glad  to  hear  that  you  still  approve  of  the  course  pur 
sued  by  our  missionaries  in  the  north-west,  and  that  the  advance 
ment  of  the  cause  of  Christ,  in  that  quarter,  is  still  a  subject 
of  care  with  you,  and  truth,  and  divine  grace,  will  enable  you 
rightly  to  bear  the  responsibility  in  this  respect,  which  rests  on 
you." 

I  have  put  in  italics,  in  the  above  letter,  a  high  moral  truth, 
which  accords  with  all  my  observation  and  experience  on  the  fron 
tiers  ;  and  upon  the  due  appreciation  and  carrying  out  of  which, 
the  success  of  the  missionary  cause  over  the  world,  in  my  judg 
ment,  depends.  It  is  a  sentence  that  should  be  inscribed  in  letters 
of  gold  in  every  missionary  room  in  America.  It  is  certainly  a 
mistake  to  send  feeble  men  on  the  frontier,  who  are  not  deemed  to 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  491 

have  sufficient  energy,  talents,  and  sound  discretion  to  enter  fo 
reign  fields.  Our  frontiers  are  full  of  cavillers,  and  shrewd  and 
bold  gainsayers  of  Christianity,  men  of  personal  energy  and  will, 
who  generally  stand  aloof  from  such  efforts,  and  who,  when  they 
come  into  contact  with  missionary  laborers,  judge  them  by  common 
rules  of  judgment — who  are,  indeed,  not  the  best  fitted  to  esti 
mate  "devoted  piety  and  zeal,"  but  who  are,  nevertheless,  dis 
posed  to  respect  it,  in  proportion  as  it  is  joined  wTith  "  high  intel 
lectual  character,  and  judgment,  and  enterprise.''  In  the  frequent 
want  of  this — we  do  not  include  Mackinack  in  this  category — is 
to  be  sought  the  true  cause  of  our  failures  with  the  Indians,  to 
whom  the  strange  and  intense  story  of  the  Gospel  appears  at  first 
in  something  as  wild  and  marvelous  as  some  of  their  own  rela 
tions ;  and  who  are,  at  any  rate,  firmly  fixed  in  their  heathen 
ish  rites  and  devotions  to  a  subtil  system  of  deism,  and  the  invo 
cation  of  gods  of  the  elements  and  demons. 

With  respect  to  the  mission  of  Mackinack,  its  influence,  on  the 
whole,  has  been  eminently  good,  and  not  evil.  Mr.  Ferry  pos 
sessed  business  talents  of  a  high  order,  with  that  strict  reference 
to  moral  responsibilities  and  accountabilities,  which  compose  the 
golden  fibres  of  the  Gospel  net.  He  sought  to  bring  all,  white 
and  red  men,  into  this  net ;  and  its  influences  were  extensively 
spread  from  that  central  point  into  the  Indian  country.  He 
gathered,  from  the  remotest  quarters,  the  half-breed  children  of 
the  traders  and  clerks,  into  a  large  and  well  organized  boarding 
school,  where  they  were  instructed  in  the  points  essential  to  their 
becoming  useful  and  respectable  men  and  women.  They  were  then 
sent  abroad  as  teachers  arid  interpreters,  and  traders'  clerks,  over 
a  wide  space  of  wilderness,  where  they  disseminated  Gospel  prin 
ciples.  Many  of  their  parents  also  embraced  Christianity.  Many 
of  the  girls  turned  out  to  be  ladies  of  finished  education  and  man 
ners,  and  married  officers  of  the  army  or  citizens,  There  were 
some  pure  Indian  converts  of  both  sexes,  among  whom  was  the 
chief  prophet  of  the  Ottawas — the  aged  Chusco.  In  1829,  after 
seven  years'  labor,  he  witnessed  a  revival  among  the  citizens  of 
that  town,  which  appeared  to  be  his  crowning  labor,  and  it  had  the 
effect  to  renovate  the  place,  and  for  many  years  to  drive  vice  and 
disorder,  if  not  entirely  away,  into  holes  and  corners,  where  they 
avoided  the  light.  He  came  to  this  island  first,  to  begin  his  mission^ 


492  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

I  believe,  in  1822.  The  effort  to  set  up  a  mission  there  seemed  as 
wild  and  hopeless,  to  common  judgments,  as  it  would  be  to  dig 
down  the  pyramids  of  the  Nile  with  a  pin.  I  defended  its  course 
of  proceedings  from  an  unjust  attack  in  the  legislative  council  of 
the  territory,  in  1830,  having  had  extensive  opportunities  to  scan 
its  principles  and  workings — which  were  only  offensive  to  worldly 
men,  because,  in  upholding  the  Gospel  banner,  a  shrewd  knowledge 
of  business  transactions  was  at  the  same  time  evinced.  To  be  a 
fool  in  worldly  things  is  sometimes  supposed,  by  the  wits  of  the 
world,  to  be  an  evidence  of  pious  zeal. 

6th.  Being  on  my  passage  this  day  up  the  River  St.  Clair,  in 
the  steamboat  "  Gen.  Gratiot,"  in  company  with  several  others, 
I  asked  Capt.  Wm.  Thorn  several  historical  questions  respecting 
the  settlement  of  Michilimackinack.  The  following  memoranda 
embrace  his  replies:  He  is  a  native  of  Newport,  Rhode  Island, 
although  he  was  for  many  years  engaged,  before  the  transfer  of 
posts  in  1796,  in  sailing  British  vessels  on  the  lakes,  and  therefore 
deemed,  when  he  was  taken  prisoner  during  the  late  war,  to  have 
been  a  British  subject. 

He  says  he  began  his  voyages  to  old  Mackinack  seven  years 
before  the  removal  of  the  post  to  the  Island.  This  was,  he  says, 
in  1767.  The  post  was  then  in  command  of  a  Capt.  Glazier, 
afterwards  of  De  Peyster  (who  subsequently  commanded  at  De 
troit),  then  of  Patrick  Sinclair  (who  had  previously  built  a  fort 
at  the  mouth  of  Pine  River — St.  Clair  Co.  seat),  and  then  of  Gov. 
Sinclair  (so  called).  The  Indians,  at  the  massacre  of  the  garri 
son  of  old  Mackinack,  did  not  burn  the  fort.  It  was  re-occupied, 
and  it  was  not  till  the  breaking  out  of  the  revolutionary  war  that 
the  removal  from  the  main  to  the  island  took  place.  It  must  have 
been  (if  he  is  correct  as  to  the  period  of  seven  years)  in  1774, 
and  the  occupancy  of  the  island  is,  therefore,  coincident  with  the 
earliest  period  of  the  movement  for  Independence — fifty-nine 
years.* 

Previous  to  that  era,  Mackinack  was  the  spot  where  the  men 
stopped  to  shave  and  dress  preparatory  to  the  traverse.  About 
the  time  Capt.  Thorn  first  began  sailing  to  old  Mackinack,  the 
Indians  plundered  a  boat  at  the  island  while  the  owner  stopped  to 

*  See  ante. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  493 

dress,  in  consequence  of  which  the  interpreter  at  the  old  post 
(Hanson,  I  think)  went  over  to  demand  redress,  and  killed  the 
depredator,  an  Indian. 

My  inquiries  on  this  topic  of  old  men,  red  and  white,  which  were 
commenced  last  spring,  may  here  drop.  It  is  now  rendered  certain 
that  the  occupancy  of  old  Mackinack — the  Beekwutinong  of  the 
Indians — was  kept  up  by  British  troops  till  1774  ;  between  that 
date  and  1780  the  flag  was  transferred  (the  letters  of  the  com 
manding  officers  to  their  generals  would  alone  give  this  date).  The 
principal  traders,  probably,  went  with  it ;  the  Indian  intercourse 
likewise.  Some  residents  lingered  a  few  years,  but  the  place 
was  finally  abandoned,  and  the  town  site  is  now  covered  with 
loose  sand.  The  walls  of  the  fort,  which  are  of  stone,  remain, 
and  the  whole  site  constitutes  an  interesting  ruin.  The  post  was 
first  founded  by  Marquette  as  a  missionary  station  about  1668. 

11th.  Major  Whiting,  of  Detroit,  writes  a  letter  of  introduction 
in  the  following  terms  : — 

"  Captain  Tchehachoff,  of  the  Russian  Imperial  Guards,  is 
traveling  through  our  country  with  a  view  to  see  its  extent  and 
resources — its  geographical  and  scenic  varieties.  As  he  proposes 
to  visit  Michilimackinack,  I  wish  him  to  become  acquainted  with 
you,  who  can  give  him  so  much  information  relative  to  those  por 
tions  of  it  which  he  may  not  be  able  to  visit.  I  have  put  into  his 
hands  some  of  your  works,  which  may  have  anticipated  something 
you  will  have  to  say. 

"He  is,  probably,  the  first  Russian  who  has  been  on  our  N.  W. 
interior  since  the  enterprising  gentlemen  who  thought  to  speculate 
on  the  '  copper  rock.'  But  Capt.  Tchehachoff  has  no  other  views 
than  those  of  an  enlightened  and  disinterested  observer.  I  am 
sure  that  it  will  give  you  pleasure  to  show  him  all  kindly  atten 
tions." 

Capt.  Tchehachoff  visited  the  island  during  the  month,  and 
accepted  an  invitation  to  spend  a  few  days  with  me.  He  repaid 
me  for  this  attention  with  much  agreeable  conversation  and  many 
anecdotes  of  Russia,  Germany  (where  he  was  educated),  and 
Poland.  He  possesses  a  character  of  extreme  interest  to  me,  as 
being  a  Circassian,  or  descendant  of  that  people,  who  are  the 
local  representatives  of  the  Circassian  race.  He  was  very  fair 
in  complexion,  and  possessed  a  fine,  manly,  tall,  and  well-pro- 


494  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

portioned  figure,  and  a  beautiful  red  and  white  countenance,  with 
dark  hair  and  eyes.  He  spoke  English  very  well,  but  with  a 
broad  Scottish,  or  rather  provincial  accent,  on  some  words,  which 
he  had  evidently  got  from  his  early  teacher— whom  he  told  me 
was  a  female — such  as  ouwn,  for  own,  &c.. 

He  told  me  that,  on  Mr.  Randolph's  first  presentation  to  the 
Russian  Empress,  he  kneeled,  although  he  had  been  notified  that 
such  a  ceremony  would  not  be  expected  of  him.  He  told  some 
very  characteristic  anecdotes  of  the  wild  pranks  of  the  German 
students  at  the  university.  He  was,  I  think,  in  some  way  related 
to  descendants  of  Count  Orloff,  who  was  so  remarkably  strong  and 
compact  of  muscle  that  he  could  push  an  iron  spike,  with  his 
thumb,  to  its  head  in  the  sides  or  planking  of  a  vessel. 

Capt.  Tchehachoff  was  certainly  strong  himself;  he  had -a  pow 
erful  strength  of  hands  and  arms.  He  used  great  politeness,  and 
was  very  punctilious  on  entering  the  dining-room,  &c.  He  in 
terested  himself  in  the  apparently  tidal  phenomena  of  strong 
currents  setting  through  the  harbor  and  straits,  which  were  in 
fine  view  from  the  piazza  of  my  house,  and  made  some  notes  upon 
them.  He  asked  me  why  I  had  not  concentrated  and  published 
my  travels,  and  various  works  respecting  the  geology  of  the 
Western  country,  and  the  history  and  philology  of  the  aboriginal 
tribes — subjects  of  such  deep  and  general  interest  to  the  philoso 
pher  of  Europe.  One  morning  early  in  October  (9th),  he  bade  us 
an  affectionate  adieu,  and  embarked  in  a  schooner  for  Chicago. 

Oct.  Wth.  Chicago  is  now  the  centre  of  an  intense  and  every 
day  growing  commercial  excitement,  and  however  the  value  of 
every  foot  of  ground  and  water  of  its  site  is  over-estimated,  and 
1  its  prospects  inflated,  it  is  evidently  the  nucleus  of  a  permanent 
]  city,  destined  to  be  one  of  the  great  lake  capitals. 

The  Rev.  Jer.  Porter,  our  former  pastor  at  St.  Mary's,  who  was 
the  first  of  his  church  order,  I  believe,  to  carry^the  Gospel  there 
in  1833,  writes  me,  under  this  date,  detailing  his  labors  and  pros 
pects.  These  are  flattering,  and  go  to  prove  that  the  religious 
element,  if  means  be  used,  is  everywhere  destined  to  attend  the 
tread  of  the  commercial  and  political  elements  of  power  into  the 
great  area  of  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi.  Chicago  is,  in  fact, 
the  first  and  great  city  of  the  prairies,  where  the  abundance  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  495 

its  products  are  destined  to  be  embarked  to  find  a  northern  mar 
ket  by  the  way  of  the  lakeSj  without  the  risks  of  entering  southern 
latitudes.  This  is  an  advantage  which  it  will  ever  possess.  Na 
ture  has  opened  the  way  for  a  heavy  tonnage  by  the  lake  seas. 
Other  modes  of  transportation  may  divert  passengers  and  light 
goods,  but  the  staples  must  ever  go  in  ships,  propelled  by  wind  or 
steam,  through  the  Straits  of  Mackinack. 


496  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    LII. 

Philology — Structure  of  the  Indian  languages — Letter  from  Mr.  Dupon- 
ceau — Question  of  the  philosophy  of  the  Chippewa  syntax — Letter  from  a 
Russian  officer  on  his  travels  in  the  West — Queries  on  the  physical  history 
of  the  North — Leslie  Duncan,  a  maniac — Arwin  on  the  force  of  dissipa 
tion — Missionary  life  on  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi — Letter  from  Mr. 
Boutwell — Theological  Review — The  Territory  of  Michigan,  tired  of  a  long 
delay,  determines  to  organize  a  State  Government. 

1834.  Oct.  llth.  MR.  PETER  S.  DUPONCEAU,  of  Philadelphia, 
addresses  me  on  the  structure  of  the  Indian  languages,  in  terms 
•which  are  very  complimentary,  coming,  as  they  do,  as  a  voluntary 
tribute  from  a  person  whom  I  never  saw,  and  who  has  taken  the 
lead  in  investigations  on  this  abtruse  topic  in  America.  "  I  have 
read,"  he  remarks,  "with  very  great  pleasure,  your  interesting 
narrative  of  the  expedition  to  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
particularly  your  lectures  on  the  Chippewa  language,  and  the  vo 
cabulary  which  follows  it.  It  is  one  of  the  most  philosophical 
works  on  the  Indian  languages  I  have  ever  read;  it  gives  a  true 
view  of  their  structure,  without  exaggeration  or  censure,  and  must 
satisfy  the  mind  of  every  rational  man.  It  is  a  matter  of  sincere 
regret  that  you  have  proceeded  in  your  lectures  no  farther  than 
the  noun,  and  your  vocabulary  no  farther  than  the  letter  B.  It  is 
much  to  be  hoped  that  the  work  will  be  completed.  I  should  hope 
that  our  government  could  have  no  objection  to  printing  it  at  its 
expense,  as  a  national  work,*  indispensably  necessary  for  the  in 
struction  of  our  agents  and  interpreters,  and  even  the  military 
officers  employed  among  the  Indians. 

"  The  Chippewa,  like  the  Algonquin  of  old,f  is  the  common  lan- 

*  This  was  begun  thirteen  years  afterwards,  when  a  general  investigation 
into  the  subject  of  the  Indians  generally,  was  directed  by  Congress,  and  placed 
in  my  hands.  Vide  Information  respecting  the  History,  Condition,  and  Pros 
pects  of  the  Indian  Tribes  of  the  United  States.  Part  I.  Lippincott,  Grambo 
&  Co.,  1851. 

f  The  languages  are,  in  fact,  identical  in  structure  ;  the  word  Chippewa 
being  a  comparatively  modern  term,  which  was  not  used  by  the  old  French 
writers  of  the  missionary  era. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  497 

guage  of  business  among  the  Indians,  and  is  as  necessary  among 
them  as  the  French  is  in  the  courts  of  Europe.  The  object  of  this 
letter,  sir,  is  to  be  informed  whether  the  remainder  of  the  work  is 
to  be  published.  If  government  will  not  do  it,  some  of  our  learned 
societies  might.  At  any  rate,  sir>  if  my  services  can  be  of  use  to  you 
for  this  object,  I  shall  be  happy  to  do  everything  in  my  power  to 
aid  it." 

This  testimony,  from  the  first  and  most  learned  philologist  in 
America,  gratified  and  agreeably  surprised  me.  I  had  studied  the 
Chippewa  language  alone  in  the  forest,  without  the  aid  of  learned 
men,  or  books  to  aid  me.  I  addressed  myself  to  it  with  ardor,  it 
is  true,  and  with  the  very  best  oral  helps,  precisely  as  I  would  to 
investigate  any  moral  or  physical  truth,  I  found  that  nouns  and 
verbs  had  a  ground  form,  or  root;  that  this  root  carried  its  general 
and  primary  meaning  into  all  words  or  phrases  of  which  it  was  a 
compound  ;  and  that  every  syllable  or  sound  of  a  letter,  put  before 
or  behind  it,  conveyed  a  new  and  distinct  meaning.  By  keeping 
the  purposes  of  a  strict  philological  analysis  before  me,  and  by 
preserving  a  record  of  my  work,  the  language  soon  revealed  its 
principles.  When  I  had  attained  a  clear  idea  of  these  principles 
myself,  and  had  verified  them  by  reference  to,  and  discussion  with, 
the  best  native  speakers,  I  could  as  clearly  state  them  to  another. 
This  is  what  Mr.  Duponceau  means  by  the  term  "  most  philosophi 
cal."  The  philosophy  of  the  syntax  I  did  not  in  any  respect  over 
state,  but  merely  recognized  or  discovered. 

In  one  respect  it  seemed  to  me  a  far  more  simple  language  than 
this  eminent  writer  had  represented  the  Indian  languages  generally. 
And  this  was  in  this  very  philosophy  of  its  syntax.  By  synthesis 
I  understand  the  opposite  of  analysis — the  one  resolving  into  its 
elements  what  the  other  compounds.  If  so,  the  synthesis  of  the 
Chippewa  language  is  clearly,  to  my  mind,  homogeneous  and  of  a 
piece — a  perfect  unity,  in  fact.  It  seems  to  be,  all  along,  the 
result  of  one  kind  of  reasoning,  or  thinking,  or  philosophizing. 
If,  therefore,  by  the  term  "polysynthetic,"  which  Mr.  Duponceau, 
in  1819,  introduced  for  the  class  of  Indian  languages,  it  be  meant 
that  its  grammar  consists  of  many  syntheses,  or  plans  of  thought,  it 
did  not  appear  to  me  that  the  Chippewa  was  polysynthetic.  But 
this  I  could  not  state  to  a  man  of  his  learnirg  and  standing  with 
32 


498  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  literary  public,  without  incurring  the  imputation  of  rashness  or 
assumption. 

15th.  P.  de  Tchehachoff,  the  Russian  gentleman  before  named, 
writes  to  me  in  the  idiom  of  a  foreigner,  from  Peoria,  on  his  pro 
gress  through  the  western  country.  "  I  am  anxious,''  he  remarks, 
"  to  take  advantage  of  the  first  opportunity  of  writing  to  you  from 
this  remote  western  world,  where  since  seven  days  I  did  not  meet 
with  any  other  beings  but  wolves  and  money-getting  Yankees.  I 
must  acknowledge  that  one  must  have  a  large  lot  of  curiosity  to 
visit  these  one-fourth  civilized  regions  (that  are  by  far  worse  than 
any  real  wilderness),  for,  although  they  are  getting  settled  at  an 
incredible  speed,  they  don't  offer  to  the  mere  lover  of  the  beauties 
of  nature,  or  improvement  of  human  civilization,  any  great  charm. 
Here  nature  is  rich,  but,  farmerly  or  businessfy  speaking,  kiUingly 
prosaic— no  romance — no  Lake  Superior  water — no  scenery — no 
thing,  finally,  that  could  captivate  a  poetical  glance. 

"  I  am  now  writing  these  poor  lines  under  a  regular  storm  of 
smoke-clouds,  and  chewing  tobacco  expectorations.  I  never  ex 
perienced  so  much  the  benefit  of  being  brought  up  as  a  warlike 
soldier,  to  stand  all  that.  However,  my  courage  is  sinking  down, 
and,  therefore,  I  shoot  ahead  to-morrow  at  daybreak,  as  fast  as 
possible,  either  by  water  or  by  land.  The  coaches  here  are  rather 
comfortable,  but  extremely  slow. 

"  As  I  intend  to  make  but  a  very  short  stay  in  St.  Louis  and 
Ohio,  I'll  not  be  able  to  have  the  pleasure  of  writing  to  you  again 
before  reaching  New  York  or  Havana  ;  but,  if  you  continue  al 
ways  to  be,  for  me,  as  kind  as  formerly,  I  hope  you'll  grant  me  the 
particular  favor  of  writing  to  me  once  in  a  while.  This  will  be 
an  impudent  theft,  on  my  part,  of  time  so  usefully  consecrated  to 
scientific  pursuits.  Still  I  flatter  myself  you'll  pardon  it,  conse 
quently  founded  on  that  (perhaps  gratuitous)  supposition.  I'll 
ask  you  to  direct  your  letter  to  Charleston,  South  Carolina  (until 
called  for),  towards  the  middle  of  the  next  month,  and,  if  possible, 
answer  me  on  the  following  queries :  1.  What  are  the  inducements 
to  imagine  that  any  volcanic  action  exists  in  the  Porcupine  Moun 
tains,  and  mentioning,  approximately,  their  distance  from  the 
Ontonagon  River  ;  and  their  probable  influence  on  the  diffusion  of 
the  copper  ores  and  copper  boulders  on  its  shores  ?  2.  What  are 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  499 

the  most  accurate  or  probable  limits  (by  degrees)  of  the  primitive 
region  of  North  America ;  and  whether  it  forms  any  chain,  or  has 
any  probable  communication  with  all  its  different  branches,  or  the 
main  ridges  of  the  Cordilleras  or  Andes  ?  3.  Is  there  any  re 
markable  evaporation,  or  any  other  hygrometric  phenomenon,  or 
influence  of  currents  that  sustains  the  level  of  Lakes  Superior  and 
Michigan,  so  diametrically  opposite  in  their  geographical  situa 
tion  ?  4.  What  constitutes,  mainly,  the  predominating  geognostic 
features  of  Lake  Superior,  the  Upper  Mississippi,  and  the  Mis 
souri?  I  shall  be  extremely  happy  to  see  these  problems  solved." 

YltJi.  This  day  terminated,  at  St.  Mary's,  the  melancholy  fate 
of  poor  Leslie  Duncan.  Insanity  is  dreadful  in  all  its  phases. 
This  man  wrote  to  me  early  in  the  spring  for  some  favor,  which  I 
granted.  He  was  a  dealer  in  merchandise,  in  a  small  way,  at  St. 
Mary's,  where  he  was  known  as  a  reputable,  modest,  and  tem 
perate  man,  who  had  been  honorably  discharged,  with  some  small 
means,  from  the  army.  He  visited  Detroit  in  May  to  renew  his 
stock.  Symptoms  of  aberration  there  showed  themselves,  which 
became  very  decided  after  his  return.  Utter  madness  supervened. 
It  was  necessary  to  confine  him  in  a  separate  building,  and  to 
chain  him  to  a  post,  where  he  passed  five  months  as  an  appalling 
spectacle  of  a  human  being,  without  memory,  affection,  or  judgment, 
and  perpetually  goaded  by  the  most  raving  passion.  It  appeared 
that  the  piles — a  disease  under  which  he  had  suffered  for  many 
years — had  been  cured  by  exsection  or  scarifying,  which  healed 
the  issue,  but  threw  the  blood  upon  his  brain. 

23d.  A  functionary  of  the  general  government  at  Washington 
writes  me,  to  bespeak  my  favorable  interest  for  the  wayward  son 
of  a  friend.  Arwin,  for  I  will  call  him  by  this  name,  was  the  son 
of  a  kind,  intelligent,  and  indulgent  father,  dwelling  in  the  Dis 
trict  of  Columbia,  who  had  spared  nothing  to  fit  him  for  a  useful 
and  honorable  life.  The  young  man  also  possessed  a  handsome 
person,  and  agreeable  and  engaging  manners  and  accomplishments. 
But  his  love  for  the  coarser  amusements  of  the  world  and  its  dis 
sipations,  absorbed  faculties  that  were  suited  for  higher  objects. 
As  a  last  resort,  he  was  commended  to  some  adventurous  gentle 
man  engaged  in  the  fur  trade  on  the  higher  Missouri ;  where,  it 
was  hoped,  the  stern  realities  of  life  would  arrest  his  mind,  and  fix 


500  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

it  on  nobler  pursuits.  But  a  winter  or  two  in  those  latitudes  ap 
peared  to  have  wrought  little  change.  He  came  to  Mackinack,  on 
his  way  back  to  civilized  life,  late  in  the  fall  of  1834,  exhausted 
in  means,  poor  and  shabby  in  his  wardrobe,  and  evidently  not  a 
pilgrim  from  the  "  land  of  steady  habits." 

I  invited  him  to  my  house,  in  the  hope  of  winning  him  over  to 
the  side  of  morals,  gave  him  a  bed  and  plate,  and  treated  him  with 
courteous  and  respectful  attention.  He  was  placed  under  restraint 
by  these  attentions,  but  it  was  found  to  be  restraint  only.  He 
was  secretly  engaged  in  dissipations,  which  finally  became  so  low, 
that  I  was  compelled  to  leave  him  to  pursue  his  course,  and  thus 
to  witness  another  example  of  the  application  of  that  striking 
remark  of  Dr.  Johnson,  "that  negligence  and  irregularity,  if  long 
continued,  will  render  knowledge  useless,  wit  ridiculous,  and  genius 
contemptible." 

Nov.  29f/i.  The  rough  scenes  required  by  a  missionary  life  on 
the  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  are  depicted  in  a  letter  from  the 
Rev.  W.  S.  Boutwell,  who  has  just  planted  himself  among  the 
Pillagers  at  Leech  Lake.  This  is  the  same  gentleman  who  accom 
panied  me  to  Itasca  Lake  in  1832.  "  Your  favors,"  he  says,  "  of 
April  28th  and  July  26th,  are  before  me :  and  would  that  I  could 
command  time  to  compensate  you  for  at  least  half  !  But  look  at 
a  man  whose  head  and  hands  are  full  of  cares  and  duties.  The 
only  time  I  get  to  write  is  stolen,  if  I  may  so  say,  from  the  hours 
of  repose.  October  the  ninth  I  arrived  here.  There  was  not  a 
sack  of  corn  nor  rice  to  be  bought  or  sold.  I  had  but  two  men, 
and  with  these  a  house  must  be  built  and  a  winter's  stock  of  fish 
laid  up.  What  must  be  done  ?  I  will  briefly  tell  you  what  I  did. 
Four  days  after  my  arrival  I  sent  my  fisherman  to  Pelican  Island, 
and  pulled  off  my  coat  and  shouldered  my  axe,  and  led  the  other 
into  the  bush  to  make  a  house.  In  about  ten  days,  with  the  help 
of  one  man,  I  had  the  timber  cut  and  on  the  spot  for  a  log-cottage 
twenty-two  by  twenty-four.  Some  part  of  this  I  not  only  cut, 
but  assisted  in  carrying  on  my  own  back.  But  for  every  inch  of 
over-exertion  I  got  my  pay  at  night,  when  I  was  sure  to  be  '  double 
and  twisted'  with  the  rheumatism.  I  have  located  about  two 
miles  east  of  the  old  fort,  where  you  counseled  with  the  Indians 
at  this  place.  As  you  cross  the  point  of  land  upon  which  the  old 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  501 

fort  is  built,  you  fall  on  a  beautiful  bay,  a  mile  and  a  half  broad, 
on  the  east  side  of  which  I  have  located,  in  the  midst  of  a  delight 
ful  grove  of  maples.  South-west,  three-fourths  of  a  mile,  is  the 
present  trading  house. 

"  When  I  arrived  I  had  not  sufficient  corn  to  feed  my  men  three 
days.  There  was  also  at  that  time  a  great  scarcity  of  fish.  But 
the  God  of  Elijah  did  not  forsake  us.  We  soon  were  in  the  midst 
of  plenty.  On  the  llth  of  the  present  instant  my  fisherman  re 
turned,  having  been  absent  not  quite  four  weeks,  and  with  but 
four  nets,  yet  I  had  nearly  6000  tulibees  (this  is  a  small  species 
of  whitefish)  on  my  scaffold.  My  house,  in  the  meantime,  was 
going  forward,  though  rather  tardily,  with  but  one  man.  In  two 
days  more  I  hope  to  quit  my  bark  lodge  for  my  log  and  mud-walled 
cottage,  though  it  has  neither  chair  nor  three-legged  stool,  table 
nor  bedstead.  But  all  this  does  not  frighten  me.  No,  it  is  good 
for  a  man  sometimes  to  stand  in  need,  that  he  may  the  better 
know  how  to  feel  for  his  fellow-man. 

"  You  mention  the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Greene,  relative 
to  the  field  at  Fond  du  Lac.  I  am  happy  to  hear  so  full  an  ex 
pression  of  your  views  in  relation  to  that  post.  As  the  Board 
were  unable  to  supply  a  teacher,  Mr.  Hall,  on  visiting  them  in 
September,  with  myself  and  Mr.  Ely — we  were  all  of  the  same 
opinion,  that  it  must  be  occupied — and  finally,  with  the  advice  of 
Mr.  Aitkin,  concluded  that  it  was  best  for  Mr.  Ely  to  pass  the 
winter  there.  Mr.  Cot£  was  also  very  desirous  of  a  school  being 
opened.  Sandy  Lake,  of  course,  is  without  a  teacher  this  winter. 
I  wras  not  a  little  disappointed,  after  the  repeated  assurances  and 
encouragements  of  the  Board  to  expect  aid,  and  after  the  provision 
I  had  made  for  a  fellow-laborer,  to  be  directed  to  return  and  pass 
another  winter  as  I  did  the  past.  Suffice  it  to  say,  I  have  learned 
more  of  Indian  habits,  customs,  prejudices,  &c.,  than  I  knew  two 
years,  or  even  one  year  before. 

"  To  pass  my  time  in  the  family  of  the  trader,  I  could  not  avoid 
giving  the  impression  that  I  was  more  interested  in  the  trade  than 
in  their  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare.  To  live  alone  I  could  not, 
and  live  above  their  suspicion  from  the  habits  of  single  men  who 
are  engaged  in  the  trade.  To  live  in  the  family  with  my  hired 
man,  would  be  quite  as  bad.  I,  therefore,  concluded  that  the  time 


502  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

liad  now  come  "when  duty  was  too  imperious  not  to  receive  a  hear 
ing.  A  sense  of  duty,  duty  to  God,  the  cause  of  Christianity,  my 
self  and  this  people,  therefore,  led  me  to  change  my  condition. 

"I  am  giving  you  no  news  (I  presume),  only  the  reasons  which 
satisfy  myself,  and  that  for  an  enlightened  moral  being  is  enough, 
at  least  it  is  all  I  need  or  wish  to  meet  friend  or  foe. 

"  The  Indians  now  are  all  at  their  wintering  grounds,  and  on 
good  terms  with  the  Sioux,  as  I,  this  evening,  learn  from  Mr.  D., 
who  has  just  returned  from  an  excursion  among  them.  They  have 
appeared  quite  as  friendly,  and  by  far  more  civil,  this  fall  than 
last." 

Dec.  St?i.  Mr.  Leonard  Woods,  and  Dr.  A.  W.  Ives,  of  New  York, 
press  me  to  write  for  the  pages  of  the  Theological  Review,  a  peri 
odical  of  great  spirit  and  judgment  in  its  department. 

31s£.  The  people  of  this  territory  have  evinced,  in  various  ways, 
great  uneasiness  in  not  being  admitted,  by  a  preparatory  act  of 
Congress,  to  the  right  of  forming  a  state  constitution,  and  admis 
sion  into  the  Union,  agreeably  to  the  Ordinance  of  1T87.  The 
population  has,  for  some  time,  been  more  than  sufficient  to  author 
ize  one  representative.  In  some  respects,  the  term  of  territorial 
probation  and  privilege  has  been  extraordinary,  and  bears  a  strik 
ing  analogy  to  that  of  a  plant,  thrice  plucked  up  by  the  roots,  and 
watered,  and  nourished,  and  set  out  again.  It  has  been  twenty-nine 
years  a  territory,  having  been  first  organized,  I  believe,  in  1805. 
For  the  first  seven  years  it  was  under  the  government  of  Gen.  Hull, 
by  whom  it  was  lost,  and  fell  under  foreign  conquest.  It  then  had 
about  a  year  of  military  government  under  Gen.  Brock,  and,  after 
being  re-conquered  in  1814,  lived  on,  awhile,  under  the  rule  of  our 
own  commanding  generals.  Gen.  Cass  was,  I  think,  appointed  by 
Mr.  Monroe,  late  in  1814,  and  governed  it  for  the  long  period  of 
eighteen  years.  Geo.  B.  Porter  succeeded,  and,  since  his  death, 
there  has  been  a  confused  interregnum  of  secretaries. 

"  Thrice  plucked  up"  was  it,  by  the  total  destruction  of  Detroit 
(which  was  in  fact  the  territory)  by  fire  in  1806,  by  the  terrible 
Indian  and  British  war  in  1812,  and  by  the  Indian  war  of  the 
Black  Hawk  of  1832.  It  has  suifered  in  blood  and  toil  more 
than  any,  or  all  the  other  north-western  territories  together.  It 
has  been  the  entering  point  for  all  hostilities  from  Canada ;  and,  to 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  503 

symbolize  its  position,  it  has  been  the  anvil  on  which  all  the  grand 
weapons  of  our  Indian  scath  have  been  hammered.  Its  old  French 
and  American  families  have  been  threshed  by  the  flail  of  war,  like 
grain  on  a  floor.  And  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  people  are  tired  of 
waiting  for  sovereignty,  and  think  of  taking  the  remedy  into  their 
own  hands.  On  the  9th  of  September,  the  Legislative  Council 
passed  an  act  for  taking  the  census.  The  result  shows  a  popula 
tion  of  85,856,  in  the  fourteen  lower  counties,  and  the  first  steps 
for  a  self-called  convention  are  in  progress. 


504  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    LIII. 

Indications  of  a  moral  revolution  in  the  place — Political  movements  at  De 
troit — Review  of  the  state  of  society  at  Michilimackinack,  arising  from  its 
being  the  great  central  power  of  the  north-west  fur  trade — A  letter  from 
Dr.  Greene — Prerequisites  of  the  missionary  function — Discouragements — 
The  state  of  the  Mackinack  Mission — Problem  of  employing  native  teachers 
and  evangelists — Letter  of  Mr.  Duponceau — Ethnological  gossip — Trans 
lation  of  the  Bible  into  Algonquin — Don  M.  Najera — Premium  offered  by 
the  French  Institute — Persistent  Satanic  influence  among  the  Indian  tribes 
— Boundary  dispute  with  Ohio — Character  of  the  State  Convention. 

1835.  Jan.  10th.  THE  year  opened  with  some  bright  moral 
gleams.  The  members  of  the  church  had,  early  in  the  autumn, 
felt  the  necessity  of  a  close  union.  Left  by  their  esteemed  pastor? 
who  had  been  their  "guide,  philosopher,  and  friend"  for  twelve 
years,  and  by  some  of  its  leading  members,  they  rested  with  more 

y  .^      directness  and  simplicity  of  faith  on  God.     They  ordained  a  fast. 

•;v*  Evening  and  lecture  meetings  were  observed  to  be  full  of  eager 
listeners.  A  marked  attention  was  paid  on  the  Sabbath  when 
Mr.  J.  D.  Stevens,  who  had  come  into  the  harbor  late  in  the  fall, 
bound  westward,  agreed  to  pass  the  winter  and  occupied  Mr. 
Ferry's  empty  desk.  The  Sabbath  schools  in  the  village  and  at 
the  mission  were  observed  to  be  well  attended.  Indeed,  it  was 
not  long  in  being  noticed  that  we  were  in  the  midst  of  a  quiet  and 
deeply-spread  revival.  Never,  it  would  seem,  was  there  a  truer 
exemplification  of  the  maxim  that  "  the  race  is  not  always  to  the 
swift  nor  the  battle  to  the  strong,"  for  we  had  supposed  ourselves 
to  be  shorn  of  all  strength  by  the  loss  of  our  pastor,  by  the  failure 
of  help  from  the  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  by  the  withdrawal 
from  the  island  of  some  of  our  most  efficient  members.  This  feel 
ing  of  weakness  and  desertion  was,  in  fact,  the  secret  of  our 
strength,  which  laid  in  the  church's  humility.  Ere  we  were  aware 
of  it,  a  spirit  of  profound  seriousness  stole  over  the  community 
like  a  soft  and  gentle  wind. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  505 

28th.  Maj.  Whiting  writes,  from  Detroit :  "  There  is  nothing 
new  in  the  political  world,  excepting  that  Michigan  has  no  governor 
yet,  and  that  the  council  has  authorized  a  convention  to  form  a 
State  Government  next  April.  Some  think  the  step  premature  ; 
others  that  it  is  all  a  matte?  of  course.  The  cold  has  been  exces 
sive  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard— down  to  about  40°  below  zero 
in  New  England,  and  even  22°  below  at  Washington.  Here  we 
have  had  it  hardly  down  to  0." 

Feb.  3d.  Mr.  Robert  Stuart  writes,  from  Brooklyn,  in  relation 
to  the  revival  in  a  portion  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  island,  among 
whom  he  has  so  long  lived,  in  terms  of  Christian  sympathy. 
Mackinack  is  a  point  where,  to  amass  "  silver  and  gold,"  has  been 
the  great  struggle  of  men  from  the  earliest  days  of  our  history. 
Few  places  on  the  continent  have  been  so  celebrated  a  locality,  for 
so  long  a  period,  of  wild  an  (^unlicensed  enjoyment,  for  both  bur- 
geois  and  voyageur  engaged  in  the  perilous  and  adventuresome 
business  of  the  fur  trade.  Those  who  speak  of  its  history  during 
the  last  half  of  the  eighteenth  and  beginning  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  depict  the  periods  of  the  annual  return  of  the  traders 
from  their  wintering  stations  in  the  great  panorama  of  the  wilder 
ness,  east,  west,  north,  and  south,  as  a  perfect  carnival,  in  which 
eating  and  drinking  and  wild  carousals  prevailed.  The  earnings 
of  a  year  were  often  spent  in  a  week  or  a  day.  As  to  practical 
morality,  it  was  regarded  by  the  higher  order  of  "  merchant-voy- 
ageurs"  as  something  spoken  of  in  books,  but  not  worth  the  while 
of  a  bon  vivant.  The  common  hands,  who  paddled  canoes  and 
underwent  the  drudgery  of  the  trade  (who  were  exclusively  of  the 
lower  order  of  Canadian  peasantry),  squared  their  moral  accounts 
once  a  year  with  a  well-conducted  confessional  interview  and  a 
crown,  and  felt  as  happy  as  the  "  Christian  Pilgrim''  when  he  had 
been  relieved  of  his  burden.  It  would,  probably,  be  wrong  to  say 
that  the  lordly  Highlander,  the  impetuous  son  of  Erin,  or  the  proud 
and  independent  Englishman,  who  vied  with  each  other  in  feats  of 
sumptuous  hospitality  during  these  periods  of  relaxation,  did  much 
better  on  the  score  of  moral  responsibilities.  They  broke,  gene 
rally,  nine  out  of  the  ten  commandments  without  a  winee,  but  kept 
the  other  very  scrupulously,  and  would  flash  up  and  call  their 
companions  to  a  duel  who  doubted  them  on  that  point.  But  of 
the  practical  things  of  religion,  as  they  are  depicted  by  Paul  and 


506  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  Apostles,  they  lived  in  utter  disregard ;  these  things  were  laid 
aside,  like  the  heavier  parts  of  Dr.  Drowsy's  sermon,  for  "  some 
more  fitting  opportunity,"  that  is  to  say,  till  a  fortune  was  secured 
from  the  avails  of  "  skins  and  peltries,"  and  they  returned  tri 
umphantly  to  the  precincts  of  civilized  and  Christian  society.  Of 
the  wild  and  picturesque  Indian,  who  was  ever  a  man  most  scru 
pulous  of  rites  and  ceremonies,  it  was  hardly  deemed  worth  inquiry 
whether  he  had  a  soul,  or  whether  the  deity  of  the  elements,  whom 
he  worshiped  under  the  name  of  the  Great  Spirit,  was  not,  in  the 
language  of  the  Universalist  Poet,  "Jehovah,  Jove,  or  Lord." 

A  society  which,  like  that  of  Michilimackinack,  was  based  on 
such  a  state  of  affairs  but  a  few  years  back,  could  hardly  be  re 
garded  without  strong  solicitude,  for  my  correspondent  had  been  a 
witness,  in  the  first  revival  under  Mr.  Ferry,  in  1828,  of  which  he 
was  himself  a  subject,  that  there  is  a  "  POWER  that  breaketh  the 
flinty  heart  in  pieces,  who  also  giveth  freely  and  upbraideth  not." 
Most  of  the  subjects  of  hope  at  this  time  were,  however,  of  a 
younger  growth  and  a  more  recent  type  of  migration.  "  May 
the  spirit  of  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  is  his  pious  remark,  "be  with, 
and  direct  you  all  in  the  great  work  of  leading  souls  into  the  king 
dom  of  his  grace !  It  is  a  fearful  responsibility,  but  if  you  look 
to  him,  and  him  alone,  for  guidance,  he  will  bless  and  prosper  your 
efforts." 

1$th.  Rev.  David  Greene,  Missionary  Rooms,  Boston,  discusses 
in  a  letter  of  this  date,  some  questions  respecting  the  policy  and 
high  function  of  missionary  labor — the  present  state  of  the  Macki- 
nack  mission;  and  the  character  and  fitness  of  educated  persons  of 
the  native  stocks  for  evangelists,  which  are  of  high  importance.  He 
remarks : — 

"All  you  write  respecting  the  impropriety  of  being  dis 
heartened — the  demand  of  the  Indians  on  our  church,  and  candi 
dates  for  missionary  service — the  necessity  of  withdrawing  our 
dependence  for  success  and  the  work  of  converting  men,  from  any 
particular  human  instruments,  and  placing  them  on  God  alone ; 
and  'the  propriety  of  having  missionaries  released  from  secular 
cares  and  labors,  as  far  as  practicable,  accords  perfectly  with  my 
own  views,  and,  so  far  as  I  know,  with  those  entertained  by  our 
committee. 

"But  the  difficulty,  after  all,  remains,  of  obtaining  suitable  persons 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  507 

to  carry  forward  our  plans — of  making  our  young  men  feel  that  they 
ought  to  turn  away  from  the  millions,  in  the  populous  nations  of 
Asia,  and  go  among  our  scattered  tribes.  Here  is  our  whole  ground 
of  discouragement.  So  far  as  conversions  are  concerned  (and  these 
are  the  great  objects  of  a  missionary's  labor),  none  of  our  missions 
have  been  more  successful  than  those  among  the  Indians ;  and  if 
we  had  a  hundred  men  of  the  spirit  and  activity  of  David  Brainerd, 
or  Eliot,  I  should  have  the  strongest  expectations  that  all  our 
Indian  tribes  would  be  converted  without  great  delay.  But  we 
have  no  prospect  of  obtaining  them.  I  fear  there  are  few  such  in 
our  churches. 

"  I  think  that  the  mission  of  Mackinack  has  been  a  very  success 
ful  one,  especially  in  exerting  an  extensive  religious  influence,  and 
being,  as  you  justly  remark,  '  the  nucleus  of  Christianity  in  the  north 
west.'  How  far  the  recent  changes  in  the  arrangements  of  the  Ame 
rican  Fur  Company  are  going  to  affect  its  importance  in  these 
respects  and  others,  I  cannot  say,  but  our  Committee  are  by  no 
means  disposed  to  relinquish  it,  while  there  is  a  hope  of  doing  suffi 
cient  good  there  to  justify  the  keeping  up  of  the  requisite  establish 
ment.  The  farm  we  do  not  wish  to  retain,  if  we  can  sell  it  at  a 
reasonable  price.  All  the  secular  affairs  we  would  be  glad  to  reduce, 
and  intend  to  do  it  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done  without  too  great  sacri 
fice  of  property.  The  family,  we  know,  is  too  large,  and  we  hope 
it  may  be  reduced;  but  there  are  some  impediments  in  the  way  of 
doing  it  at  once,  especially  as  the  females  there  have  been  worn 
out  in  the  service,  and  possess  a  genuine  missionary  spirit.  We 
desire  to  obtain  a  missionary,  arid  have  made  many  inquiries  for 
one,  but  hear  of  none  with  whom  the  church  and  other  residents, 
together  with  the  visitors  at  Mackinack,  would  be  satisfied. 

"  As  to  a  school  for  evangelists  and  teachers.  Do  you  think,  dear 
sir,  that  the  persons  of  Indian  descent  could  now  be  found,  pos 
sessed  of  piety,  talents,  good  character,  and  a  disposition  to  take 
this  course  of  life,  in  sufficient  numbers  to  justify  giving  the  school 
such  a  turn?  Or,  are  there  youths  sufficiently  promising,  though 
not  pious,  with  whose  education  you  would  think  it  advisable  to 
proceed,  hoping  that,  by  the  blessings  of  God,  they  would  be  con 
verted  and  made  heralds  of  mercy  to  their  red  brethren  ?  I  have 
supposed  there  were  not,  and  that  an  attempt  of  this  kind  would 
almost  certainly  prove  abortive.  A  more  detailed  knowledge  of  facts, 

.t 


508  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

•which  you  are  in  a  situation  to  possess,  might  change  my  opinion. 
There  is  nothing  we  more  desire  and  labor  for,  at  all  our  missions, 
than  good  native  helpers.  They  are  an  invaluable  acquisition,  but 
our  experience  teaches  us  that  they  are  exceedingly  rare.  Not 
one  educated  heathen  youth  in  ten,  even  if  pious  when  he  com 
mences  his  studies,  has  been  found  fit  for  an  office  requiring  judg 
ment,  good  common  sense,  and  energy  of  character.  Still  wre  do 
not  think  that  this  ought  to  deter  us  from  attempts  to  raise  up 
native  teachers  and  evangelists.  Most  of  the  work  of  converting 
the  heathen  nations  must  unquestionably  be  performed  by  them. 
If  the  opening  should  seem  fair,  we  would  try  it  at  Mackinack.'' 
J-*  28th.  In  a  letter  from  Mr.  Duponceau,  respecting  the  publica 
tion  of  my  lectures  on  the  grammatical  structure  of  the  Chippewa 
language,  he  communicates  the  latest  philological  news  in  this 
and  other  parts  of  the  world,  respecting  the  Indian  languages. 

"  You  will  not  be  a  little  astonished  that  a  translation  of  the 
Bible  is  now  making  at  Rome  into  the  Algonquin  (which  I  pre 
sume  to  be  the  same,  or  nearly  the  same  as  the  Chippewa)  lan 
guage,  under  the  auspices  of  the  present  Pope,  Gregory  XVI.  The 
translator  is  a  French  missionary,  who  has  long  resided  among 
those  Indians  in  Canada.  He  has  written  a  grammar  and  dic 
tionary  of  that  idiom,  which  he  writes  me  he  is  shortly  going  to 
put  to  press.  It  will  be  curious  to  compare  that  grammar  and  that 
dictionary  with  your  own,  and  to  see  how  far  the  two  languages, 
the  Algonquin  and  the  Chippewa,  agree  with  or  differ  from  each 
other.  When  I  was  in  Canada  I  heard  much  of  this  Mr.  Tha- 
venet,  the  name  of  that  missionary.  He  enjoys  a  great  reputa 
tion  in  this  country,  and  it  seems  he  has  obtained  the  favor  of 
the  Pope. 

"We  have  in  this  city  a  Mexican  gentleman,  Don  Manuel 
Najera,  a  man  of  letters,  well  skilled  in  the  Mexican  and  other 
Indian  languages  of  that  country.  He  says  they  are  all,  as  I  call 
them,  polysynthetic,  and  resemble  in  that  respect  those  of  the  In 
dians  of  the  United  States.  One  only  he  excepts,  the  Othomi, 
and  that,  he  says,  is  monosyllabic,  like  the  Chinese.  He  has  trans 
lated  into  it,  from  the  Greek,  the  eleventh  Ode  of  Anacreon,  which 
I  am  going  to  present  to  the  Philosophical  Society.  He  has  added 
grammatical  notes,  which  are  extremely  curious.  He  has  also 
written  in  Latin,  several  interesting  dissertations  on  other  Mexican 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  509 

idioms,  also  for  the  society,  which  I  expect  will  be  published  in 
their  transactions,  either  in  the  original  or  in  a  translation.  He 
is  greatly  pleased  with  your  specimen  of  a  Chippewa  grammar. 
He  understands  English  very  well,  also  French,  Italian,  and,  of 
course,  his  native  Spanish. 

"  The  philosophy  of  our  Indian  languages  has  become  very 
fashionable  among  the  learned  in  Europe.  The  Institute  of  France 
has  offered  a  premium  of  a  gold  medal,  of  the  value  of  1200  francs, 
for  the  best  essay  on  the  grammatical  construction  of  the  family  of 
North  American  languages,  of  which  the  Chippewa,  the  Delaware  and 
Mohegan  are  considered  the  principal  branches,  of  course  including 
the  Iroquois,  Wyandot,  Naudowessie,  &c.  The  premium  is  to  be 
awarded  on  the  1st  of  May  next.  I  would  have  informed  you  of 
it  at  the  time,  if  it  had  not  been  made  a  sine  qua  non  that  the 
memoirs  should  be  written  in  Latin  or  French.  I  have,  therefore? 
ventured  on  sending  one,  in  which  I  have  availed  myself  of  your 
excellent  grammar,  giving  credit  for  it,  as  in  duty  bound.  I  have 
literally  translated  what  you  say  at  the  beginning  of  your  first  and 
of  your  second  lecture,  which  will  be  found  the  best  part  of  my 
work,  as  it  is  impossible  to  describe  the  character  of  those  lan 
guages  with  more  clearness  and  elegance." 

10^.  A  young  gentleman  (Mr.  W.  Fred.  "Williams)  spent  a  few 
days  at  my  house,  at  Michilimackinack,  much  to  our  gratification, 
and,  it  seems  from  a  kind  letter  of  this  date,  written  from  Buffalo, 
also  to  his  own.  He  sends  me  a  box  of  geological  specimens,  and  a 
Chinese  idol,  and  some  sticks  of  frankincense — just  received  by  him 
from  a  relative,  who  is  a  missionary  in  Canton,  as  an  offering  of  re 
membrance.  The  heart  is  gratified  with  friendly  little  interchanges 
of  respect,  and  it  is  a  false  sense  of  human  dignity  that  prevents 
their  instant  acknowledgment.  We  study,  read,  investigate,  com 
pare,  experiment,  judge  as  philosophers,  but  we  live  as  men — as 
common  men.  Facts  move  or  startle  the  judgment ;  but  such 
little  things  as  the  gift  of  even  an  apple,  or  a  smiling  friendly  coun 
tenance,  appeal  to  the  heart. 

\Wi.  My  article  for  the  Theological  Review  was  well  received. 
"  It  was  in  time,"  says  the  editor,  "  for  the  March  number,  and 
you  will  receive  it  in  a  few  days.  I  read  it,  and  so  did  the  com 
mittee,  with  the  highest  satisfaction.  It  contains  much  new  in 
formation  relating  to  the  superstitions  of  the  Indians,  and  is 


510  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

well  calculated  to  have  the  effect  you  designed,  of  awakening  the 
interest  of  the  Christian  community  in  behalf  of  our  aborigines. 
I  was  particularly  gratified  with  the  coincidence  of  your  judgment 
with  the  opinion  I  have  entertained  for  some  years,  respecting  the 
reality  of  Satanic  influence  at  the  present  time.  We  intend  shortly 
to  publish  on  this  point." 

This  is  a  point  incidentally  brought  out,  in  the  examination  of 
the  aged  converted  jossakeed,  or  prophet  of  the  Ottawa  nation, 
called  Chusco.  He  insisted,  and  could  not  be  made  to  waver  from 
the  point,  that  Satanic  influences  alone  helped  him  to  perform  his 
tricks  of  jugglery,  particularly  the  often  noted  one  of  shaking  and 
agitating  the  tight-wound  pyramidal,  oracular  lodge.  No  cross- 
questioning  could  make  him  give  up  this  explanation.  He  avowed, 
that,  aside  of  his  incantations,  he  had  no  part  in  the  matter,  and 
never  put  his  hands  to  the  poles.  It  resulted,  as  the  only  conclu 
sion  to  be  drawn  from  this  instance  of  his  art,  that  the  Satanic  in 
fluence,  although  invisible,  was  veritably  present,  adapting  itself 
to  the  devices  of  the  Indian  priesthood,  for  the  purpose  of  de 
ceiving  the  tribe.  I  reported  this  to  his  pastor,  who  had  ad 
mitted  his  evidences  of  faith,  who  replied,  on  reflection,  that  this 
was  the  Gospel  doctrine,  which  was  everywhere  disclosed  by  the 
New  Testament,  which  depicts  the  "Prince  of  the  Power  of  the 
Air"  as  really  present  and  free  to  act  in  the  deception  of  men  and 
nations,  the  world  over.  If  so,  we  should  no  longer  wonder  at 
human  crime  and  folly.  Murders  and  robberies  of  the  blackest 
dye  become  intelligible.  And  every  plan  of  false  prophecy,  from 
the  Arabian,  who  has  enslaved  half  Asia,  to  the  simple  performer 
of  forest  juggling  on  the  banks  of  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan,  is 
explained  as  with  beams  of  light. 

31s£.  A  Mr.  H.  Howe,  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  writes,  wishing  to 
be  informed  of  some  stream  of  the  Upper  Mississippi,  having  suffi 
cient  water  power,  with  pine  timber,  and  means  of  ready  issue  into 
the  Mississippi,  to  furnish  a  suitable  site  for  a  saw-mill.  The  ques 
tion  is  readily  answered  :  there  are  many  such,  but  it  is  entirely 
Indian  country,  and  cannot  be  entered  for  such  a  purpose  without 
violating  the  Indian  intercourse  act,  which  it  is  a  part  of  my  duty, 
as  an  Indian  Agent,  to  enforce.  It  would  be  a  trespass,  subjecting 
him  to  a  suit  in  the  U.  S.  District  Court.  I  replied  to  him,  stat 
ing  these  views. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  511 

April  1th.  The  dispute  with  Ohio,  respecting  our  southern  bound 
ary,  grows  warmer,  and  is  fomented,  on  her  part,  by  speculators 
in  public  lands  on  the  western  shores  of  Maumee  Bay.  Otherwise 
it  could  be  easily  settled.  The  mere  historical  and  geographical 
question,  as  founded  on  the  language  of  the  Ordinance  of  1787, 
would  appear  to  leave  the  right  with  Michigan.  Ohio  legislation, 
or  constitutional  encroachment,  could  not  surely  overrule  an  act  of 
Congress.  "  The  difficulty  with  Ohio,"  says  Major  W.,  of  Detroit, 
"is  of  a  threatening  character.  It  is  not  now,  perhaps,  any  nearer 
adjustment  that  at  any  previous  stage,  although  pacificators  have 
been  sent  on  by  the  President.  But  the  '  million  of  freemen' 
State  does  not  think  it  comports  with  her  dignity  to  desist,  or 
vacate  Michigan,  is  prepared  for  war,  and  is  determined  to  proceed 
to  blood  if  need  be.  Gov.  Cass  will  be  here,  it  is  said  on  good 
authority,  in  May  or  June.  Political  divisions  here,  unfortunately, 
run  too  high  for  a  proper  convention.  Party  feeling  has  governed 
exclusively,  in  a  case  where  they,  perhaps,  can  have  no  operation. 
Whoever  goes  into  the  convention  will  probably  have  nearly  the 
same  views,  and  it  would  have  been  well  to  have  sent  the  best  and 
most  intelligent.  But,  on  the  whole,  probably  three-fourths  of  the 
members  will  find  it  as  new  business  as  if  they  were  to  undertake 
astronomy." 

14^.  Charles  Fotheringay,  of  Toronto,  U.  C.,  issues  and  for 
wards  a  circular  headed  "  Lyceum  of  Natural  History  and  the  Fine 
Arts."  The  object  is  to  found,  in  that  city,  a  cabinet  which  shall 
do  justice  to  the  claims  of  science  and  philosophical  learning  on 
this  subject. 


512  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    LIV. 

Requirements  of  a  missionary  laborer  —  Otwin —  American  quadrupeds  — 
Geological  question — Taste  of  an  Indian  chief  for  horticulture  —  Swiss 
missionaries  to  the  Indians— -Secretary  of  War  visits  the  island — Frivo 
lous  literary,  diurnal,  and  periodical  press — Letter  of  Dr.  Ives  on  this 
topic — Lost  boxes  of  minerals  and  fresh-water  shells— Geological  visit 
of  Mr.  Featherstonehaugh  and  Lieut.  Mather — Mr.  Hastings— A  theologi 
cal  graduate. 

April  %\st.  MISSIONARY  labor  requires  an  energy  and  will  that 
surmount  all  obstacles  and  brave  all  climates  and  all  risks.  A 
feeble  constitution,  a  liability  to  take  colds  on  every  slight  change 
of  temperature,  a  sick  wife  who  fears  to  put  her  feet  on  the  ground, 
are  the  very  last  things  to  bring  on  to  the  frontiers.  The  risks 
must  be  run ;  the  determined  mind  makes  a  way  for  everything. 
To  ponder  and  doubt  on  a  thousand  points  which  may  occur  on 
such  a  subject,  is  something  in  effect  like  asking  a  bond  of  the 
Lord,  in  addition  to  his  promises,  that  he  will  preserve  the  man 
and  his  family  in  all  scenes  of  sickness  and  dangers,  in  the  forest 
and  out  of  the  forest,  scathless.  Such  a  man  has  no  call  clearly 
for  the  work  ;  but  he  may  yet  labor  efficiently  at  home.  There  is 
a  species  of  moral  heroism  required  for  the  true  missionary,  such 
as  Brainerd  and  Henry  Martin  felt. 

These  feelings  result  from  a  letter  of  this  date,  written  by  a 
reverend  gentleman  of  Phillipsburg,  N.  Y.,  whose  mind  has  been 
directed  to  the  Mackinack  field.  He  puts  too  many  questions 
respecting  the  phenomena  of  temperature,  the  liability  to  colds, 
and  the  general  diseases  of  the  country,  for  one  who  has  fearlessly 
"put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,"  to  invade  the  heathen  wilder 
ness.  The  truth  is,  in  relation  to  this  position,  the  climate  is 
generally  dry,  and  has  no  causes  of  disease  in  it.  The  air  is  a 
perfect  restorative  to  invalids,  and  never  fails  to  provoke  appetite 
and  health.  It  is  already  a  partial  resort  for  persons  out  of  health, 
and  cannot  fail  to  be  appreciated  as  a  watering  place  in  the  sum- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  513 

mer  months  as  the  country  increases  in  population.  To  Chicago, 
St.  Louis,  Natchez,  and  New  Orleans,  as  well  as  Detroit,  Cleve 
land,  Cincinnati,  and  Buffalo,  I  should  suppose  it  to  be  a  perfect 
Montpelier  in  the  summer  season. 

May  Qth.  In  the  scenes  of  domestic  and  social  and  moral  sig- 
nificancy,  which  have  rendered  the  island  a  place  of  delight  to 
many  persons  during  the  seclusion  of  the  winter,  no  one  has  en 
tered  with  a  more  pleasing  zeal  into  the  area  than  a  young  man 
whose  birth,  I  think,  was  not  far  from  the  Rock  of  Plymouth.  I 
shall  call  him  Otwin.  I  invited  him  to  pass  the  winter  as  a  guest 
in  my  house,  where  his  conversation,  manners,  and  deep  enthusi 
astic  and  poetic  feeling,  and  just  discrimination  of  the  moral 
obligation  in  men,  rendered  him  an  agreeable  inmate.  He  had  a 
saying  and  a  text  for  almost  everybody,  but  uttered  all  he  said  in 
such  a  pleasing  spirit  as  to  give  offence  to  none.  He  was  ever  in 
the  midst  of  those  who  came  together  to  sing  and  pray,  and  was 
quite  a  favorite  with  the  soldiers  of  the  garrison.  He  wrote  dur 
ing  the  season  some  poetic  sketches  of  Bible  scenes,  which  he  sent 
by  a  friend  to  New  York  in  the  hope  that  they  might  merit  pub 
lication.  Dr.  Ives,  of  N.  Y.,  to  whom  I  wrote  in  relation  to  them, 
put  the  manuscript  into  the  hands  of  the  Sabbath  School  Pub 
lishing  Committee,  which  appeared  to  be  a  judicious  disposition. 
It  was,  probably,  thought  to  require  something  more  than  moral 
didactic  dialogues  to  justify  the  experiment  of  printing  them. 
Otwin  himself  went  into  the  missionary  field  of  Lake  Superior. 

10th.  The  Indians  have  brought  me  at  various  times  the  skins 
of  a  white  deer,  of  an  Arctic  fox,  of  a  wolverine,  and  some  other 
species  which  have  either  past  out  of  their  usual  latitudes  or  assumed 
some  new  trait.  Elks'  and  deers'  horns,  the  foot,  horns,  and  skin  of 
the  cariboo,  which  is  the  (7.  Sylvestris,  are  deposited  in  my  cabinet, 
and  are  mementos  of  their  gifts  from  the  forest.  One  of  the  ques 
tions  hardest  for  the  Christian  geologist  to  solve  is — how  the  animals 
of  our  forests  got  to  America.  For  there  is  every  evidence,  both 
from  the  Sacred  Record  and  from  the  examination  of  the  strata, 
that  the  ancient  disruption  was  universal,  and  destroyed  the 
species  and  genera  which  could  not  exist  in  water.  One  of  two 
conditions  of  the  globe  seems  necessary,  on  the  basis  of  the  Pen 
tateuch,  to  account  for  their  migration — either  that  a  continental 
connection  existed,  or  that  the  seas  in  northern  latitudes  were 
33 


514  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

frozen  over.  But,  in  the  latter  case,  how  did  the  tropical  animals 
subsist  and  exist  ?  The  Polar  bear,  the  Arctic  fox,  and  the  musk 
ox  would  do  well  enough ;  but  how  was  the  armadillo,  the  cougar? 
the  lama,  and  even  the  bison  to  fare  ? 

This  question  is  far  more  difficult  to  solve  than  that  of  the  mi 
gration  of  the  aborigines,  for  they  could  cross  in  various  ways  ; 
but  quadrupeds  could  not  come  in  boats.  Birds  could  fly  from 
island  to  island,  snakes  and  dogs  might  swim,  but  how  came  the 
sloth  and  the  other  quadrupeds  of  the  torrid  zone  ?  Who  can 
assert  that  there  has  not  been  a  powerful  disruptive  geological 
action  in  the  now  peaceable  Pacific  ?  It  is  replete  with  volcanic 
powers. 

15th.  Chabowawa,  an  Indian  chief,  a  Chippewa,  called  to  get 
some  slips  of  the  currant-bush  from  my  garden,  to  take  to  his  vil 
lage.  Although  the  buds  were  too  near  the  point  of  expansion,  in 
the  open  and  sunny  parts  of  the  garden,  some  slips  were  found 
near  the  fences  more  backward,  and  he  was  thus  supplied. 

25th.  I  have  long  deliberated  what  I  should  do  with  my  mate 
rials,  denoting  a  kind  of  oral  literature  among  the  Chippewas  and 
other  tribes,  in  the  shape  of  legends  and  wild  tales  of  the  imagina 
tion  .  The  narrations  themselves  are  often  so  incongruous,  grotesque, 
and  fragmentary,  as  to  require  some  hand  better  than  mine,  to  put 
them  in  shape.  And  yet,  I  feel  that  nearly  all  their  value,  as 
indices  of  Indian  imagination,  must  depend  on  preserving  their 
original  form.  Some  little  time  since,  I  wrote  to  Washington 
Irving  on  the  subject.  In  a  response  of  this  date,  he  observes  : — - 

"  The  little  I  have  seen  of  our  Indian  tribes  has  awakened  an 
earnest  anxiety  to  know  more  concerning  them,  and,  if  possible,  to 
embody  some  of  their  fast-fading  characteristics  and  traditions  in 
our  popular  literature.  My  own  personal  opportunities  of  observ 
ing  them  must,  necessarily,  be  few  and  casual;  but  I  would  gladly 
avail  myself  of  any  information  derived  from  others  who  have  been 
enabled  to  mingle  among  them,  and  capacitated  to  perceive  and 
appreciate  their  habits,  customs,  and  moral  qualities.  I  know  of 
no  one  to  whom  I  would  look  with  more  confidence,  in  these  respects? 
than  to  yourself;  and,  I  assure  you,  I  should  receive  as  high  and 
unexpected  favors  any  communication  of  the  kind  you  suggest, 
that  would  aid  me  in  furnishing  biographies,  tales  or  sketches, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  515 

illustrative  of  Indian  life,  Indian  character,  and  Indian  mythology 
and  superstitions." 

I  had  never  regarded  these  manuscripts,  gleaned  from  the  lodges 
with  no  little  pains-taking,  as  mere  materials  to  be  worked  up  by  the 
literary  loom,  although  the  work  should  be  done  by  one  of  the  most 
popular  and  fascinating  American  pens.  I  feared  that  the  rough 
ness,  which  gave  them  their  characteristic  originality  and  Doric 
truthfulness,  would  be  smoothed  and  polished  off  to  assume  the 
shape  of  a  sort  of  Indo- American  series  of  tales  ;  a  cross  between 
the  Anglo-Saxon  and  the  Algonquin. 

28th.  Switzerland  enters  the  missionary  field  of  America  for  the 
purpose  of  improving  the  condition  of  the  aborigines.  This  im 
pressed  me  as  well.  We  leave  the  red  man  sitting  in  every  want, 
at  our  doors,  and  rush  to  India.  It  is  true,  that  field  counts  its 
millions,  where  we  can  thousands.  But  an  appeal  to  the  missionary 
record  shows,  if  I  am  not  greatly  mistaken,  that  the  proportionate 
number  of  converts  from  an  Indian  tribe  is  greater  than  that  of 
the  tribes  of  Asia,  and  that  an  infinitely  greater  sum  is  expended  by 
our  churches  for  every  convert  to  Christianity  made  among  the 
heathen  of  Asia  than  of  America.  The  Rev.  Henry  Olivier,  from 
the  Evangelical  Society  in  Switzerland,  visited  me,  this  day,  with 
a  companion  in  his  labors.  He  detailed  to  me  his  plans.  It  is  his 
design  to  select  the  Dacotah  tribe,  on  the  Upper  Mississippi,  as 
the  object  of  his  exertions. 

June  2d.  Commenced  setting  new  pickets  in  front  of  the  agency 
lot,  and  removing  the  old  ones  of  white  cedar,  which,  tradition  says, 
have  stood  near  half  a  century. 

15^A,  The  editors  of  the  Knickerbocker  Magazine  (Clark  and 
Edson)  solicit  contributions  to  its  pages.  This  periodical  has  always 
maintained  a  respectable  rank,  and  appears  destined  to  hold  on  its 
course.  I  am  too  far  out  of  the  world  to  judge  well.  The  conflict 
of  periodicals  appears  to  increase ;  but  I  do  not  think  that  the  num 
ber  of  sound  readers,  who  seek  useful  knowledge,  keeps  pace  with 
it.  I  think  not.  We  seem  to  be  on  the  eve  of  a  light  and  trifling 
kind  of  literature,  which  is  hashed  up  with  condiments  for  weak 
stomachs. 

July  2d.  The  weather,  for  the  entire  month  of  June,  was  most 
delightful  and  charming.  On  one  of  the  latter  days  of  the  month 


516  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  fine  and  large  steamer  "Michigan"  came  into  the  harbor,  with  a 
brilliant  throng  of  visitors,  among  the  number  the  Secretary  of 
War  (Gen.  Cass)  and  his  daughter.  The  arrival  put  joy  and  ani 
mation  into  every  countenance.  The  Secretary  reviewed  the  troops, 
and  visited  the  Agency,  and  the  workshops  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Indians.  He,  and  the  gay  and  brilliant  throng,  visited  whatever 
was  curious  and  interesting,  and  embarked  on  their  return  to  De 
troit,  after  receiving  the  warm  congratulations  of  the  citizens.  I 
took  the  occasion  to  accompany  the  party  to  Detroit. 

4th.  The  debasing  character  of  the  light  and  popular  literature 
which  is  coming  into  vogue,  is  happily  alluded  to  in  a  casual  letter 
from  Dr.  A.  W.  Ives,  of  New  York.  "I  regret,"  he  says,  "that 
the  well  directed  labors  of  the  excellent  Otwin  cannot  be  made 
available,  but  the  truth  is,  there  is  such  an  unspeakable  mass 
of  matter  written  for  the  press  at  the  present  day,  that  all  of  it 
cannot  be  printed,  much  less  be  read.  I  think  it  one  of  the  great 
toils  of  the  age.  Indolence  is  a  natural  attribute  of  man,  and  he 
dislikes  intellectual  even  more  than  physical  toil.  Most  men 
read,  therefore,  only  such  things  as  require  no  thought,  and  con 
sequently  there  is  a  bounty  offered  for  the  most  frivolous  literary 
productions. 

"Your  isolated  position  prevents  your  realizing,  to  its  greatest 
extent,  the  evil  of  this  superfluity  of  books;  but  if  you  were  con 
stantly  receiving  from  thirty  to  forty  daily,  weekly,  and  monthly 
periodicals,  besides  one  or  more  ponderous  volumes,  every  week, 
I  cannot  but  think  that,  with  all  your  ambition  and  thirst  for 
knowledge,  you  would  wish  rather  for  an  Alexandrian  conflagra 
tion  than  an  increase  of  books. 

"Every  man  who  thinks  he  has  a  new  thoughtr  or  striking 
thought,  thinks  himself  justified  in  writing  a  volume.  Of  this  I 
would  not  complain  if  he  would  have  the  ingenuousness  to  inform 
the  reader,  in  a  nota  bene,  on  what  page  the  new  idea  could  be 
found,  so  that,  if  he  paid  for  the  book,  he  should  be  spared  the 
trouble  of  hunting  for  the  kernel  in  the  bushel  of  compiled  and 
often  incongruous  chaif,  in  which  the  author  has  dexterously  hid  it. 

"But  the  labor  and  expense  of  new  publications  are  the  least 
of  their  evils.  You  cannot  imagine  what  an  influence  is  exerted, 
in  this  city,  at  the  present  time,  by  'penny  newspapers.'  There 
are  from  fifteen  to  twenty,  I  believe,  published  daily,  and  not  less 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  517 

on  an  average,  I  presume,  than  5000  copies  of  each.  A  number 
of  them  strike  off  from  10,000  to  20,000  every  day.  They  have 
no  regular  subscribers,  or  at  least,  they  do  not  depend  upon  sub 
scribers  for  a  support.  They  are  hawked  about  the  streets,  the 
steamboats  and  taverns  by  boys,  and  are,  for  the  most  part,  ex 
travagant  stories,  caricature  descriptions,  police  reports,  infidel 
vulgarity  and  profanity,  and,  in  short,  of  just  such  matter  as  un 
principled,  selfish,  and  bad  men  know  to  be  best  fitted  to  pamper 
the  appetites  and  passions  of  the  populace,  and  so  uproot  and 
destroy  all  that  is  valuable  and  sacred  in  our  literary,  civil,  and 
religious  institutions. 

"A  spirit  of  ultraism  seems  to  pervade  the  whole  community. 
The  language  of  Milton's  archdevil  'Evil,  be  thou  my  good,'  is  the 
creed  of  modern  reformers,  or,  in  other  words — anything  for  a 
change.  What  is  to  come  of  all  this,  I  have  not  wisdom  even  to 
guess.  It  is  an  age  of  transition,  and  whether  you  and  I  live  to 
see  the  elements  of  the  moral  and  political  world  at  rest,  is,  I 
think,  extremely  doubtful.  But  our  consolation  should  be  that 
the  Lord  reigns — that  he  loves  good  order  and  truth  better  than 
we  do— and,  blessed  be  his  name,  he  is  able  to  establish  and  main 
tain  them. 

"This  is  the  anniversary  of  our  national  independence,  and 
ought  to  be  celebrated  with  thanksgiving  and  praise  to  God. 
Alas!  how  it  is  perverted." 

22d.  Mr.  Green,  of  the  Missionary  Rooms,  Boston,  again  writes 
about  the  Mackinack  Mission.  "I-  believe  that  my  views  accord 
very  nearly  with  your  own,  as  to  what  it  would  be  desirable  to  do, 
provided  the  suitable  persons  could  be  procured  to  perform  the 
work.  There  is  a  great  deficiency  in  well  qualified  laborers.  We 
can  generally  obtain  persons  who  will  answer  our  purpose,  if  we 
will  wait  long  enough,  but  it  often  happens,  in  the  mean  time,  that 
the  circumstances  so  change  that  the  proposed  plan  becomes  of 
doubtful  expediency.  We  have  been  continually  on  the  lookout, 
since  Mr.  Ferry  left  Mackinack,  for  some  one  to  fill  his  place,  but 
as  yet  have  found  no  one,  and  have  no  one  in  view." 

2Sth.  Mr.  W.  Fred.  Williams,  of  Buffalo,  communicates  informa 
tion  respecting  three  boxes  of  specimens  of  natural  history,  which 
I  lost  in  the  fall  of  1821.  "My  conversation  with  you  having 
made  me  acquainted  with  the  fact  that  you  once  lost  two  boxes  of 


518  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

minerals  and  one  of  shells,  I  have  been  rather  on  the  lookout  for 
information  respecting  them,  and  am  now  able  to  inform  you  as  to 
what  became  of  them,  and  to  correct  the  statement  which  I  made 
(as  I  said)  on  supposition  of  the  manner  in  which  Edgerton  became 
possessed  of  them. 

"In  the  spring  of  1832,  a  stranger  from  Troy  or  Albany  came 
to  Mr.  Edgerton,  at  Utica,  and  told  him  that  he  had  two  boxes  of 
minerals  which  he  had  received  from  Mr.  School  craft,  and  that  if 
he  (E.)  would  label  them,  he  (E.)  might  take  what  he  wished  to 
retain  for  his  trouble.  He  said,  also,  that  he  was  about  to  establish 
a  school  at  Lockport,  but,  knowing  nothing  of  mineralogy,  he  wished 
to  get  the  specimens  labeled.  Mr.  Edgerton  unpacked  the  boxes, 
took  a  few  for  himself,  labeled  and  repacked  the  rest,  and  re 
turned  them  to  the  stranger. 

"The  box  of  shells  was  left  at  the  tavern  of  Levi  Cozzens,  in 
Utica,  where  they  remained  two  years,  waiting  for  some  one  to 
claim  them;  about  this  time  Mr.  C.,  closing  up  his  concern,  opened 
the  box  and  gave  the  shells  to  his  children  for  playthings,  and  sent 
the  mocock  of  sugar  (which  had  your  name  on  or  about  it)  to  his 
mother.  If  the  person  who  had  the  minerals  still  remains  at 
Lockport,  perhaps  they  may  be  recovered,  but  the  shells  are  all 
destroyed." 

The  minerals  referred  to  consisted  of  choice  and  large  specimens 
of  the  colored  and  crystaline  fluates  of  lime  from  Illinois,  and 
the  attractive  species  and  varieties  of  sulphates  of  barytes,  sul- 
phurets  of  lead,  radiated  quartz,  &c.  &o.,  from  Missouri,  which  I 
had  revisited  in  1821.  They  were  fine  cabinet  specimens,  but  con 
tained  no  new  species  or  varieties.  Not  so  with  the  fresh-water 
shells.  They  embraced  all  the  species  of  the  Wabash  River,  whose 
entire  length  I  had  traversed  that  year,  from  its  primary  forks  to 
its  entrance  into  the  Ohio.  Among  them  were  some  nevf  things, 
which  would,  at  that  time,  have  proved  a  treat  to  my  conchological 
friends. 

8th.  Mukonsewyan,  or  the  Little  Bear  Skin,  visited  the  office,  with 
a  retinue.  He  asked  whether  any  Indians  from  the  Fond  clu  Lac, 
or  Upper  Mississippi,  had  visited  the  office  this  season.  I  stated  to 
him  the  renewal  of  hostilities  between  the  Sioux  and  Chippewas, 
as  a  probable  reason  why  they  had  not.  He  entered  freely  into 
conversation  on  the  history  of  the  Sioux,  and  spoke  of  their  per- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  519 

fidy  to  the  Chippewas.  I  asked  him  if  they  were  as  treacherous 
to  the  Americans  as  they  had  been  to  the  British — several  of 
whose  traders  they  had  in  former  days  killed.  He  said  he  had 
seen  the  Sioux  offenders  of  that  day,  encamped  at  Mackinack,  while 
the  British  held  it,  under  the  guns  of  the  fort,  and  all  the  Indians 
expected  that  they  would  have  been  seized.  But  they  were  suf 
fered  to  retire  unmolested. 

l±th.  I  went  to  Round  Island  with  Mr.  Featherstonehaugh  and 
Lieut.  Mather.  Examined  the  ancient  ossuaries  and  the  scenery 
on  that  island.  Mr.  F.  is  on  his  way  to  the  Upper  Mississippi  as 
a  geologist  in  the  service  of  the  Topographical  Bureau.  He  took 
a  good  deal  of  interest  in  examining  my  cabinet,  and  proposed  I 
should  exchange  the  Lake  Superior  minerals  for  the  gold  ores  of 
Virginia,  &c.  He  showed  me  his  idea  of  the  geological  column,  and 
drew  it  out.  I  accompanied  him  around  the  island,  to  view  its  re 
ticulated  and  agaric  filled  limestone  cliffs ;  but  derived  no  certain 
information  from  him  of  the  position  in  the  geological  scale  of  this 
very  striking  stratum.  It  is,  manifestly,  the  magnesian  limestone 
of  Conybeare  and  Phillips,  or  muschelkalk  of  the  Germans. 

Lieut.  Mather  brought  me  a  letter  from  Major  Whiting,  from 
which  I  learn  that  he  has  been  professor  of  mineralogy  in  the  Mili 
tary  Academy  at  West  Point.  I  found  him  to  be  animated  with  a 
zeal  for  scientific  discovery,  united  with  accurate  and  discriminating 
powers  of  observation. 

Among  my  visitors  about  this  time,  none  impressed  me  more 
pleasingly  than  a  young  gentleman  from  Cincinnati— a  graduate  of 
Lane  Seminary — a  Mr.  Hastings,  who  brought  me  a  letter  from  a 
friend  at  Detroit.  He  appeared  to  be  imbued  with  the  true  spirit 
of  piety,  to  be  learned  in  his  vocation  without  ostentation,  and 
discriminating  without  ultraism.  And  he  left  me,  after  a  brief 
stay,  with  an  impression  that  he  was  destined  to  enter  the  field  of 
moral  instruction  usefully  to  his  fellow-men,  believing  that  it  is 
far  better  to  undertake  to  persuade  than  to  drive  men  by  assault, 
as  with  cannon,  from  their  strongholds  of  opinion. 


520  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS, 


CHAPTER    LV. 

Rage  for  investment  in  western  lands — Habits  of  the  common  deer — Question 
of  the  punishment  of  Indian  murders  committed  in  the  Indian  country — 
A  chief  calls  to  have  his  authority  recognized  on  the  death  of  a  prede 
cessor — Dr.  Julius,  of  Prussia — Gen.  Robert  Patterson — Pressure  of  emi 
gration — Otwin — Dr.  Oilman  and  Mr.  Hoffman — Picturesque  trip  to  Lake 
Superior — Indians  desire  to  cede  territory — G.  W.  Featherstonehaugh — • 
Sketch  of  his  geological  reconnoisance  of  the  St.  Peter's  River — Dr.  Thomas 
H.  Webb — Question  of  inscriptions  on  American  rocks — Antiquities — Em 
bark  for  Washington,  and  come  down  the  lakes  in  the  great  tempest  of 
1835. 

1885.  August.  THE  rage  for  investment  in  lands  was  now 
manifest  in  every  visitor  that  came  from  the  East  to  the  West. 
Everybody,  more  or  less,  yielded  to  it.  I  saw  that  friends,  in 
whose  prudence  and  judgment  I  had  confided  for  years,  were  en 
gaged  in  it.  I  doubted  the  soundness  of  the  ultra  predictions 
which  were  based  on  every  sort  of  investment  of  this  kind,  whe 
ther  of  town  property  or  farming  land,  and  held  quite  conservative 
opinions  on  the  subject,  but  yielded  partially,  and  in  a  moderate 
way,  to  the  general  impulse,  by  making  some  investments  in  Wis 
consin.  Among  other  plans,  an  opinion  arose  that  Michilimaeki- 
nack  must  become  a  favorite  watering  place,  or  refuge  for  the 
opulent  and  invalids  during  the  summer ;  and  lots  were  eagerly 
bought  up  from  Detroit  and  Chicago. 

Vltfi.  I  embarked  in  a  steamer  for  Green  Bay — where  I  at 
tended  the  first  land  sales,  and  made  several  purchases.  While 
there,  I  remarked  the  curious  fluctuations  in  the  level  of  the  waters 
at  the  mouth  of  Fox  River.  The  lake  (Michigan)  and  the  bay 
appear  to  hold  the  relation  of  separate  parts  of  a  syphon.  It  was 
now  fourteen  years  since  I  had  first  noticed  this  phenomenon,  as 
a  member  of  the  expedition  to  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi. 
While  at  Green  Bay  I  procured  a  young  fawn,  and  carried  it  to 
be  a  tenant  of  my  garden  and  grounds.  This  animal  grew  to  its 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  521 

full  size,  and  revealed  many  interesting  traits.  Its  motions  were 
most  graceful.  It  was  perfectly  tame.  It  would  walk  into  the  hall 
and  dining-room,  when  the  door  was  open,  and  was  once  observed 
to  step  up,  gracefully,  and  take  bread  from  the  table.  It  peram 
bulated  the  garden  walks.  It  would,  when  the  back-gate  was  shut, 
jump  over  a  six  feet  picket  fence,  with  the  ease  and  lightness  of  a 
bird. 

Some  of  its  instincts  were  remarkable.  At  night  it  would  choose 
its  place  of  lying  down  invariably  to  the  leeward  of  an  object  which 
sheltered  it  from  the  prevailing  wind.  One  of  its  most  remarkable 
instincts  was  developed  with  respect  to  ladies.  On  one  occasion, 
while  an  unattended  lady  was  walking  up  the  avenue  from  my  front 
gate  to  the  door,  through  the  garden  grounds,  the  animal  ap 
proached  from  behind,  in  the  gentlest  manner  possible,  and  placed 
his  fore  feet  on  her  shoulders.  This  happened  more  than  once. 
Its  propensity  to  eat  plum  leaves  at  last  banished  it  from  the 
garden.  It  was  then  allowed  to  visit  distant  parts  of  the  island, 
and,  at  length,  some  vicious  person  broke  one  of  its  legs,  from  its 
propensity  to  browse  on  the  young  leaves  of  fruit  trees.  This  was 
fatal  to  it,  and  I  was  induced  to  allow  its  being  shot,  after  it  had 
been  an  inmate  of  my  grounds  for  about  three  years,  where  it  was 
familiarly  known  to  all  by  the  name  of  Nimmi. 

Poor  Nimmi,  some  are  hanged  for  being  thieves, 
But  thou,  poor  beast !  wast  killed  for  eating  leaves. 

24f  7i.  I  received  instructions  from  Washington  respecting  recent 
murders  of  Chippewas  by  the  Sioux.  This  is  a  constantly  recur 
ring  topic  for  the  action  of  an  Indian  agent.  Unfortunately,  his 
powers  in  the  matter  are  only  advisory.  The  intercourse  act  does 
not  declare  it  a  crime  for  one  Indian  nation  to  make  reprisals,  club 
in  hand,  on  another  Indian  nation,  on  the  area  in  which  their 
sovereignty  is  acknowledged.  It  only  makes  it  a  criminal  offence 
to  kill  a  white  man  in  such  a  position,  for  which  his  nation  can  be 
invaded,  and  the  murderer  seized  and  delivered  up  to  justice. 

28th.  Ottawance,  chief  of  the  Beaver  Islands,  died  last  summer 
(1834).  Kin-wa-be-kiz-ze,  or  Man  of  the  Long  Stone  (noun  in 
animate),  called  to  day,  and  announced  himself  as  the  successor, 
and  asked  for  the  usual  present  of  tobacco,  &c.  By  this  recognition 
of  the  office,  his  authority  was  sought  to  be  confirmed. 


522  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

29th.  Dr.  Julius,  of  Prussia,  visited  me,  being  on  his  return 
from  Chicago.  He  evinced  a  deep  interest  in  the  history  of  the 
Indian  race.  He  remarked  the  strong  resemblance  they  bore  in 
features  and  manners  to  the  Asiatics.  He  had  remarked  that  the 
Potawattomies  seem  like  dogs,  which  he  observed  was  also  the 
custom  of  the  Tartars ;  but  that  the  eyes  of  the  latter  were  set 
diagonally,  whereas  the  American  Indians  had  theirs  parallel.  In 
other  respects,  he  saw  great  resemblances.  He  expressed  himself 
as  greatly  interested  in  the  discovery  of  an  oral  literature  among 
the  Indians,  in  the  form  of  imaginative  legends. 

Gen.  Robert  Patterson,  of  Philadelphia,  with  his  daughter  and 
niece,  make  a  brief  visit,  on  their  way  from  Chicago  and  the  West, 
and  view  the  curiosities  of  the  island.  These  visits  of  gentlemen 
of  wealth,  to  the  great  area  of  the  upper  lakes,  may  be  noticed  as 
commencing  with  this  year.  People  seem  to  have  suddenly  waked 
up  in  the  East,  and  are  just  becoming  aware  that  there  is  a  West — 
to  which  they  hie,  in  a  measure,  as  one  who  hunts  for  a  pleasant  land 
fancied  in  dreams.  But  the  great  Mississippi  Valley  is  a  waking 
reality.  Fifty  years  will  tell  her  story  on  the  population  and  re 
sources  of  the  world. 

Sept.  12th.  Received  instructions  from  the  Department,  to 
ascertain  whether  the  Indians  north  of  Grand  River  would  sell 
their  lands,  and  on  what  terms.  The  letter  to  which  this  was  a 
reply  was  the  first  official  step  in  the  causes  which  led  to  the  treaty 
of  March  28th,  1836.  A  leading  step  in  the  policy  of  the  Depart 
ment  respecting  the  tribes  of  the  Upper  Lakes. 

~L5th.  The  great  lakes  can  no  longer  be  regarded  as  solitary  seas, 
where  the  Indian  war-whoop  has  alone  for  so  many  uncounted  centu 
ries  startled  its  echoes.  The  Eastern  World  seems  to  be  alive,  and 
roused  up  to  the  value  of  the  West.  Every  vessel,  every  steam 
boat,  brings  up  persons  of  all  classes,  whose  countenances  the  desire 
of  acquisition,  or  some  other  motive,  has  rendered  sharp,  or  ftn- 
parted  a  fresh  glow  of  hope  to  their  eyes.  More  persons,  of  some 
note  or  distinction,  natives  or  foreigners,  have  visited  me,  and 
brought  me  letters  of  introduction  this  season,  than  during  years 
before.  Sitting  on  my  piazza,  in  front  of  which  the  great  stream 
of  ships  and  commerce  passes,  it  is  a  spectacle  at  once  novel,  and 
calculated  to  inspire  high  anticipations  of  the  future  glory  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  523 

Oct.  5th.  Washington  Irving  responds,  in  the  kindest  terms,  to 
my  letter  transmitting  some  manuscript  materials  relative  to  the 
Indian  history. 

12th.  Mr.  Green,  of  Boston,  wrote  me  on  the  8th  instant  unfavor 
ably  to  the  stability  of  the  Christian  character  of  my  friend  Otwin, 
whom  I  had  recommended  to  the  Board  for  employment  in  the  mis 
sionary  field  in  Lake  Superior,  in  connection  with  the  missionary 
family  at  La  Pointe.  Mr.  S.  Hall,  the  head  of  that  Mission,  writes 
(Oct.  12th) :  "  I  am  glad  that  the  providence  of  God  directed  (him) 
this  way,  and  trust  his  coming  into  this  region  will  be  for  the  interest 
of  Zion's  Kingdom  here.  He  appears  to  be  a  man  of  faith  and 
prayer.  I  trust  he  will  be  the  means  of  stirring  up  to  more  dili 
gence  in  the  service  of  our  Master."  What  greater  aid  could  be 
given  to  a  lone  far  off  Indian  mission,  than  "  a  man  of  faith  and 
prayer."  When  an  observer  in  the  vast  panorama  of  the  West 
and  North  has  seen  a  poor  missionary  and  his  family,  living  five- 
hundred  miles  from  the  nearest  verge  of  civilization,  solitary  and 
desolate,  surrounded  with  heathen  red  men,  and  worse  than  hea 
then  white  men,  with  none  out  of  his  little  circle  to  honor  God 
or  appreciate  his  word,  it  is  presumable  to  him  that  any  reinforce 
ment  of  help  must  be  hailed  as  cold  water  to  a  parched  tongue. 
Not  that  there  is  any  supposed  difference  of  opinion  on  the  main 
question,  between  the  Head  and  the  forest  hands,  so  to  say,  of  the 
Board,  but  it  is  difficult,  at  Boston,  to  appreciate  the  disheartening 
circumstances  surrounding  the  missionary  in  the  field.  And 
any  youthful  instability,  or  eccentricity  of  means  in  the  way  of 
advancing  the  Gospel,  should  be  forgiven,  for  the  cause,  after  years 
of  experience,  and  not  written  against  "  a  man  of  faith  and 
prayer,"  as  it  appears  to  have  been  by  the  pastor  of  Middleburgh, 
as  with  a  pen  of  iron. 

14£/i.  Pendonwa,  son  of  Wahazo,  a  brother  of  the  Ottawa  chief, 
Wing,  reports  himself  as  electing  to  become  "an  American,"  and 
says  he  had  so  declared  himself  to  Col.  Boyd,  the  former  Indian 
agent. 

With.  Dr.  C.  R.  Gilman,  of  New  York,  having,  with  Major  M. 
Hoffman,  of  Wall  Street,  paid  me  a  visit  and  made  a  picturesque 
"trip  to  the  Pictured  Rocks  of  Lake  Superior,"  writes  me  after  his 
safe  return  to  the  city,  piquing  himself  on  that  adventure,  after 
having  exchanged  congratulations  with  his  less  enterprising  city- 


524  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

loving  friends.  It  was  certainly  an  event  to  be  booked,  that  two 
civilians  so  soldered  down  to  the  habits  of  city  life  in  different  lines 
as  the  Doctor  and  the  Major,  should  have  extended  their  summer 
excursion  as  far  as  Michilimackinack.  But  it  was  a  farther  evi 
dence  of  enterprise,  and  the  love  of  the  picturesque,  that  they  should 
have  taken  an  Indian  canoe,  and  a  crew  of  engagees,  at  that  point, 
and  ventured  to  visit  the  Pictured  Rocks  in  Lake  Superior.  "  Life 
on  the  Lakes"  (the  title  of  Dr.  G.'s  book)  was  certainly  a  widely  dif 
ferent  affair  to  "  Life  in  New  York." 

B'Lst.  Circumstances  had  now  inclined  the  Chippewa  and  Ottawa 
tribes  of  Indians  to  cede  to  the  United  States  a  portion  of  their 
extensive  territory.  Game  had  failed  in  the  greater  part  of  it,  and 
they  had  no  other  method  of  raising  funds  to  pay  their  large  out 
standing  credits  to  the  class  of  traders,  and  to  provide  for  an  interval 
of  transition,  which  must  indeed  happen,  in  view  of  their  future 
improvement,  between  the  hunter  and  agricultural  state. 

The  Drummond  Island  band  had,  for  a  year  or  two,  advocated 
a  sale.  The  Ottawas  of  the  peninsula  determined  to  send  a  dele 
gation  to  Washington  on  the  subject.  I  could  not  hesitate  as  to 
the  course  which  duty  prescribed  to  me,  under  these  important  cir 
cumstances,  and  determined  to  proceed  to  Washington,  although 
the  Secretary  and  acting  Governor  of  the  Territory,  Mr.  Horner, 
on  being  consulted  by  letter,  refused  his  assent  to  this  step.  His 
want  of  proper  information  on  the  subject,  being  but  recently  come 
to  the  territory,  did  not  appear  to  be  such  as  to  justify  me  in  re 
maining  on  the  island,  while  the  question  had  been  carried  by  the 
Indians  themselves  to,  and  was,  probably,  to  be  decided  at  Washing 
ton  beftfre  another  season.  I  determined,  therefore,  to  proceed  to 
Washington,  taking  one  of  the  latest  vessels  for  the  season,  on  their 
return  from  the  ports  on  Lake  Michigan. 

Nov.  Id.  Mr.  Featherstonehaugh  writes  to  me  from  Galena,  on 
his  return  from  his  geological  reconnoisance  in  the  north-west, 
sketching  some  of  the  leading  events  of  his  progress  : — 

"  Desirous  of  giving  you  a  passing  notice  of  my  progress,  I  make 
time,  a  few  moments'  leisure,  to  say  that,  when  I  had  entered  the 
Terre  Bleu  River,  which  you  remember  is  that  tributary  of  the  St. 
Peter's  I  was  anxious  to  visit,  I  found  I  could  not  penetrate  to  the 
Coteau  de  Prairie  from  that  quarter,  and  no  resource  was  left  to 
me  but  to  return,  or  go  about  three  hundred  miles  higher  up,  where 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  525 

I  was  aware  I  should  meet  a  pretty  insolent  set  of  fellows  amongst 
the  Yanktons  and  Tetons.  The  Sioux,  who  had  committed  pretty 
bad  Indian  murders  amongst  the  Chippewas,  were  in  great  numbers 
about  Lac  qui  Parle,  and  there  was  no  avoiding  them.  However, 
it  was  in  the  line  of  the  duty  I  had  undertaken,  and  I  was  willing  to 
run  some  risks  to  see  them.  They  were  a  precious  set  when  I  got 
to  them,  but  by  prudence  and  presents  I  got  along  with  them,  and, 
having  began  to  sputter  a  little  Sioux,  I  took  courage,  left  my  canoe 
and  men  there,  and  took  a  guide  and  interpreter  and  pushed  on  to 
Lac  Traverse,  and  from  thence  to  Coteau  de  Prairie,  the  head 
waters  of  the  St.  Peter's,  and  to  within  four  days'  march  of  the 
Mandan  Village.  Here  I  wheeled  about  back,  afraid  of  winter. 
Indeed,  on  my  arrival  at  Lac  Traverse,  the  weather  was  bitterly 
cold,  and  wood  and  water  were  sometimes  found  with  great  difficulty, 
in  the  intermediate  prairies.  The  day  I  left  Fort  Snelling,  the  ther 
mometer  was  very  low,  the  snow  six  or  eight  inches  deep  on  the 
ground ;  in  fact  it  was  quite  winter,  and  all  were  of  opinion,  at  the 
fort,  that  ice  would  form  and  drive  in  a  few  days. 

"  I  found  Mr.  Keating's  account  of  the  Mississippi,  and  especially 
of  the  St.  Peter's,  most  surprisingly  erroneous,  and  old  Jona 
than  Carver's  book,  which  he  is  constantly  denouncing,  very  accu 
rate. 

"  I  ascertained,  to  my  perfect  satisfaction,  the  termination  of  the 
horizontal  beds  of  sandstone  of  carboniferous  limestone  formation, 
and  came  upon  the  outcrop  of  the  adjacent  granite,  just  where  I 
expected  to  find  the  primary  rocks." 

"  You  will  greatly  oblige  me  by  communicating  to  me  your 
opinion,  approximative^,  of  the  course  held  by  the  primary  rocks 
south  of  Lake  Superior,  as  far  as  you  are  acquainted  with  it,  or 
with  the  edges  of  the  secondary  rocks,  which  have  a  junction  line 
with,  or  near  them.  I  found  no  primary  rocks  on  my  wray  from 
Green  Bay  to  Prairie  du  Chien.  The  rocks  in  place  at  Fort  Win- 
nebago,  are  secondary  sandstone  of  the  carboniferous  series." 

2d.  The  question  of  "  inscriptions"  on  rocks  by  the  aborigines 
has  recently  attracted  some  attention.  Dr.  Thomas  H.  Webb,  of 
Providence,  Rhode  Island,  in  a  letter  of  this  date,  notifying  me  of 
my  election  as  an  honorary  member  of  the  Rhode  Island  Historical 
Society,  calls  my  attention  to  this  subject.  "In  your  last  work," 
he  remarks,  "  you  allude  to  some  hieroglyphics  on  a  tree.  Have 


526  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

you  particularly  examined  any  on  rocks ;  and  if  so,  were  they 
mere  paintings,  or  were  they  inscribed  thereon?  If  the  latter,  in 
what  manner  do  they  appear  to  have  been  done — pecked  in  with  a 
pointed  instrument,  or  chizzled  out?  Are  they  simply  representa 
tions  of  men  and  animals,  without  method  in  their  arrangement, 
or  combinations  of  these,  with  other  characters  bearing  evidence 
of  greater  design  ?  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  furnish  me  with 
the  locations  of  those  with  which  you  are  acquainted  ?  Is  it  possible 
for  me  to  procure  drawings  of  them  ?  Do  you  know  any  one  living 
near  such  rocks,  whom  I  could  hire  to  take  copies  of  them,  and  upon 
the  accuracy  of  whose  work  reliance  can  be  placed? 

"  I  do  not  wish  finished  views — correct  drawings  of  the  charac 
ters  with  a  pen  will  be  amply  sufficient  for  my  purposes;  although 
I  should  not  object  to  outlines  of  the  rocks  themselves.  I  would 
also  ask  if  some  of  the  '  relics  of  things  that  have  passed  away,' 
which  are  found  so  abundantly  in  the  west,  e.  #.,  articles  of  pottery, 
iron  and  copper  implements,  &c.,  can  be  procured  by  purchase,  or 
in  the  way  of  exchange  for  minerals,  or  in  some  other  way  ?" 

Imprimis — no  "iron"  implements  have  ever  been  found.  Se 
condly,  no  observations  not  made  by  an  antiquarian  can  be  relied 
on. 

9th.  I  embarked  for  Detroit,  on  board  a  schooner  under  command 
of  an  experienced  navigator  (Capt.  Ward),  just  on  the  eve,  un 
known  to  us,  of  a  great  tempest,  which  rendered  that  season 
memorable  in  the  history  of  wrecks  on  the  great  lakes.  We  had 
scarcely  well  cleared  the  light-house,  when^the  wind  increased  to  a 
gale.  We  soon  went  on  furiously.  Sails  were  reefed,  and  every 
preparation  made  to  keep  on  our  way,  but  the  wind  did  not  admit 
of  it.  The  captain  made  every  effort  to  hug  the  shore,  and  finally 
came  to  anchor  in  great  peril,  under  the  highlands  of  Sauble. 
Here  we  pitched  terribly,  and  were  momently  in  peril  of  being  cast 
on  shore.  In  the  effort  to  work  the  ship,  one  of  the  men  fell  from 
the  bowsprit,  and  passed  under  the  vessel,  and  was  lost.  It  was 
thought  that  our  poor  little  craft  must  go  to  the  bottom;  it  seemed 
like  a  chip  on  the  ocean  contending  against  the  powers  of  the 
Almighty.  It  seemed  as  if,  agreeably  to  Indian  fable,  Ishkwon- 
dameka  himself  was  raising  a  tempest  mountain  high  for  some 
sinister  purposes  of  his  own.  But,  owing  to  the  skill  of  the  old 
lake  mariner,  we  eventually  triumphed.  He  never  faltered  in  the 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  527 

darkest  exigency.  For  a  day  and  night  he  struggled  against  the 
elements,  and  finally  entered  the  straits  at  Fort  Gratiot,  and  he 
brought  us  safely  into  the  port  of  our  destination. 

On  reaching  Detroit,  the  lateness  of  the  season  admonished  me 
to  lose  no  time  in  making  my  way  over  the  stormy  Erie  to  Buffalo, 
whence  I  pursued  my  journey  to  New  York.  I  reached  the  latter 
city  the  day  prior  to  the  great  fire,  in  December.  I  took  lodgings 
at  the  Atlantic  Hotel,  which  is  near  the  foot  of  Broadway,  and 
immediately  west  of  the  great  scene  of  conflagration.  The  cold 
was  so  bitter  while  the  fire  raged  that  I  could  not  long  endure  the 
open  air,  which  seemed  to  be  surcharged  with  oxygen.  I  reached 
Philadelphia  the  19th,  and  Washington  a  day  or  two  after. 


528  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    LVI. 

Florida  war — Startling  news  of  the  Massacre  of  Dade — Peoria  on  the  Illi 
nois — Abanaki  language — Oregon — Things  shaping  for  a  territorial  claim 
— Responsibility  of  claim  in  an  enemy's  country — A  true  soldier — South 
ern  Literary  Messenger — Missionary  cause — Resources  of  Missouri — In 
dian  portfolio  of  Lewis — Literary  gossip — Sir  Francis  Head — The  Crane 
and  Addik  totem— Treaty  of  March  28th,  1836,  with  the  Ottawas  and  Chip- 
pewas — Treaty  with  the  Saginaws  of  May  20th — Treaty  with  the 'Swan 
Creek  and  Black  River  Chippewas  of  May  9th — Return  to  Michilimacki- 
nack — Death  of  Charlotte,  the  daughter  of  Songageezhig. 

1836.  THE  year  opened  with  the  portentous  news  of  Indian  hos 
tilities.  The  massacre  of  Major  Dade  and  his  entire  command  on 
the  waters  of  the  Wythlacootche  River  in  Florida,  and  the  prospect 
of  an  Indian  war  in  Florida,  excited  great  sensation  in  all  circles. 
I  was  at  the  Secretary  of  War's  dornicil  one  evening,  when  he  first 
received  and  read  out  the  shocking  details.  The  same  night  troops 
were  ordered  to  be  put  in  motion  from  every  point  in  the  Union, 
to  be  concentrated  in  that  territory ;  and  the  greatest  activity  per 
vaded  the  departments.  Gen.  Jackson  expressed  himself  with 
energy  on  the  subject.  He  had  formerly  conducted  a  successful 
campaign  against  the  Seminoles,  but  he  could  not  be  persuaded 
that  there  were  more  than  five  hundred  of  this  tribe  in  the  whole 
territory.  This  led  him  to  believe  that  the  troops  actually  put  in 
motion  for  the  field  of  action,  were  fully  adequate  to  cope  with 
the  enemy,  and  promptly  to  put  them  down. 

Jan.  4th.  The  American  Lyceum  request  me  to  prepare  a  paper 
for  their  sixth  anniversary. 

6th.  I  received  a  letter  from  my  former  pastor,  Rev.  J.  Porter, 
at  Peoria,  111.,  denoting  him  to  be  in  a  new  field  of  ministerial 
labor. 

"  I  bade  adieu  to  my  dear  people  at  Chicago,  on  the  second  Sab 
bath  in  November,  and  commenced  my  labors  here  on  the  fourth 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  529 

Sabbath  of  the  same  month — -just  four  years  from  the  day  I  first 
preached  at  the  Sault. 

"  The  town  is  on  the  north  bank  of  Lake  Peoria,  which  is  an 
expansion  of  the  Illinois.  The  site  is  one  of  the  first  in  our  land. 
The  ground  rises  with  a  delightful  slope  from  the  water's  edge  for 
the  distance  of  half  a  mile — then  there  is  table  land  for  another 
half  mile  back  to  a  high  bluff.  The  town  began  to  be  built  about 
two  years  since;  it  has  now  a  population  of  eight  hundred  and  fifty." 

A  descendant  of  the  great  theologian  Edwards,  it  is  pleasing  to 
note  that  this  gentleman  is  destined  to  be  employed  in  various 
fields,  in  diffusing  Christianity  through  the  great  valley. 

Slh.  Mr.  Thomas  L.  Winthrop,  of  Boston,  transmits  me  "  the 
first  volume  of  a  new  series  of  the  Transactions  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences.  This  volume,  amongst  other 
valuable  matter,  contains  a  Dictionary  of  the  Abinaki  Language 
of  North  America,  by  Father  Sebastian  Rasles." 

IGf/i.  I  addressed  a  memoir  to  the  Secretary  of  War  on  the  state 
of  Indian  affairs  in  Oregon.  My  position  at  St.  Mary's  being  on 
the  great  line  of  communication  between  Montreal  and  the  prin 
cipal  posts  at  Vancouver,  &c.,  north  of  the  Columbia,  has  afforded 
me  opportunities  of  becoming  familiar  with  the  leading  policy  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  factors  in  relation  to  that  region.  The  means 
pursued  are  such  as  must  influence  all  the  Indian  tribes  in  that 
quarter  strongly  in  favor  of  the  political  power  wielded  by  that 
company,  and  as  strongly  against  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  which  has  not  a  shadow  of  a  power  of  any  kind  on  the 
Pacific.  Silently,  but  surely,  a  vast  influence  is  being  built  up  on 
those  coasts,  adverse  to  our  claims  to  the  territory,  and  it  cannot 
be  long  till  those  intrepid  factors,  sustained  by  the  government  at 
home,  will  assert  it  in  a  manner  not  easy  to  be  resisted.  I  em 
bodied  these  ideas  strongly  in  my  paper.  The  Secretary  was  ar 
rested  by  the  justice  of  my  conclusions,  and  seemed  disposed  to  do 
something,  but  the  subject  was,  apparently,  weighed  down  and 
forgotten  in  the  press  of  other  matters. 

loth.  Hon.  E.  Whittlesey,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on 
Claims,  House  of  Representatives,  remarks  in  effect,  in  a  letter  of 
this  date,  that  to  create  a  just  claim  against  the  United  States,  it 
must  be  shown  that  property  and  provisions  taken  by  the  troops, 
when  operating  in  an  enemy's  country,  were  applied  to  the  sub- 
34 


530  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

sistence  or  clothing  of  the  army  or  navy,  although  it  was  private 
property,  and  the  orders  of  the  commandant  were,  in  all  cases,  to 
respect  "private  property."  Consequently,  that  the  disrespect  of 
such  orders  might  make  the  commander  or  his  troops  personally 
liable  to  amercement;  but  the  government  is  not  justly  liable. 
Certainly,  that  officer  is  to  be  pitied  whose  sovereign  will  not  stand 
by  him  in  the  execution  of  written  orders !  Nor  do  I  see  how  the 
strict  legality  and  morality  of  the  question  is  to  be  got  along  with. 
May  the  government  turn  pirate  with  impunity?  Does  it  war 
against  women  and  children,  and  the  ordinary  private  and  domestic 
rights  guaranteed  to  the  citizen  by  the  original  rights  of  society 
defined  in  Blackstone  ? 

14^.  A  soldier,  in  garrison  at  Fort  Mackinack,  writes  to  me, 
wishing,  on  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  enlistment,  to  hecome 
"a  soldier  of  Christ,"  and  to  enter  the  missionary  field.  That  is 
a  good  thought,  Sergeant  Humphrey  Snow!  Better  to  fight 
against  human  sins  than  to  shoot  down  sinners. 

18th.  Dr.  C.  R.  Gilman  inquires,  "Is  the  rock  at  Gros  Cap 
granite?  Can  you  give  me  particulars  about  the  Indian  fairies?" 

27tfA.  I  am  requested,  from  a  high  quarter,  to  furnish  an  arti 
cle  for  the  Southern  Literary  Messenger.  "You  are  in  for  a 
scrape,"  says  a  gay  note  on  the  subject.  "I  have  told  Mr.  White 
all  about  it.  I  am  greatly  obliged  to  you  for  relieving  me." 
Truth  is,  I  have  never  regarded  the  employment  of  literary  time 
as  thrown  away.  The  discipline  of  the  mind,  induced  by  compo 
sition,  is  something,  and  it  is  surprising  what  may  be  done  by  a 
person  who  carefully  "redeems"  all  his  time.  It  does  not,  in  the 
least,  incapacitate  him  for  business.  It  rather  quickens  his  intel 
lect  for  it. 

Feb.  1st.  My  former  agreeable  guest  at  Mackinack  (Rev.  Geo. 
H.  Hastings)  writes  me  from  Walnut  Hills,  Ohio:  "There  is  a 
missionary  spirit  in  our  institution  (Lane  Seminary)  that  responds 
to  the  wants  of  the  world.  The  faculty  have  pressed  upon  the 
minds  of  us  all  the  duty  of  examining  early  the  question,  '  Ought 
I  to  be  a  missionary  ?'  ' 

16th.  My  brother  James  writes  from  St.  Mary's,  foot  of  Lake 
Superior  :  "  The  month  has  been  remarkably  cold,  the  thermome 
ter  having  ranged  from  13°. 23  to  38°  below  zero.  Snow  we  have 
had  in  great  abundance." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  531 

Hon.  Lewis  F.  Linn,  U.  S-  Senator,  writes  respecting  the 
scientific  character  and  resources  of  Missouri,  in  view  of  a  project, 
matured  by  him,  for  establishing  a  western  armory:  "Your  inti 
mate  knowledge  of  the  Ozark  Mountains,  its  streams  descending 
north  and  south,  and  those  passing  through  to  the  east,  with  its 
unequaled  mineral  resources,  would  be,  to  me,  of  infinite  service, 
to  accomplish  the  purpose  I  have  in  view,  should  you  be  so  kind 
as  to  communicate  them,  in  reference  to  this  particular  measure, 
and  by  so  doing  you  would  confer  a  lasting  obligation." 

The  resources  of  Missouri  in  iron,  lead,  and  coal,  to  which  I 
first  called  attention  in  1819,  are  of  such  a  noble  character  as 
surely  to  require  no  bolstering  from  the  effects  of  particular  mea 
sures. 

March  4th.  Mr.  J.  0.  Lewis,  of  Philadelphia,  furnishes  me  seven 
numbers  of  his  Indian  Portfolio,  Few  artists  have  had  his  means 
of  observation  of  the  aboriginal  man,  in  the  great  panorama  of 
the  west,  where  he  has  carried  his  easel.  The  results  are  given, 
in  this  work,  with  biographical  notices  of  the  common  events  in 
the  lives  of  the  chiefs.  Altogether,  it  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  va 
luable  contribution  to  this  species  of  knowledge.  He  has  painted 
the  Indian  lineaments  on  the  spot,  and  is  entitled  to  patronage — 
not  as  supplying  all  that  is  desirable,  or  practicable,  perhaps,  but 
as  a  first  and  original  effort.  We  should  cherish  all  such  efforts. 

9th.  A  shrewd  and  discriminating  judge  of  literary  things  in 
New  York,  writes:  "Have  you  seen  the  last  number  of  Hoffman's 
Magazine  ?  There  is  a  pretty  thing  of  his  in  it  about  Indian  corn, 
and  an  Indian  story  by  the  author  of  *  Tales  in  the  North-west,' 
which  I  do  not  think  good.  The  number  generally  is  indifferent. 
Some  one  recently  told  me,  that  the  true  orthography  of  Illinois 
is  Illinwa,  like  Ottawa,  &c.  Do  you  think  that  the  fact?*  By  the 
way,  why  have  you,  and  all  other  Indian  travelers,  used  the  French 
word  ' lodge,'  instead  of  the  Indian  wigwam?  Don't  you  think 
the  latter  the  better  term  ?  I  do,  and  if  my  book  was  to  print 
again,  I  would  always  use  wigwam  instead  of  lodge.  We  have  so 
few  relics  of  the  poor  Indians,  that  I  am  unwilling  to  part  with 
any  one,  even  so  trifling  as  adopting  the  red  man's  name  for  the 
red  man's  house. 


*  No. 


532  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

"  We  have  no  news  here.  Paulding's  book  on  slavery  has  been 
little  noticed.  Dr.  Hawk's  '  History  of  Episcopacy  in  Virginia' 
is  good — very  good,  so  they  say,  for  I  have  not  read  it.  Some 
Jerseyman  has  written  a  bad  novel  called  "  Herbert — "  something 
or  other — I  forget  what.  What  do  they  say  at  Washington,  and 
what  do  you  say  about  Gen.  MacomVs  'Pontiac  ?'*  Is  the  Indian 
Prince,  who  was  traveling  in  these  parts  a  while  ago,  one  of  the 
getters  up  of  this  affair  ?  I  suspect  him.  Does  the  prince  go  to 
4  profane  stageplays  and  such  like  vanities,'  as  the  dear  old 
Puritans  would  say  ? 

"  I  hear  nothing  of  Mr.  Gallatin  and  his  Indian  languages. 
Do  you?  I  see,  by  the  English  magazines,  that  Willis  and  his 
4  pencilings'  get  little  quarter  there ;  they  deserve  none.  The 
book  is  not  yet  published  here.  Walsh,  they  say,  will  kill  it,  un 
less  it  should  chance  to  be  still-born.  Hoffman  is  a  friend  of  it, 
or  rather  he  has  made  up  his  mind  to  join  hands  with  the  "Mirror' 
set.  I  think  he  has  made  a  mistake.  They  will  sink  him  before 
he  raises  them.  I  suppose,  however,  if  he  will  praise  them  they 
will  praise  him,  and  praise  is  sweet,  we  all  know." 

$th.  Rev.  William  McMurray  writes,  from  the  Canadian  side 
of  Sault  St.  Marie  :  "  Our  excellent  governor,  Sir  John  Colbourne, 
has  resigned  his  situation,  which  is  at  present  filled  by  Sir  Francis 
Head,  who  has  recently  arrived  from  England.  As  far  as  I  can 
learn,  he  is  rather  a  literary  character,  and  is  the  same  person 
who,  some  years  ago,  visited  South  America  on  a  mining  expedi 
tion.  The  most  correct  intelligence  I  have  received  respecting 
him  is  by  an  express  from  Toronto.  From  it  I  learn  that  he  is 
disposed  to  be  kind  and  good  towards  the  poor  Indians.  As  an 
instance  of  which,  he  intends  visiting  every  Indian  mission  next 
summer,  in  order  that  he  may  see  for  himself  their  secret  wants, 
and  how  their  condition' may  be  best  ameliorated/' 

My  brother  James  gives  a  somewhat  amusing  account  of  Indian 
matters  at  the  Sault  after  the  leaving  of  their  delegates  for 
Washington. 

"  Since  Whaiskee's  departure,  the  whole  Sault  has  been  trou 
bled  ;  I  mean  the  <  busy  bodies,'  and  this,  by  the  way,  comprises 
nearly  the  whole  population.  A  council  has  accordingly  been 

*  Fudg 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  533 

held  before  the  MAJOR- AGENT,  in  which  the  British  chief,  Gitshee 
Kawgaosh,  appeared  as  orator.  The  harangue  from  the  sachem 
ran  very  much  as  follows : — 

"  4  Father,  why  and  for  what  purpose  has  the  man  Whaiskee 
gone  to  the  home  of  our  great  father  ?  Why  did  he  leave  without 
notifying  me,  and  the  other  men  of  influence  of  my  tribe,  of  the 
nature  of  his  mission  ?  Why  should  he,  whose  totem-fathers  live 
about  Shaugawaumekong  (La  Pointe),  be,  at  his  own  will,  made 
the  representative  of  the  ancient  band  of  the  red  men  whose  totem 
is  the  lofty  Crane  ?  Say,  father  ?  Father,  we  ask  you  to  know  ; 
we  ask  of  you  to  tell  why  this  strange  man  has  so  strangely  gone 
to  smoke  with  the  great  chief  of  the  "long  knives?"  Kunnah- 
gakunnah !' 

"  Here  the  chief,  drawing  the  folds  of  his  blanket  with  perfect 
grace,  and  extending  his  right  arm  with  dignity  to  the  agent, 
seated  himself  again  upon  the  floor,  while,  at  the  same  time,  a 
warrior  of  distinction,  whose  eagle-plumed  head  spoke  him  the 
fiercest  of  his  tribe,  gave  to  the  sachem  the  lighted  pipe.  The 
eyes  of  the  red  men,  like  those  of  their  snowy  chief,  were  now 
riveted  to  the  floor. 

"'  Sons  of  the  forest,'  answered  the  American  agent,  i  I,  like 
yourselves,  know  nothing  of  this  strange  business !  7,  the  father 
of  all  the  red  men,  have  not  been  consulted  in  this  man's  going 
beyond  the  lakes  to  "  the  great  waters !"  Jam  the  man  through 
whom  such  messages  should  come  !  _Z~,  the  man  who  should  hand 
the  wampum,  and  jT,  the  man  to  whom  the  red  men  should  look 
for  redress !  Friends,  your  speech  shall  reach  the  ears  of  our 
great  father,  and  then  this  strange  man  of  the  far-off  totem  of 
Addik  shall  know  that  the  Crane  totem  is  protected  by  me,  the 
hero  of  the  Southern  clime  !  Men  of  the  forest,  I  am  done.' 

"  Tobacco  was  then  distributed  to  the  assembly,  and,  after 
many  hoglis,  the  red  men  dispersed." 

24th.  Mr.  Bancroft,  bringing  a  few  lines  from  the  Secretary  of 
War,  came  to  see  me  to  confer  on  the  character  of  the  Indians, 
which  he  is  about  to  handle  in  the  next  volume  of  his  History. 
This  care  to  assure  himself  of  the  truth  of  the  conclusions  to  be 
introduced  in  his  work,  is  calculated  to  inspire  confidence  in  his 
mode  of  research. 

28th.  Washington.     My  ;  ^ception  here  has  been  most  cordial, 


534  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

and  such  as  to  assure  me  in  the  propriety  of  the  step  I  took,  in 
resolving  to  proceed  to  the  capital,  without  the  approval  of  the 
secretary  and  acting  governor  (Horner),  who  was,  indeed,  from 
his  recent  arrival  and  little  experience  in  this  matter,  quite  in  the 
dark  respecting  the  true  condition  of  Indian  affairs  in  Michigan. 
The  self-constituted  Ottawa  delegation  of  chiefs  from  the  lower 
peninsula  had  preceded  me  a  few  days.  After  a  conference  be 
tween  them  and  the  Secretary  of  War,  they  were  referred  to  mer 
under  authority  from  the  President,  communicated  by  special 
appointment,  as  commissioner  for  treating  with  them.  It  was 
found  that  the  deputation  was  quite  too  local  for  the  transaction 
of  any  general  business.  The  Ottawas,  from  the  valley  of  Grand 
River,  an  important  section,  were  unrepresented.  The  various 
bands  of  Chippewas  living  intercalated  among  them,  on  the  lower 
peninsula,  extending  down  the  Huron  shore  to  Thunder  Bay,  were 
unapprized  of  the  movement.  The  Chippewas  of  the  upper  pen 
insula,  north  of  Michilimackinack,  were  entirely  unrepresented. 
I  immediately  wrote,  authorizing  deputations  to  be  sent  from  each 
of  the  unrepresented  districts,  and  transmitting  funds  for  the  pur 
pose.  This  authority  to  collect  delegates  from  the  two  nations, 
whose  interests  in  the  lands  were  held  in  common,  was  promptly 
and  efficiently  carried  out ;  and,  when  the  chiefs  and  delegates  ar 
rived,  they  were  assembled  in  public  council,  at  the  Masonic  Hall., 
corner  of  4J  street,  and  negotiations  formally  opened.  These 
meetings  were  continued  from  day  to  day,  and  resulted  in  an  im 
portant  cession  of  territory,  comprising  all  their  lands  lying  in  the 
lower  peninsula  of  Michigan,  north  of  Grand  River  and  west  of 
Thunder  Bay;  and  on  the  upper  peninsula,  extending  from  Drum- 
niond  Island  and  Detour,  through  the  Straits  of  St.  Mary,  west 
to  Chocolate  River,  on  Lake  Superior,  and  thence  southerly  to 
Green  Bay.  This  cession  was  obtained  on  the  principle  of  making 
limited  reserves  for  the  principal  villages,  and  granting  the  mass 
of  Indian  population  the  right  to  live  on  and  occupy  any  portion 
of  the  lands  until  it  is  actually  required  for  settlement.  The 
compensation,  for  all  objects,  was  about  two  millions  of  dollars,, 
It  had  been  arranged  to  close  and  sign  the  treaty  on  the  26th  of 
March,  but  some  objections  were  made  by  the  Ottawas  to  a  matter 
of  detail,  which  led  to  a  renewed  discussion,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  28th  that  the  treaty  was  signed.  It  did  not  occur  to  me,  till 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  535 

afterwards,  that  this  was  my  birth-day.  The  Senate  who,  at  the 
same  time,  had  the  important  Cherokee  treaty  of  New  Echota 
before  them,  did  not  give  it  their  assent  till  the  20th  of  May,  and 
then  ratified  it  with  some  essential  modifications,  which  have  not 
had  a  wholly  propitious  tendency. 

Liberal  provisions  were  made  for  their  education  and  instruction 
in  agriculture  and  the  arts.  Their  outstanding  debts  to  the  mer 
chants  were  provided  for,  and  such  aid  given  them  in  the  initial 
labor  of  subsisting  themselves,  as  were  required  by  a  gradual 
change  from  the  life  of  hunters  to  that  of  husbandmen.  About 
twelve  and  a  half  cents  per  acre  was  given  for  the  entire  area, 
which  includes  some  secondary  lands  and  portions  of  muskeegs  and 
waste  grounds  about  the  lakes — which  it  was,  however,  thought 
ought,  in  justice  to  the  Indians,  to  be  included  in  the  cession.  The 
whole  area  could  not  be  certainly  told,  but  was  estimated  at  about 
sixteen  millions  of  acres. 

About  the  beginning  of  May  a  delegation  of  Saginaws  arrived, 
for  the  purpose  of  ceding  to  the  government  the  reservations  in 
Michigan,  made  under  the  treaty  of  1819.  This  delegation  was 
referred  to  me,  with  instructions  to  form  a  treaty  with  them. 
The  terms  of  it  were  agreed  on  in  several  interviews,  and  the  treaty 
was  signed  on  the  20th  of  May,  1836. 

A  third  delegation  of  Chippewas,  from  Michigan,  having  sepa 
rate  interest  in  the  regions  of  Swan  Creek  and  Black  Biver,  pre 
sented  themselves,  with  the  view  of  ceding  the  reservations  made 
to  them  by  a  treaty  concluded  by  Gen.  Hull,  Nov.  17th,  1807. 
They  were  also  referred  to  me  to  adjust  the  terms  of  a  sale  of 
these  reservations.  The  treaty  was  signed  by  their  chiefs  on  the 
9th  of  May,  1836. 

As  soon  as  these  several  treaties  were  acted  on  by  the  Senate, 
I  left  the  city  on  my  return.  It  was  one  of  the  last  days  of  May 
when  I  left  Washington.  A  new  era  had  now  dawned  in  the  up 
per  lake  country,  and  joy  and  gladness  sat  in  every  face  I  met. 
The  Indians  rejoiced,  because  they  had  accomplished  their  end 
and  provided  for  their  wants.  The  class  of  merchants  and  inland 
traders  rejoiced,  because  they  would  now  be  paid  the  amount  of 
their  credits  to  the  Indians.  The  class  of  nietifs  and  half-breeds 
were  glad,  because  they  had  been  remembered  by  the  chiefs,  who 
set  apart  a  fund  for  their  benefit.  The  citizens  generally  partici- 


536  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

pated  in  these  feelings,  because  the  effect  of  the  treaties  would  be 
to  elicit  new  means  and  sources  of  prosperity. 

I  reached  Mackinack  on  the  15th  of  June,  in  the  steamer  "  Co 
lumbia/'  I  found  all  my  family  well  and  ready  to  welcome  me 
home,  but  one — Charlotte,  the  daughter  of  Songageezhig,  who 
had  been  brought  up  from  a  child  as  one  of  my  family.  Her 
father,  a  Chippewa,  had  been  killed  in  an  affray  at  the  Sault  St. 
Marie  in  1822,  leaving  a  wife  and  three  children.  She  had  been 
adopted  and  carefully  instructed  in  every  moral  and  religious  duty. 
She  could  read  her  Bible  well,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Church, 
in  good  standing  at  the  time  of  her  death.  A  rapid  consumption 
developed  itself  during  the  winter  of  my  absence,  which  no  medical 
skill  could  arrest.  She  had  attained  about  her  fifteenth  year,  and 
died  leaving  behind  her  a  consecrated  memory  of  pleasing  piety 
and  gentle  manners. 

A  forest  flower,  but  few  so  well  could  claim 
A  daughter'Sj  sister's,  and  a  Christian's  name, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  537 


CHAPTER   LVII. 

Home  matters  —  Massachusetts  Historical  Society — Question  of  the  U.  S. 
Senate's  action  on  certain  treaties  of  the  Lake  Indians — Hugh  L.  White — 
Dr.  Morton's  Crania  Americana — Letter  from.  Mozojeed — State  of  the  pilla 
gers — Visit  of  Dr.  Follen  and  Miss  Martineau — Treaty  movements — Young 
Lord  Selkirk — Character  and  value  of  Upper  Michigan — Hon.  John  Nor- 
vell's  letter  —  Literary  items — Execution  of  the  treaty  of  March  28th — 
Amount  of  money  paid — Effects  of  the  treaty — Baron  de  Behr — Ornitho 
logy. 

1836.  June  16^.  MY  winter  in  Washington  had  thrown  my 
correspondence  sadly  in  the  rear.  Most  of  my  letters  had  been 
addressed  to  me  directly  at  Mackinack,  and  they  were  first  read 
several  months  after  date.  Whilst  at  the  seat  of  government  my 
duties  had  been  of  an  arduous  character,  and  left  me  but  little 
time  on  my  hands.  And  now,  that  I  had  got  back  to  my  post  in 
the  interior,  the  duties  growing  out  of  the  recent  treaties  had 
been  in  no  small  degree  multiplied.  While  preparing  for  the  latter, 
the  former  were  not,  however,  to  be  wholly  neglected,  or  left  unno 
ticed.  I  will  revert  to  them. 

April  28th.  The  Massachusetts  Historical  Society  this  day 
approved  a  report  from  a  committee  charged  with  the  subject — 
"That,  in  their  opinion,  the  dissertation  on  the  Odjibwa  language 
with  a  vocabulary  of  the  same,  contemplated  by  Mr.  Schoolcraft, 
would  be  a  suitable  and  valuable  contribution  to  our  collections, 
and  that  he  be  requested  to  proceed  and  complete  the  work,  and 
transmit  it  to  the  society  for  publication."  This  was  communicated 
to  me  by  Hon.  Thomas  L.  Winthrop,  their  president,  on  the  2d 
of  May,  and  opened  an  eligible  way  for  my  bringing  forward  my 
investigations  of  this  language,  without  expense  to  myself.  The 
difficulty  now  was,  that  the  offer  had  come,  at  a  time  when  it  was 
impossible  to  complete  the  paper.  I  was  compelled  to  defer  it  till 
the  pressure  of  business,  which  now  began  to  thicken  on  my  hands, 
should  abate.  It  was  in  this  manner,  and  in  the  hope  that  the 


538  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

next  season  would  afford  me  leisure,  that  the  matter  was  put  off, 
from  time  to  time,  till  it  was  in  a  measure  cast  behind  and  out  of 
sight,  and  not  from  a  due  appreciation  of  the  offer. 

May  ¥[th.  In  the  letter  of  appointment  to  me,  of  this  date, 
from  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  treat  with  the  Saginaws,  it  is  stated: 
"You  are  authorized  to  offer  them  the  proceeds  which  their  lands 
may  bring,  deducting  such  expenses  as  may  be  necessary  for  its 
survey,  sale,  &c.  You  will  take  care  that  a  sufficient  fund  is  re 
served  to  provide  for  their  removal,  and  such  arrangements  made 
for  the  security  and  application  of  the  residue  as  will  be  most  be 
neficial  to  them."  These  instructions  were  carried  out,  in  articles 
of  a  compact,  in  which  the  government  furthermore  agreed,  in  view 
of  the  lands  not  being  immediately  brought  into  market,  to  make 
a  reasonable  advance  to  these  Indians.  Yet  the  Senate  rejected 
it,  not,  it  would  seem,  for  the  liberality  of  the  offer  of  the  nett 
proceeds  of  the  lands,  but  for  the  almost  per  necessitate  offer  of  a 
moderate  advance,  to  enable  the  people  to  turn  themselves  in 
straitened  circumstances,  which  had  been  the  prime  motive  for 
selling. 

The  advance  was,  in  fact,  as  I  have  reason  to  believe,  a  mere 
bagatelle,  but  the  chairman  of  the  Indian  Committee  in  the  Senate 
was  rather  on  the  lookout  for  something,  or  anything,  to  embar 
rass  or  disoblige  General  Jackson  and  his  agents,  having  fallen 
out  with  him,  and  being  then,  indeed,  a  candidate  for  President 
of  the  U.  S.  himself,  at  the  coming  election.  If  I  had  not 
heard  the  pointed  expressions  of  Hon.  Hugh  L.  White,  on  more 
than  one  occasion,  in  which  my  three  treaties  were  before  him,  in 
relation  to  this  matter  of  not  affording  the  presidential  incumbent 
new  sources  of  patronage,  &c.,  I  should  not  deem  it  just  to  add 
the  latter  remark.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  will  and  feelings, 
which  often  betrayed  themselves  when  subjects  of  public  policy 
were  the  topics.  And,  so  far  as  he  interfered  with  the  principles 
of  the  treaties  which  I  had  negotiated  with  the  Lake  Indians  in 
1836,  he  evinced  an  utter  ignorance  of  their  history,  character, 
and  best  interests.  He  violated,  in  some  respects,  the  very  prin 
ciple  on  which  alone  two  of  the  original  cessions,  namely,  those  of 
the  Ottawas  and  Chippewas  and  of  the  Saginaws,  were  obtained; 
and  introduced  features  of  discord,  which  disturb  the  tribes,  and 
some  of  which  will  long  continue  to  be  felt.  And  the  result  is  a 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  539 

severe  caution  against  the  Senate's  ever  putting  private  reasons  in 
the  place  of  public,  and  interfering  with  matters  which  they  neces 
sarily  know  but  little  about. 

16th.  Dr.  Samuel  George  Morton,  of  Philadelphia,  makes  an 
appeal  to  gentlemen  interested  in  the  philosophical  and  historical 
questions  connected  with  the  Indians,  to  aid  him  in  the  collection 
of  crania — to  be  used  in  the  comprehensive  work  which  he  is  pre 
paring  on  the  subject. 

26th.  Hon.  J.  B.  Sutherland  expresses  the  wish  to  see  an  In 
dian  lexicography  prepared  under  the  auspices  of  the  Indian 
Department,  and  urges  me  to  undertake  it. 

30th.  Mozojeed,  or  the  Moose's  Tail,  an  Ojibwa  chief  of  Otta 
wa  Lake,  in  the  region  at  the  source  of  Chippewa  River  of  the 
Upper  Mississippi,  dictates  a  letter  to  me.  The  following  is  an 
extract : — 

"  My  Father — I  have  a  few  remarks  to  make.  Every  morning 
of  the  year  I  wish  to  come  and  see  you.  As  soon  as  I  take  up  my 
paddle  I  fall  sick.  It  is  now  two  years  since  I  began  to  be  sick. 
Sometimes  I  am  better — sometimes  worse.  I  am  pained  in  mind 
that  I  am  not  to  see  you  this  summer. 

"  Since  you  gave  me  the  shonea  nahbekawahgun  (silver  medal) 
I  think  I  have  walked  in  your  commands.  I  have  done  all  I  could 
to  have  the  Indians  sit  still.  Those  that  are  far  off  I  could  not 
sway,  but  those  that  are  near  have  listened  to  me." 

His  influence  to  keep  the  Indians  at  peace,  and  the  reasons 
which  have  hindered  the  influence  in  part,  are  thus,  partly  by 
symbolic  figures,  as  well  expressed  as  could  be  done  by  an  educated 
mind.  I  have  italicised  two  sentences  for  their  peculiarity  of 
thought. 

olst.  Mr.  Featherstonehaugh  expresses  a  wish  to  have  me  point 
out  the  best  map  extant  of  the  eastern  borders  of  the  Upper  Mis 
sissippi,  above  the  point  visited  by  him  in  his  recent  reconnoissance, 
in  order  "  to  avoid  gross  blunders — all  I  do  not  expect  to  avoid  !" 
Why  undertake  to  make  a  map  of  a  part  of  the  country  which  he 
did  not  see  ? 

31s£.  Rev.  Alvan  Coe,  of  Vernon,  0.,  expresses  his  interest  in 
the  provisions  of  the  late  treaty  with  the  Ottawas  and  Chippewas, 
which  regards  their  instruction. 

June  1st.  Mr.  W.  T.  Boutwell,  from  Leech  Lake,  depicts  the 


540  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

present  condition  of  the  Odjibwas  on  the  extreme  sources  of  the 
Mississippi. 

"  There  has  been  nothing,  so  far  as  I  have  discovered,  or  been 
informed,  like  a  disposition  to  go  to  war  this  spring.  There  is, 
evidently,  a  growing  desire  on  the  part  of  not  a  few,  to  cultivate 
their  gardens  more  extensively  and  better.  These  are  making 
gardens  by  the  side  of  me.  I  have  furnished  them  with  seed  and 
lent  them  hoes,  on  condition  that  they  do  not  work  on  the  Sabbath. 
From  fifteen  to  twenty  bushels  of  potatoes  I  have  given  to  one 
and  another  to  plant. 

"  The  Big  Cloud  has  required  his  two  children  to  attend  regu 
larly  to  instruction;  others  occasionally.  The  Elder  Brother  has 
procured  him  a  comfortable  log  house  to  be  built — bought  a  horse 
and  cow.  I  have  bought  a  calf  of  Mr.  A.  for  him. 

"  I  am  making  the  experiment  whether  I  can  keep  cattle  here. 
They  have  wintered  and  passed  the  spring,  and  we  are  now 
favored  with  milk,  which  is  a  rarity  and  luxury  here. 

"Mr.  Aitkin  is  establishing  a  permanent  post  at  Otter  Tail 
Lake.  G.  Bonga  had  gone  with  a  small  assortment  of  goods  to 
build  and  pass  the  summer  there.  The  Indians  are  divided  in 
opinion  and  feeling  with  regard  to  the  measure.  Those  who  be 
long  to  this  lake,  or  who  make  gardens  in  this  vicinity,  are  opposed 
to  the  measure.  Those  who  pass  the  summer  in  the  deer  country 
and  make  rice  towards  the  height  of  land,  are  in  its  favor.  It  is 
on  the  line  dividing  us  and  our  enemies — some  say,  where  we  do 
not  wish  to  go.  Whether  he  has  consulted  the  agent  on  the  sub 
ject,  I  know  not. 

"  The  past  winter  has  been  severe — the  depth  of  snow  greater, 
by  far,  than  has  fallen  for  several  years.  Feb.  1  the  mercury  fell 
to  40°  below  zero.  This  is  the  extreme.  Graduated  on  the  scale 
I  have — it  fell  nearly  into  the  ball." 

$tli.  The  Secretary  of  War  writes  me  a  private  letter,  suggest 
ing  the  employment  of  Mr.  Ryly,  of  Schenectady,  in  carrying  out 
the  large  deliveries  of  goods  ($150,000)  required  by  the  late  treaty, 
and  speaking  most  favorably  of  him,  as  a  former  resident  of  Michi-    j  \ 
gan,  and  a  patriotic  man  in  days  when  patriotism  meant  something. 

~L4ith.  My  brother  James  writes  in  his  usual  frank  and  above- 
board  manner  :  "  If  the  Indians  are  to  audit  accounts  against  the 
Indians  (agreeably  to  the  Senate's  alteration  of  the  treaty),  there 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  541 

will  be  a  pretty  humbug  made  of  it ;  then  he  that  has  most  whisky 
will  get  most  money  " 

July  5th.  Dr.  Eollen  and  lady,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  accompa 
nied  by  Miss  Martineau,  of  England,  visited  me  in  the  morning, 
having  landed  in  the  ship  Milwaukee.  They  had,  previously, 
visited  the  chief  curiosities  and  sights  on  the  island.  Miss  Marti 
neau  expressed  her  gratification  in  having  visited  the  upper  lakes 
and  the  island.  She  said  she  had,  from  early  childhood,  felt  an  inte 
rest  in  them.  I  remarked,  that  I  supposed  she  had  seen  enough  of 
America  and  the  Americans,  to  have  formed  a  definite  opinion,  and 
asked  her  what  she  thought  of  them?  She  said  she  had  not  asked 
herself  that  question.  She  had  hardly  made  up  an  opinion,  and 
did  not  know  what  it  might  be,  on  getting  back  to  England.  She 
thought  society  hardly  formed  here,  that  it  was  rather  early  to 
express  opinions ;  but  she  thought  favorably  of  the  elements  of 
such  a  mixed  society,  as  suited  to  lead  to  the  most  liberal  traits. 
She  spoke  highly  of  Cincinnati,  and  some  other  places,  and  ex 
pressed  an  enthusiastic  admiration  for  the  natural  beauties  of 
Michilimackinack.  She  said  she  had  been  nearly  two  years  in 
America,  and  was  now  going  to  the  seaboard  to  embark  on  her 
return  to  England. 

9th.  Instructions  were  issued  at  "Washington  for  the  execution 
of  the  treaty,  which  had  been  ratified,  with  amendments,  by  the 
Senate. 

10th.  The  admission  of  Michigan  as  one  of  the  States,  had  left 
the  office  of  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  for  the  region,  vacant. 
An  Act  of  Congress,  passed  near  the  close  of  the  session,  had  de 
volved  the  duties  of  this  office  on  the  agent  at  Michilimackinack. 
Instructions  were,  this  day,  issued  to  carry  this  act  into  effect. 

1.2th.  The  chiefs  in  general  council  assembled,  by  special  mes 
sengers  at  the  Agency  at  Mackinack,  this  day  assented  to  the 
Senate's  alterations  of  the  treaty.  Its  principles  were  freely  and 
fully  discussed. 

18f/i  and  14^.  Signatures  continue  to  be  affixed  to  the  articles 
of  assent. 

1.5th.  I  notified  the  various  bands  of  Indians  to  attend  in  mass, 
the  payments,  which  were  appointed  to  commence  on  the  1st  of 
September. 

21th.  A  friend  writes  from  Detroit :  "  Lord  Selkirk,  from  Scot- 


542  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

land,  is  on  his  route  to  Lake  Superior,  and,  as  he  passes  through 
Mackinack,  I  write  to  introduce  him  to  you,  as  a  gentleman  with 
whom  you  would  be  pleased  to  have  more  than  a  transient  associa 
tion.  The  name  of  his  father  is  connected  with  many  north-western 
events  of  much  interest  and  notoriety,  and  a  most  agreeable  recol 
lection  of  his  mother,  Lady  Selkirk,  has  recommended  him  strongly 
to  our  kindness.  I  feel  assured  you  will  befriend  him,  in  the  way 
of  information,  as  to  the  best  means  of  getting  on  to  the  Sault  St. 
Marie." 

I  found  the  bearer  an  easy,  quiet,  young  gentleman,  with  not 
the  least  air  of  pretence  or  superciliousness,  and  one  of  those  men 
to  whom  attentions  ever  become  a  pleasure. 

Aug.  2d.  Hon.  John  Norvell,  U.  S.  S.,  calls  my  attention  to 
the  recent  annexation  to  Michigan  of  the  vast  region  north  of  the 
Straits  of  Michilimackinack. 

"Your  personal  knowledge,"  he  observes,  "  of  the  country  on 
Lake  Superior,  which,  by  a  late  act  of  Congress  has  been  annexed 
to,  and  made  a  part  of  the  State  of  Michigan,  induces  me  respect 
fully  to  request  of  you  information  concerning  the  nature  and 
extent  of  the  territory  thus  attached  to  the  State ;  the  qualities 
of  its  various  soils;  the  timber  and  water-powers  embraced  in  it; 
its  minerals  and  their  probable  value ;  the  extent  of  lake-coast 
added  to  Michigan :  the  fisheries  and  their  probable  value  and 
duration ;  the  capabilities  and  conveniences  of  Lake  Superior  and 
the  northern  Michigan  shores,  and  the  cheapness  and  facility  with 
which  a  communication  may  be  opened  with  the  lower  lakes ; 
together  with  such  other  information  as  it  may  be  in  your  power 
to  furnish,  and  as  may  enable  the  people  of  Michigan  duly  to  ap 
preciate  the  importance  of  the  acquisition."  Vide  Letters  of 
Albion  in  reply. 

16th.  Mr.  Daniel  B.  Woods,  of  New  York,  announces  the  pro 
ject  of  the  publication  of  "a  religious  and  missionary  souvenir," 
and  solicits  my  aid  in  the  preparation  of  an  article. 

26th.  The  citizens,  merchants,  and  traders  of  the  town  agree 
not  to  sell  or  furnish  whisky  or  ardent  spirits  to  the  Indians  during 
the  payments  and  preliminary  examinations — a  conclusive  evidence 
this  that,  where  the  interests  of  the  population  combine  to  stop  the 
traffic  in  ardent  spirits,  it  requires  no  Congressional  or  State  laws. 

Sept.  26th.  John  G.  Palfrey,  Esq.,  editor  of  the  North  Ame- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  543 

rican  Review,  wishes  me  to  review  Mr.  Gallatin's  forthcoming  paper 
on  the  Indian  languages,  which  is  ahout  to  appear  in  the  second 
volume  of  the  collections  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society. 

28th.  A  busy  business  summer,  replete  with  incident  and  ex 
citement  on  the  island,  closes  this  day  by  the  termination  of  the 
several  classes  of  payments  made  under  the  treaty  of  March  28th, 
1836.  Upwards  of  four  thousand  Indians  have  been  encamped 
along  the  pebbly  beaches  and  coves  of  the  island,  and  subsisted  by 
the  Indian  Department  for  about  a  month.  To  these  an  annuity 
of  $42,000  has  been  paid  per  capita.  Of  these  there  were  143 
chiefs,  namely,  25  of  the  first  class,  51  of  the  second,  and  67  of 
the  third  class,  who  received  an  additional  payment  of  $30,000. 
In  addition  to  the  provisions  consumed,  two  thousand  dollars  worth 
of  flour,  pork,  rice,  and  corn  were  delivered  to  the  separate  villages 
in  bulk  prior  to  their  departure,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou 
sand  dollars  in  the  best  quality  of  Indian  goods  and  merchandise, 
cutlery,  and  other  articles  of  prime  necessity,  systematically 
divided  amongst  the  mass.  The  sum  of  two  hundred  and  twenty 
thousand  dollars  has  been  paid  on  accounts  exhibited  to  the  agent, 
and  approved  by  the  creditors  of  the  two  tribes.  One  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars  have  also  been  paid  to  the  half-breed 
relatives  of  the  two  tribes  on  carefully  prepared  lists. 

These  several  duties  required  care  and  involved  responsibilities 
of  no  ordinary  character.  They  have  been  shared  by  Major  H. 
Whiting,  the  Paymaster  of  the  Northern  Department,  by  whom 
the  funds  were  exclusively  paid,  and  John  W.  Edwards,  Esq.,  of 
New  York,  who  divided  the  half-breed  fund,  to  both  of  whom  I 
am  indebted  for  the  diligence  with  which  they  addressed  them 
selves  to  the  duty,  and  the  kindness  and  urbanity  of  their  manners. 

So  large  an  assemblage  of  red  and  white  men  probably  never 
assembled  here  before,  and  a  greater  degree  of  joy  and  satisfac 
tion  was  never  evinced  by  the  same  number.  The  Indians  went 
away  with  their  canoes  literally  loaded  with  all  an  Indian  wants, 
from  silver  to  a  steel  trap,  and  a  practical  demonstration  was  given 
which  will  shut  their  mouths  forever  with  regard  to  the  oft-repeated 
scandal  of  the  stinginess  and  injustice  of  the  American  govern 
ment. 

Not  a  man  was  left,  of  any  caste  or  shade  of  nativity,  to  utter 
a  word  to  gainsay  or  cavil  with  the  noble  and  high  public  manner 


544  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

in  which  these  proceedings  were  done.  The  blood-relatives  of  the 
Indian  found  that  the  two  nations,  actuated  by  a  sense  of  their 
kindness  and  real  friendship  for  years,  had  remembered  them  in 
the  day  of  their  prosperity.  The  large  number  of  Indian  credit 
ors,  who  had  toiled  and  suffered  and  lost  property  in  a  trade  which 
is  always  hazardous,  were  glad  in  seeing  the  ample  provision  for 
their  payment. 

The  agents  of  the  government  also  rejoiced  in  the  happy  ter 
mination  of  their  labors,  and  the  drum,  whose  roll  had  carried 
away  the  troops  who  had  been  present  to  preserve  order,  now 
converted  to  a  symbol  of  peace,  was  never  more  destined  to  be 
beaten  to  assemble  white  men  to  march  in  hostility  against  these 
tribes.  They  were  forever  our  friends.  What  war  had  not  accom 
plished,  the  arts  of  peace  certainly  had.  Kindness,  justice,  and 
liberality,  like  the  "  still  small  voice"  at  Sinai,  had  done  what  the 
whirlwind  and  the  tempest  failed  to  do. 

Fourteen  years  before,  I  had  taken  the  management  of  these 
tribes  in  hand,  to  conduct  their  intercourse  and  to  mould  and  guide 
their  feelings,  on  the  part  of  the  government.  They  were  then 
poor,  in  a  region  denuded  of  game,  and  without  one  dollar  in  annui 
ties.  They  were  yet  smarting  under  the  war  of  1812,  and  all  but 
one  man,  the  noble  Wing,  or  Ningwegon,  hostile  to  the  American 
name.  They  were  now  at  the  acme  of  Indian  hunter  prosperity, 
with  every  want  supplied,  and  a  futurity  of  pleasing  anticipation. 
They  were  friends  of  the  American  government.  I  had  allied  myself 
to  the  race.  I  was  earnest  and  sincere  in  desiring  and  advancing 
their  welfare.  I  was  gratified  with  a  result  so  auspicious  to  every 
humane  and  exalted  wish. 

War,  ye  wild  tribes,  hath  no  rewards  like  this ; 
;Tis  peaceful  labors  that  result  in  bliss. 

29fA.  Baron  de  Behr,  Minister  of  Belgium,  presented  himself 
at  my  office.  He  was  cordially  received,  although  bringing  me 
no  letter  to  apprize  me  of  his  official  standing  at  Washington. 
He  had  been  to  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and  visited  the  entrance  into 
Lake  Superior.  He  presented  me  a  petrifaction  picked  up  on 
Drummond  Island,  and  looked  at  my  cabinet  with  interest. 

The  troops  under  Major  Hoffman  embarked  in  a  steamer  for 
Detroit.  Also  Major  Whiting,  the  U.  S.  Paymaster,  and  Mr. 
Edmonds,  my  adjuncts  in  official  labor. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


545 


Oct.  YltJi.  Old  friends  from  Middlebury,  Vermont,  came  up  in  a 
steamer  bound  to  Green  Bay,  among  whom  I  was  happy  to  recog 
nize  Mrs.  Henshaw,  mother  of  the  bishop  of  that  name  of  Rhode 
Island. 

ISth.  Alfred  Schoolcraft,  who  had  commenced  the  study  of 
ornithology  with  decided  ability,  hands  me  the  following  list  of 
birds,  which  have  been  observed  to  extend  their  visits  to  this 
island  and  the  basin  of  Lake  Huron. 


Common  Name. 

Order. 

Family. 

Genus. 

Brown  Thrush 

Passeres 

Canori 

Turdus 

T.  Rufus. 

Cedar  Bird 

« 

Sericati 

Bonelycilla 

B.  Carolinensis. 

Canada  Jay 

u 

Gregarii 

Corvus 

C.  Canadensis. 

Crow- 

(c 

u 

« 

C.  Corone. 

House  Wren 

<( 

<( 

Trylodites 

T.  Edom. 

Blue  Jay 

(< 

« 

Corvus 

C.  Vociferus, 

Raven 

u 

(t 

« 

C.  Corax. 

Snow  Bird 

( 

Passerini 

Fringilla 

F.  Hyemalis. 

Sing  Cicily 

( 

" 

" 

F.  Melodia. 

Robin 

( 

Canori 

Turdus 

T.  Migratoria. 

( 

Passerini 

Loxia 

L.  Corvurostra. 

Red  Winged  Starling 

c 

Gregarii 

Icterus 

I.  Phoenicus. 

Goldfinch 

c 

Passerini 

Fringilla 

F.  Trislis. 

Little  Owl 

Accipetres 

Stapaces 

Stryx 

S. 

Sparrow  Hawk 

u 

it 

Falco 

F.  Sparverius. 

Golden  Plover 

Gralle 

Pressirostre 

Charadrus 

C.  Plurailis. 

Woodcock 

ci 

Semicole 

Scolipax 

S.  Minor. 

Green  Winged  Teal 

Lamelasodenta 

Anas 

Anas  Crecca. 

Wood  Duck 

K 

(C 

A.  Sponsa. 

Golden  Eyed  Duck 

u 

Fatigula 

F.  Clengula. 

Hooping  Crane 

Herodii 

Grus 

G.  Americana. 

Kingfisher 

Passeres 

Augubrostres 

Alcedo 

A.  Alcyon. 

Loon 

Pygopodes 

Colymbus 

C.  Glacialis. 

Partridge 

Galinacia 

Perdix 

P.  Virginiana. 

Of  their  habits  he  appends  the  following  remarks: — 
"The  Canada  Jay  (Q.   Canadensis)  preys  upon  smaller  birds 
of  the  sparrow  kind.    This  fact  has  been  related  to  me  by  persons 
of  undoubted  veracity,  and  I  have  myself  seen  one  of  them  in 
pursuit  of  small  birds. 

"There  is  a  small  species  of  sparrow,  that  inhabits  the  forests 
near  the  settlements  in  this  region,  of  a  very  interesting  character. 
It  matters  not  how  intense  the  cold,  it  never  deserts  our  woods, 
but  remains  hunting  for  insects  in  the  cavities  and  among  the 
branches  of  the  trees  with  the  most  assiduous  caution.  They 
hatch  their  young  in  holes,  which  they  perforate  in  decayed  trees 
with  their  sharp  bills.  If  a  person  happens  to  come  near  their 
35 


546  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

nests  during  the  time  of  incubation,  it  vociferates  most  strenuously 
against  the  intrusion,  while  its  feathers  expand,  its  eyes  sparkle 
with  rage,  and  it  darts  from  branch  to  branch  with  the  most  as 
tonishing  rapidity.  It  is  frequently  to  be  seen  near  our  houses  in 
the  winter,  and  in  the  most  severe  and  inclement  weather  they 
will  tend,  by  their  chirping  and  gambols,  to  amuse  and  enliven  our 
minds,  while  at  the  same  time  they  afford  us  an  entertaining  study. 

"Their  wants  are  very  small.  If  a  piece  of  meat,  weighing 
two  or  three  pounds,  is  hung  against  some  tree  or  fence  near  to 
our  houses  in  the  winter,  we  can  have  the  pleasure  of  witnessing 
them  merrily  banqueting  on  it  every  day  for  several  weeks. 

"  Sandpipers  of  the  smaller  kinds  can  swim  on  the  surface  of 
the  water,  dive  beneath  and  remain  under  it  with  the  same  facility 
as  the  duck  and  other  aquatic  birds,  although  they  do  not  make 
use  of  this  property  unless  driven  to  extremity.  This  fact  I  can 
pledge  my  veracity  on  from  personal  observation.  They  need  not 
use  this  power  of  swimming  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  food,  as 
the  substances  on  which  they  subsist  are  found  on  the  margin  of 
the  water." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  547 


CHAPTER    LVIII. 

Value  of  the  equivalent  territory  granted  to  Michigan,  by  Congress,  for  the 
disputed  Ohio  boundary — Rapid  improvement  of  Michigan — Allegan — 
Indian  legend — Baptism  and  death  of  Kagcosh,  a  very  aged  chief  at  St. 
Mary's — New  system  of  writing  Indian,  proposed  by  Mr.  Nash — Indian 
names  for  new  towns — A  Bishop's  notion  of  the  reason  for  applying  to 
Government  for  education  funds  under  Indian  treaties — Mr.  Gallatin's 
paper  on  the  Indians — The  temperance  movement. 

1836.  Oct.  27th.  I  EMBARKED  this  day,  at  Michilimackinack, 
with  my  family,  for  Detroit,  to  assume  the  duties  of  the  superin- 
tendency  at  that  point.  Nothing,  demanding  notice,  occurred  on 
the  passage ;  we  reached  our  destination  on  the  30th.  Political 
feeling  still  ran  high  respecting  the  terms  of  admission  proposed 
by  Congress  to  Michigan,  and  the  convention,  which  recently  met 
at  Ann  Arbor,  refused  their  assent  to  these  terms,  under  a  mis 
taken  view  of  the  case,  as  I  think,  and  the  lead  of  rash  and  heady 
advisors  ;  for  there  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  the  large  area 
of  territory  in  the  upper  country,  offered  as  an  equivalent  for 
the  disputed  boundary  with  Ohio,  will  be  found  of  far  greater  value 
and  importance  to  the  State  than  the  "seven  mile  strip"  surren 
dered — an  opinion,  the  grounds  of  which  are  discussed  in  my 
"  Albion"  letters.  I  expressed  this  opinion  in  the  spring  of  the 
year,  before  the  Judiciary  Committee  of  the  Senate,  where  I  at 
tended,  on  the  invitation  of  Hon.  Silas  Wright,  to  impart  informa 
tion,  which  I  was  supposed  to  possess,  on  the  geography  and  natural 
resources  of  the  Lake  Superior  region. 

Nov.  2d.  Mr.  J.  G.  Palfrey,  acting  editor  of  the  N.  A.  Review, 
invites  me  to  become  a  contributor  to  the  pages  of  that  standard 
periodical. 

8th.  No  territory  in  the  Union  has  required  so  long,  so  very 
long  a  time  for  its  appreciation,  as  Michigan,  and  now,  that  emi 
gration  is  freely  coming  in,  it  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  very  rapid 


548  PERSONAL  MEMOIR& 

improvement  of  places.  An  instance  of  the  kind  occurs  in  the  de 
tails  of  a  letter  which  I  have  just  received.  "It  may  not  be  amiss," 
says  Mr.  A.  L.  Ely,  "to  give  you  a  short  description  of  the  growth  of 
Allegan.  The  site  was  bought  at  government  prices,  in  the  spring 
of  1833,  by  two  gentlemen  now  living  at  Bronson,  namely,  Anthony 
Cooly  and  Stephen  Vickery.  In  November  of  that  year,  my  father, 
who  was  then  in  Michigan  looking  for  a  location,  both  for  him  and 
myself,  purchased  for  me  one-third  of  the  property,  there  being 
in  all  about  452  acres  of  land,  for  which  he  paid  $1750.  In  June, 
1834,  wre  sent  one  family  from  Rochester,  who  built  two  log 
houses,  and  grubbed  the  ground  for  a  mill  race.  In  October,  1834, 
Mr.  Sidney  Ketchum,  as  agent  for  some  gentlemen  in  Boston, 
purchased  all  the  interests  in  the  property,  except  those  held  by 
me,  for  something  under  $5,000. 

"  The  winter  of  '34  and  '35  was  spent  in  making  roads,  and 
getting  provisions  together,  and  preparing  to  commence  improve 
ments.  In  April,  1835,  we  commenced  the  dam  and  canal  for  a 
double  saw  mill,  which  were  completed  that  fall.  In  May,  our 
plat  was  laid  out  in  lots.  In  June,  we  commenced  selling  them. 
We  have  sold  up  to  this  date  175  lots.  In  June,  1835,  the  second 
family  came  into  the  place.  In  November,  the  first  merchant 
commenced  selling  goods.  In  December,  we  commenced  the  erec 
tion  of  a  small  building  for  a  church ;  it  was  completed  in  May, 
1836,  and  a  few  days  after,  accidentally  burnt  down. 

"  There  are  now  (Nov.  1836)  in  Allegan  three  stores,  two  large 
taverns,  a  cupola  furnace,  a  chairmaker's  shop,  two  cabinet  shops, 
two  blacksmiths,  a  shoemaker's  shop,  a  tailor's  shop,  a  school 
house  20  by  40,  costing  $1200  ;  about  40  frame  buildings,  and  over 
500  people." 

IQth.  I  have  for  many  years  been  collecting  from  the  Indian 
lodges  a  species  of  oral  fictitious  legends,  which  attest  in  the  race 
no  little  power  of  imagination  ;  and  certainly  exhibit  them  in  a 
different  light  from  any  in  which  they  have  been  heretofore  viewed. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  McMurray,  of  St.  Mary's,  transmits  me  a  story  of 
this  kind,  obtained  some  two  months  ago  by  his  wife  (who  is  a 
descendant,  by  the  mother's  side,  of  Chippewa  parents)  from  one 
of  the  natives.  This  tale  impressed  me  as  worthy  of  being  pre 
served.  I  have  applied  to  it,  from  one  of  its  leading  traits,  the 
name  of  The  Enchanted  Moccasons."  "  I  have  written  the  story," 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  549 

he  remarks,  "  as  near  the  language  in  which  Charlotte  repeated  it 
as  possible,  leaving  you  the  task  to  clothe  it  with  such  garb  as 
may  suit  those  which  you  have  already  collected,  or  as  the  sub 
stance  will  merit." 

Sept.  7f/i.  Mr.  McMurray  (who  is  an  Episcopal  Missionary  at 
St.  Mary's)  announces  the  death  of  one  of  the  principal  and  most 
aged  chiefs  of  the  Odjibwas,  in  that  quarter  of  the  country — 
Kagcosh.  "  He  bade  adieu  to  this  world  of  trouble  last  evening 
at  sunset.  I  visited  him  about  two  weeks  since,  and  conversed 
with  him  on  religious  subjects,  to  which  he  gave  the  utmost  atten 
tion,  and  on  that  occasion  requested  me  to  baptize  him,  I  told  him 
that  I  was  willing  to  do  so  whenever  I  could,  without  leaving  a 
doubt  in  my  mind  as  to  his  preparedness  for  the  rite.  I,  however, 
promised,  if  his  mind  did  not  change,  to  administer  it  soon.  He 
sent  for  me  the  day  before  he  died,  and  requested  me  again,  with 
out  delay,  to  baptize  him,  which  I  did,  and  have  every  reason  to 
believe  that  he  understood  and  felt  the  necessity  of  it." 

This  venerable  chief  must  have  been  about  ninety  years  of  age. 
His  head  was  white.  He  was  about  six  feet  two  inches  in  height, 
lithe  of  form,  and  long  featured,  with  a  grave  countenance,  and  cra 
nial  developments  of  decided  intellectuality.  He  was  of  the  Crane 
totem,  the  reigning  family  of  that  place,  and  the  last  survivor  of 
seven  brothers,  of  whom  Shingabowossin,  who  died  in  the  fall  of 
1828,  was  noted  as  the  most  distinguished,  and  as  a  good  speaker. 
He  was  entitled  to  $500,  under  the  treaty  of  28th  March,  as  one 
of  the  first  class  chiefs  of  his  nation. 

Nov.  2d.  Rev.  Mr.  Nash  presented  me  letters  as  a  missionary 
to  the  Chippewas.  He  had  prepared  a  new  set  of  characters  by 
which  to  write  that  language,  and  presented  me  a  copy  of  it.  Every 
one  is  not  a  Cadmus,  and  the  want  of  success  which  has,  therefore, 
attended  the  efforts  at  new  systems  of  signs  to  express  sounds, 
should  teach  men  that  it  is  easier,  and  there  are  more  practical 
advantages  attending  the  use  of  an  old  and  well-known  system,  like 
that  of  the  English  alphabet,  than  a  new  and  unknown  system, 
however  ingenious  and  exact.  The  misfortune  is  that  all  attempts 
of  this  sort,  like  new  systems  of  notation  with  the  Roman  alphabet, 
are  designed  rather  to  show  that  their  authors  are  inventive  and 
exact,  than  to  benefit  the  Indian  race.  For  if  an  Indian  be 
taught  by  these  systems  to  read,  yet  he  can  read  nothing  but 


550  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

books  prepared  for  him  by  this  system ;  and  the  whole  body  of 
English  literature,  history,  and  poetry,  is  a  dead  letter  to  him. 
Above  all,  he  cannot  read  the  English  version  of  the  Bible. 

23d.  A  friend  asked  me  to  furnish  him  an  aboriginal  name  for  a 
new  town.  I  gave  him  the  choice  of  several.  He  selected  Algonac. 
In  this  word  the  particle  ac,  is  taken  from  ace,  land  or  earth; 
and  its  prefixed  dissyllable  Algon,  from  the  word  Algonquin.  This 
system,  by  which  a  part  of  a  word  is  made  to  stand  for,  and  carry 
the  meaning  of  a  whole  word,  is  common  to  Indian  compound  sub 
stantives.  Thus  Wa-iue-a-tun-ong,  the  Algonquin  name  for  Detroit, 
is  made  up  from  the  term  wa-ive,  a  roundabout  course,  atun  a  chan 
nel,  and  ong,  locality.  Our  geographical  terminology  might  be 
greatly  mended  by  this  system.  At  least  repetition,  by  some  such 
attention  to  our  geographical  names,  to  the  liability  of  misdirect 
ing  letters,  might  be,  to  a  great  extent,  avoided. 

24th.  Mr.  Bishop  Rese,  of  the  Catholic  Church,  called  to  make 
some  inquiry  respecting  a  provision  in  the  late  treaty,  designed  to 
benefit  his  church.  I  had  traveled  on  the  lake  with  the  Bishop. 
He  is  a  short,  club  nosed,  smiling  man,  of  a  quizzical  physiognomy. 
He  asked  me  what  I  supposed  was  the  cause  of  the  press  for  the 
treaty  appropriations  for  educations,  by  Protestant  missions.  I 
told  him  that  I  supposed  the  conversion  of  the  souls  of  the  Indians 
constituted  the  object  of  these  applications.  "  Poh !  poh  !"  said  he, 
"  it  is  the  money  itself." 

Dec.  19th.  Mr.  Gallatin's  Synopsis  of  the  Indian  Tribes  is  for 
warded  to  me  for  a  review.  "  The  publication,"  says  Mr.  Palfrey, 
"  of  the  second  volume  of  Transactions  of  the  American  Antiqua 
rian  /Society  was  delayed  considerably  beyond  the  time  appointed. 
It  was  only  a  week  ago  that  a  copy  reached  me.  I  transmit  it  by 
mail.  Should  it  not  reach  you  within  a  week  after  the  receipt  of 
this,  will  you  have  the  goodness  to  inform  me,  and  I  will  forthwith 
let  another  copy  try  its  fortune." 

23d.  The  temperance  movement  has  excited  the  community  of 
Detroit  this  season,  as  a  subject  essential  to  the  cause  of  sound 
morals.  Its  importance  is  undeniable  on  all  hands,  but  there  is 
always  a  tendency  in  new  measures  of  reform,  to  make  the  me 
thod  insisted  on  a  sort  of  moral  panacea,  capable  of  doing  all 
things,  to  the  no  little  danger  of  setting  up  a  standard  higher  than 
that  of  the  Decalogue  itself.  In  the  midst  of  this  tendency  to 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  551 

ultraism,  the  least  particle  of  conservative  opinion  would  be  seized 
upon  by  its  leaders  as  the  want  of  a  thorough  acquiescence  and 
heartiness  in  the  cause.  Rev.  Mr.  Cleaveland  transmits  me  a 
resolution  of  the  "Total  Abstinence  City  Temperance  Society," 
for  an  address  to  be  delivered  in  one  week.  "Do  not,  do  not,  do 
not,"  he  remarks,  "say  us  nay." 

I  determined  to  devote  two  or  three  winter  evenings  to  gratify 
this  desire. 


552  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS, 


CHAPTER    LIX. 

Difficulties  resulting  from  a  false  impression  of  the  Indian  character — Treaty 
with  the  Saginaws — Ottawas  of  Grand  River  establish  themselves  in  a 
colony  in  Barry  County — Payments  to  the  Ottawas  of  Maumee,  Ohio — 
Temperance — Assassination  of  young  Aitkin  by  an  Indian  at  Leech  Lake 
— Mackinack  mission  abandoned — "VVyandots  complain  of  a  trespass  from 
a  mill-dam — Mohegans  of  Green  Bay  apply  for  aid  on  their  way  to  visit 
Stockbridge,  Mass. — Mohegan  traditions — Historical  Society — Programme 
of  a  tour  in  the  East — Parental  disobedience — Indian  treaties — Dr.  War 
ren's  Collection  of  Crania — Hebrew  language — Geology — "  Goods  offer"- 
Mrs.  Jameson — Mastodon's  tooth  in  Michigan — Captain  Marryatt — The 
Icelandic  language — Munsees — Speech  of  Little  Bear  Skin  chief,  or  Mu- 
konsewyan. 

OFFICE  INDIAN  AFFAIRS,  DETROIT. 

1837.  Jan.  §th.  DIFFICULTIES  are  reported  as  existing  be 
tween  a  party  of  Indians  (of  about  fifteen  souls)  of  Bobish,  and 
the  settlers  of  Coldwater,  Branch  county,  (township  8,  S.  range, 
5  west.)  About  forty  families  have  settled  there  within  the  last 
fall  and  summer.  The  Indians,  who  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
making  sugar  and  hunting  on  the  public  lands,  are  disposed  not 
to  relinquish  these  privileges,  probably  not  understanding  fully 
their  right.  Mutual  threats  have  passed,  which  are  repeated  by 
Thomas  G.  Holden,  who  requests  the  interposition  of  the  Depart 
ment. 

Settlers  generally  move  into  the  new  districts  with  strong  pre 
judices  against  the  Indians,  whom  they  regard,  mistakingly,  as 
thirsting  for  blood  and  plunder.  It  only  requires  a  little  concilia 
tion,  and  proper  explanations,  as  in  this  case,  to  induce  them  at 
once  to  adopt  the  proper  course. 

14:th.  Articles  of  a  new  treaty  were  this  day  signed  at  my  of 
fice,  by  the  Saginaw  chiefs,  for  the  sale  of  all  their  reservations 
in  Michigan.  These  reservations  were  made  under  the  treaty 
of  September  24th,  1819.  They  were  ceded  by  them  at  Wash- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  553 

ington,  in  the  spring  of  1836,  but  the  terms,  and  particularly  the 
advance  of  money  stipulated  to  be  made,  were  deemed  too  liberal 
by  the  Senate,  and,  in  consequence,  the  treaty  was  rejected.  The 
object  is  now  attained  in  a  manner  which,  it  is  hoped,  will  prove 
satisfactory.  By  this,  as  the  former  treaty,  this  tribe  are  allowed 
the  entire  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  their  lands. 

20th.  Rev.  Mr.  Slater  reports  that  the  Ottawas  of  Grand  River, 
who  were  parties  to  the  treaty  of  28th  of  March,  have  purchased 
lands  in  Barry  county  for  the  $6,400  allowed  by  the  ninth  article 
of  the  treaty,  in  trust  for  Chiminonoquet ;  and  that  a  mission 
has  been  established  on  the  lands  purchased,  which  is  called  Ottawa 
Colony.  Difficulties  have  occurred  with  pre-emption  claimants  in 
the  same  lands. 

31s£.  Captain  Simonton  reports  the  payment  of  the  annuity, 
amounting  to  $1,700,  due  to  the  Ottawas  of  Maumee,  Ohio.  The 
entire  number  of  persons  paid  by  him  was  four  hundred  and  thirty- 
three,  dividing  a  fraction  under  $4  per  soul.  In  these  payments 
old  and  young  fare  alike.  Henry  Connor,  Esq.,  the  interpreter 
present,  confirms  the  report  of  the  equal  division,  per  capita, 
among  the  Indians,  and  the  satisfaction  which  attended  the  pay 
ment,  on  their  part. 

Feb.  1st.  Delivered  an  address  at  the  Presbyterian  Church,  be 
fore  a  crowded  audience,  on  the  temperance  movement,  showing 
that  the  whole  question  to  be  decided  was,  in  which  class  of  mode 
rate  drinkers  men  elected  themselves  to  be  arranged,  and  that 
ardent  spirits,  as  a  beverage,  were  wholly  unnecessary  to  a  healthy 
constitution. 

Transmitted  to  Mr.  Palfrey  a  review  of  Mr.  Gallatin's  "  Synop 
sis  of  the  Indian  Tribes  of  America." 

Feb.  1st.  Mr.  William  A.  Aitkin  writes  from  Sandy  Lake : 
"  Since  I  left  you  at  St.  Peter's  I  have  had  a  severe  trial  to  go 
through.  I  came  up  by  Swan  River,  but  heard  nothing  there 
of  the  melancholy  event  which  had  taken  place  during  my  absence 
at  Upper  Red  Cedar  Lake.  My  eldest  son  had  been  placed  at  that 
place  last  fall,  in  charge  of  that  post.  You  saw  him,  I  believe, 
last  summer ;  he  was  in  charge  of  Leech  Lake  when  you  were  at 
that  place.  He  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-two  years  of  age,  of 
a  very  amiable  temper,  humane  and  brave,  possessed  of  the  most 
unbounded  obedience  to  my  will,  and  of  the  most  filial  aifection 


554  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

for  my  person.  This,  my  son,  was  murdered  in  the  most  atrocious 
manner  by  a  bloody  monster  of  an  Indian.  My  poor  boy  had 
arrived  the  evening  previous  to  the  bloody  act,  from  a  voyage  to 
Red  Lake.  Early  the  next  morning  he  sent  off  all  the  men  he 
had  to  Lake  Winnipeck,  excepting  one  Frenchman,  to  bring  up  some 
things  which  he  had  left  there  in  the  fall.  A  short  time  after  his 
men  had  gone,  he  sent  the  remaining  man  to  bring  some  water 
from  the  river ;  the  man  returned  into  the  house  immediately,  and 
told  him  an  Indian  had  broken  open  the  store,  and  was  in  it.  He 
went  very  deliberately  to  the  store,  took  hold  of  the  villain,  who 
tried  to  strike  him  with  his  tomahawk,  dragged  him  out  of  the 
store  and  disarmed  him  of  his  axe,  threw  him  on  the  ground, 
and  then  let  him  go — and  was  turned  round  in  the  act  of  locking 
the  store-door.  The  villain  stepped  behind  the  door,  where  he  had 
hid  his  gun,  came  on  him  unawares  and  shot  him  dead,  without  the 
least  previous  provocation  whatever  on  the  part  of  my  poor  lost 
boy.  When  arrived,  I  found  the  feelings  of  every  one  prepared 
for  vengeance.  I  immediately,  without  one  moment's  loss  of  time, 
proceeded  to  Leech  Lake.  In  a  moment  there  were  twenty  half- 
breeds  gathered  round,  with  Francis  Brunette  at  their  head,  full- 
armed,  ready  to  execute  any  commands  that  I  should  give  them. 
We  went  immediately  to  the  camp  where  the  villain  was,  beyond 
Red  Cedar  Lake,  determined  to  cut  off  the  whole  band  if  they 
should  raise  a  finger  in  his  defence.  Our  mutual  friend,  Mr.  Bout- 
well,  joined  the  party,  with  his  musket  on  his  shoulder,  as  a  man 
and  a  Christian,  for  he  knew  it  was  a  righteous  cause,  and  that 
the  arm  of  God  was  with  him.  We  arrived  on  the  wretches  un 
awares,  disarmed  the  band,  and  dragged  the  monster  from  his  lodge. 
I  would  have  put  the  villain  to  death  in  the  midst  of  his  relations, 
but  Mr.  Boutwell  advised  it  would  be  better  to  take  him  where  he 
might  be  made  an  example  of.  The  monster  escaped  from  us  two 
days  after  we  had  taken  him,  but  my  half-breeds  pursued  him  for 
six  days  and  brought  him  back,  and  he  is  now  on  his  way  to  St. 
Peter's  in  irons,  under  a  strong  guard.  My  dear  friend,  I  cannot 
express  to  you  the  anguish  of  my  heart  at  this  present  moment. 

"The  Indians  of  all  this  department  have  behaved  like  villains 
during  my  absence,  particularly  the  Indians  of  Leech  Lake,  com 
mitting  the  greatest  depredations  on  our  people,  and  would  surely 
have  murdered  them  if  they  had  shown  the  least  disposition  to 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  555 

resist  their  aggravations.  You  will  excuse  me  from  giving  you  any 
other  news  at  present.  I'm  not  in  a  state  of  mind  to  do  it." 

Feb.  3d.  Rev.  David  Green,  of  Boston,  communicates  the  deter 
mination  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  to 
break  up  and  abandon  the  school  and  mission  at  Mackinack.  This 
decision  I  have  long  feared,  and  cannot  but  deplore.  The  school 
is  large,  and  the  education  of  many  of  the  pupils  is  such  that  in  a 
few  years  they  would  make  useful  practicable  men  and  women, 
and  carry  a  Christian  influence  over  a  wide  circle.  By  dispersing 
them  now  the  labor  is  to  some  extent  lost. 

6th.  Received  a  vote  of  thanks  of  the  Detroit  Total  Abstinence 
Society,  for  my  temperance  address  of  the  1st  instant,  which  is 
courteously  called  "  elegant  and  appropriate."  So,  ho  ! 

22d.  A  party  of  Wyandots  from  the  River  Huron,  of  Michigan, 
visited  the  office.  They  complain  that  trespasses  are  committed 
by  settlers  on  the  lands  reserved  to  them.  The  trespasses  arise 
from  the  construction  of  mill-dams,  by  which  their  grounds  are 
overflowed.  They  asked  whether  they  hold  the  reservation  for  fifty 
years  or  otherwise.  I  replied  that  they  hold  them,  by  the  terms 
of  the  treaty,  as  long  as  they  shall  have  any  posterity  to  live  on 
the  lands.  They  only  escheat  to  the  United  States  in  failure  of 
this.  But  that  I  would  send  an  agent  to  inquire  into  the  jus 
tice  of  their  complaint,  and  to  redress  it. 

24£/j.  Robert  Kankapot  presents  himself  with  about  twenty  fol 
lowers.  He  is  a  Stockbridge  Indian  of  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin, 
on  his  way  to  the  East.  He  is  short  of  funds,  and  asks  for  re 
lief.  No  annuity  or  other  funds  are  payable,  at  this  office,  to  this 
tribe.  I  deemed  his  plea,  however,  a  reasonable  one,  and  loaned 
him  personally  one  hundred  dollars. 

I  detained  him  with  some  historical  questions.  He  says  he  is 
sixty-four  years  of  age,  that  he  was  born  in  Stockbridge,  on  the 
head  of  the  Housatonic  River,  in  Massachusetts.  From  this  town 
they  take  their  present  name.  They  are,  however,  the  descendants 
of  the  ancient  Mohegans,  who  lived  on  the  sea  coast  and  in  the 
Hudson  Valley.  They  were  instructed  by  the  Rev.  Jonathan 
Edwards,  the  eminent  theologian,  who  was  afterwards  president  of 
Princeton  College.  Their  first  migration  was  into  New  Stockbridge, 
in  Oneida  County,  New  York,  where  the  Oneida  tribe  assigned 
them  lands.  This  was  about  the  era  of  the  American  Revolution, 


556  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

They  next  went,  about  1822,  to  Fox  River  of  Green  Bay,  where 
they  now  reside.  Their  oldest  chief,  at  that  point,  is  Metoxon, 
who  is  now  sixty-nine. 

He  says  his  remote  ancestry  were  from  Long  Island  (Metoacs), 
and  that  Montauk  means  great  sea  island.  (This  does  not  appear 
probable  philologically.)  He  says  the  opposite  coast,  across  the 
East  River,  was  called  Monhautonuk.  He  afterwards,  the  next 
day,  said  that  Long  Island  was  called  Paum-nuJc-kah-huk. 

March  ~Lst.  To  a  friend  abroad  I  wrote:  "I  have  written  during 
the  winter  an  article  on  Mr.  Gallatin's  recently  published  paper 
on  the' Indian  languages,  entitled  .A  Synopsis  of  the  Indian  Tribes, 
which  is  published  by  the  American  Antiquarian  Society.  It  was 
with  great  reluctance  that  I  took  up  the  subject,  and  when  I  did,  I 
have  been  so  complete  a  fact  hunter  all  my  life,  that  I  found  it  as 
difficult  to  lay  it  down.  The  result  is  probably  an  article  too  long 
for  ninety-nine  readers  out  of  a  hundred,  and  too  short  for  the  hun 
dredth  man." 

8th.  Mr.  Palfrey  acknowledges  the  safe  arrival  of  my  article 
for  the  North  American  Review. 

The  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions 
decline  $6000  for  the  abandoned  missionary  house  at  Mackinack, 
offered  under  the  view  of  its  being  converted  into  a  dormitory  for 
receiving  Indian  visitors  at  that  point  under  the  provisions  of  the 
treaty  of  1836. 

Vlth.  Received  a  letter  of  thanks  from  old  Zachariah  Chusco, 
the  converted  Jos-sa-keed,  for  kindness. 

23J.  Received  a  commission  from  Gov.  Mason,  appointing  me  a 
regent  of  the  University  of  Michigan. 

2'2d.  The  Historical  Society  of  Michigan  hold  their  annual 
meeting  at  my  office.  In  the  election  for  officers  I  was  honored 
by  being  selected  its  President.  A  deep  interest  in  historical 
letters  had  been  manifested  by  this  institution  since  its  organiza 
tion  in  1828,  particularly  in  the  history  of  the  aboriginal  tribes,  and 
means  have  been  put  on  foot  for  the  collection  of  facts.  To  these, 
the  recent  and  extraordinary  settlement  of  the  country  by  emigra 
tion  from  the  East,  has  added  a  new  branch  of  inquiry,  respecting 
town,  county,  and  neighborhood  settlements.  Much  of  this  is  held 
in  the  memory  of  old  persons,  and  will  be  lost  if  not  gleaned  up  and 
preserved  in  the  shape  of  narratives.  Resolutions  for  this  purpose 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  557 

were  adopted,  and  an  appeal  made  to  the  legislature  to  facilitate 
the  collection  of  pamphlets  and  printed  documents.  Men  live  so 
rapidly  now  that  few  think  of  posterity ;  society  hastens  at  a 
horse's  pace,  and  we  pass  over  so  large  a  surface  in  so  short  a  time, 
that  the  historian  and  antiquarian  will  stand  aghast,  in  a  few  years, 
and  exclaim  "would  that  more  minute  facts  were  within  our 
reach !" 

2od.  The  Department  at  Washington  instructs  me  to  examine 
additional  and  unsatisfied  claims  arising  under  the  5th  article  of 
the  treaty  of  March  28th,  1836,  and,  after  submitting  them  to  the 
Indians,  to  report  them  for  payment. 

28th.  Very  different  are  the  diurnal  scenes  enacted  from  those 
which  passed  before  my  eyes  at  the  ice-closed  post  of  Mackinack 
last  winter.     Yet  in  one  respect  they  are  entitled  to  have  a  similar 
effect  on  my  mind ;  it  is  in  the  craving  that  exists  to  fill  the  inter 
vals  of  business  with  some  moral  and  intellectual  occupation  that 
may  tend  to  relieve  it  of  the  tedium  of  long  periods  of  leisure. 
When  a  visitor  is  dismissed,  or  a  transaction  is  settled,  and  the!  ' 
door  closes  on  a  man  habituated  to  mental  labor,  the  ever-ready!  N 
mquiry  is,  What  next?     To  sit  still — to  do  nothing  absolutely  but 
to  turn  over  the  thoughts  of  other  men,  though  this  be  a  privilege, 
is  not  ultimate  happiness.     There  is  still  a  void,  which  the  desire  to  ' 
be  remembered,  or  something  else,  must  fill. 

3~Lst.  Gen.  Cass  writes  from  Paris  that  he  is  on  the  eve  of  setting 
out,  with  his  family,  for  the  Levant,  to  embark  on  a  tour  to  the 
East,  to  visit  the  ancient  seats  of  oriental  power.  "  We  proceed 
directly  to  Toulon,  where  we  shall  embark  on  board  the  frigate 
Constitution.  From  thence  we  touch  at  Leghorn,  Civita  Vecchia, 
Naples,  and  Sicily,  and  then  proceed  to  Alexandria.  After  see 
ing  Cairo,  the  Pyramids,  Memphis,  and,  I  hope,  the  Red  Sea,  we 
shall  proceed  to  Palestine,  look  at  Jerusalem,  see  the  Dead  Sea, 
and  other  interesting  places  of  Holy  Writ,  pass  by  and  touch  at 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  land  at  Beyrout,  and  visit  Damascus  and  Baalbec, 
and  probably  Palmyra  ;  touch  at  Smyrna,  proceed  to  Constan 
tinople  and  the  Black  Sea,  and  then  to  Greece,  &c. ;  after 
that  to  the  islands  of  the  Archipelago,  then  up  the  Adriatic  to 
Venice  and  Trieste,  and  thence  return  to  this  place.  So,  you 
see,  here  is  the  programme  of  a  pretty  good  expedition,  certainly  a 
very  interesting  one." 


558  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

April  Qth.  By  letters  received  from  Albany,  a  singular  chapter 
of  the  inscrutable  course  and  awards  of  Providence  for  parental 
disobedience  and  youthful  deception  is  revealed.  Alfredus,  who 
departed  from  my  office  in  Detroit  early  in  March  last,  to  receive 
a  warrant  as  a  cadet  at  West  Point,  has  not  appeared  among 
his  friends.  He  was  a  young  man  of  good  mind,  figure,  and 
address,  and  would  doubtless  have  justified  the  judgment  of  his 
friends  in  giving  him  a  military  education.  His  father  had  been 
one  of  the  patriots  of  1776,  and  served  on  the  memorable  field  of 
Saratoga.  But  the  young  man  was  smitten  with  the  romance  of 
going  to  Texas  and  joining  the  ranks  of  that  country,  striving  for 
a  rank  among  nations.  This  secret  wish  he  carefully  concealed  from 
me,  and,  setting  out  with  the  view  of  returning  to  his  father's 
roof,  and  solacing  his  age  by  entering  the  military  academy,  he 
secretly  took  the  stage  to  Columbus,  Ohio.  Thence  he  pushed 
his  way  to  New  Orleans  and  Galveston.  The  next  intelligence 
received  of  him,  was  a  careful  measurement  of  his  length,  by 
unknown  hands,  and  the  statement  that,  in  ascending  the  Brazos, 
he  had  taken  the  fever  and  died. 

"LOth.  Issued  notice  to  claimants  for  Indian  debts,  under  the  5tk 
article  of  the  treaty  of  March  28th,  1836 ;  that  additional  claims 
would  be  considered,  and  that  such  claims,  with  the  evidence  in 
support  of  them,  must  be  produced  previous  to  the  first  of  June 
next. 

2Qth.  Received  notice  of  my  election  as  a  corresponding  mem 
ber  of  the  Hartford  Natural  History  Society,  Connecticut. 

I  have  filled  {he  pauses  of  official  duty,  during  the  season,  by 

preparing  for  the  press  the  oral  legends  wrhich  have  been  gleaned 

from  the  Indians  since  my  residence  at  Sault  St.  Marie,  in  the 

basin  of  Lake  Superior,  and  at  Michilimackinack,  under  the  name 

\  of  Algic  Researches,  vol.  i. 

IQth.  By  the  treaty  of  9th  May,  1836,  with  the  Swan  Creek 
and  Black  River  Chippewas,  the  United  States  agree  to  furnish 
them  thirteen  sections  of  land  West,  in  lieu  of  the  cessions  relin 
quished  in  Michigan,  besides  accounting  to  them  for  the  nett  pro 
ceeds  of  the  land  ceded.  Measures  were  now  taken  to  induce 
them  to  send  delegates  to  the  Indian  territory  west  of  the  Missouri, 
to  locate  this  tract,  and  an  agent  was  appointed  to  accompany  them. 

16th.  Received  a  copy  of  my  article  on  Indian  languages. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  559 

Vlth.  The  Saginaws,  by  the  cession  of  the  14th  of  January, 
agreed  to  leave  Michigan,  and  accept  a  location  elsewhere ;  and  they 
were  now  urged  to  send  delegates  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Osage 
River,  where  they  can  be  provided  with  fine  lands,  and  placed  in 
juxtaposition  to  cognate  tribes. 

29th.  Received  a  letter  from  the  editor  of  the  "Knickerbocker."* 

May^  \Wi.  Received  notice  of  my  election  as  one  of  the  vice 
presidents  of  the  American  Society  for  the  Diffusion  of  Useful 
Knowledge,  at  New  York. 

23d.  William  Ward,  Esq.,  of  the  War  Office,  Washington,  D.  C., 
writes  :  "I  have  received  two  communications  from  Dr.  Warren,  of 
Boston,  on  the  subject  of  a  collection  of  crania  and  bones  of  the 
aborigines.  He  is  desirous  of  procuring  specimens  from  the  different 
tribes,  and  from  the  mounds  in  the  different  sections  of  the  country. 

"  Trusting,  in  a  great  measure,  to  your  readiness  to  co-operate 
in  every  effort  to  advance  the  cause  of  science,  I  have  promised 
him  to  use  the  means  my  connection  with  the  office  might  give  me 
to  forward  his  views.  His  high  reputation  must  be  known  to  you, 
and  I  am  sure  you  will  aid  him  to  complete  a  collection  which,  I 
understand,  he  has  been  occupied  many  years  in  making. 

"  I  gather  from  his  letters,  that  he  wishes  to  procure  a  few  com 
plete  skeletons,  and  a  number  of  crania,  and  that  it  will  be  desira 
ble  to  have  as  much  as  possible  of  the  history  of  each  head." 

June  £th.  Michilimackinack.  Received  a  copy  of  BusJis 
Grammar  of  the  Hebrew  Language,  and  commenced  comparing 
the  Indian  tongues  with  it.  This  language  has  twenty-two  letters. 
In  order  to  impress  the  elements  upon  my  own]  mind,  as  well  as 
improve  theirs,  I  commenced  teaching  my  children  the  language, 
just  keeping  ahead  of  them,  and  hearing  their  recitations  every 
morning. 

26th.  Receive  a  letter  of  introduction  from  Governor  Mason, 
by  Mr.  Massingberd,  of  England,  an  intelligent  and  estimable 
traveler  in  America. 

27^.  Dr.  Edward  Spring,  son  of  the  Rev.  Gardiner  Spring,  of 
New  York,  visits  the  island  with  the  view  of  a  temporary  practice. 

July  1st.  A  copy  of  Stuart's  Hebrew  Grammar  reached  me 
this  morning.  I  have  a  special  motive  in  making  myself  ac 
quainted  with  this  ancient,  and,  as  I  find,  simple  tongue.  The 

*  Birchen  Canoe :  Song  of  the  Ship. 


560  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

course  of  my  investigation  of  the  Algonquin  language,  has  shown 
nie  the  want  of  the  means  of  enlarged  comparison,  which  I  could 
not  institute  without  it. 

Qth.  Major  Whiting  writes:  "I  have  lately  begun  Auckland's 
Treatise,  and  a  noble  work  it  is;  the  subject  he  treats  just  in  that 
way  which  will  communicate  the  greatest  amount  of  information  to 
the  reading  public.  That  part  which  explains  the  bearing  of  the 
Scriptures  on  geology,  will  have  a  most  salutary  effect  on  the 
public  mind.  It  was  all  important  that  such  explanations  should 
be  given.  Many  good  minds  have  been  startled,  and  approached 
geology  with  averted  eyes,  apprehending  that  it  ran  counter  to 
the  great  truths  of  the  Bible.  Viewed  as  the  Bible  generally  has 
been,  geological  facts  are  likely  to  disturb  the  moral  world.  Either 
they  must  be  disbelieved,  or  that  literal  interpretation  of  Genesis, 
so  long  received,  must  be  abandoned.  To  make  this  abandonment, 
without  having  satisfactory  reasons  for  it,  would  have  risked  much, 
that  never  should  be  put  in  jeopardy.  It  had  come  to  this,  geo 
logy  must  be  sealed  up  and  anathematized,  or  it  must  be  reconciled 
with  the  Sacred  Writ.  Buckland  has  undoubtedly  done  the  latter; 
and  he  has  thus  conferred  an  inestimable  blessing  on  mankind." 

12th.  A  remarkable  land  claim,  upon  the  Indians,  who  are  par 
ties  to  the  late  treaty  of  1836,  came  before  me.  This  consisted  of  a 
grant  given  by  the  Chippewas  in  1760,  to  Major  Robert  Rodgers,  of 
anti-revolutionary  fame,  to  a  valuable  part  of  the  upper  region  on 
Lake  Superior.  The  present  heir  is  James  Chaloner  Alabaster, 
who  says  the  deed,  of  which  a  copy  is  furnished,  has  been  in  the 
possession  of  his  family  in  England  about  sixty  years.  It  appears 
to  have  been  executed  in  due  form  for  a  consideration.  It  is  prior 
to  the  proclamation  of  George  III.  interdicting  grants. 

~L9th.  A  band  of  Chippewas,  originally  hailing  from  Grand 
Island,  in  Lake  Superior,  but  now  living  on  the  extreme  northern 
head  of  Green  Bay,  visited  the  office.  It  embraced  the  eldest  son 
of  the  late  Oshawn  Epenaysee  (South  Bird),  who  died,  in  the  first 
class  of  chiefs,  at  Grand  Island  last  fall.  His  name  is  Ado-wa- 
wa-e-go  (something  of  an  inanimate  kind  beating  about  in  the 
water  on  shore).  They  requested  that  he  might  be  recognized  as 
their  chief.  On  examination  this  request  was  acceded  to,  and  I 
invested  him  with  a  flag. 

24th.  The  department  submitted  a  proposition  to  the  Indians, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  561 

to  take  half  their  annuities  under  the  treaty  of  1836,  at  the  ap 
proaching  payments,  in  goods,  and  half  in  silver.  If  the  goods 
were  declined,  they  were  requested  to  receive  the  half  annuity  in 
silver,  with  the  other  annuities  provided  by  the  treaty,  in  kind,  and 
to  wait  for  the  other  moiety  till  the  next  year. 

I  submitted  the  offer  to  a  full  council  of  the  chiefs  and  warriors 
this  day.  They  debated  it  fully.  A  delegation  visited  the  goods, 
which  were  shown  by  an  agent.  They  decline  receiving  them,  but 
agree  to  receive  the  half  annuity  in  coin,  and  wait,  as  requested, 
for  the  other  half  till  the  next  payment.  This  proposition  was 
called  the  "goods  offer,"  and  was  much  distorted  by  the  public 
press.  I  was  blamed  for  having  carried  the  offer  into  effect,  where 
as  it  was  declined,  and  the  half  annuity  in  silver  accepted,  and 
the  credit  asked  for,  given  for  the  rest. 

25th.  Two  bands  who  had  not  united  in  this  decision,  namely, 
the  bands  of  Point  St.  Ignace  and  Chenos,  came  in,  by  their  chiefs, 
and  yielded  their  assent  to  the  arrangement  of  yesterday.  Thus 
the  consent  became  unanimous  on  the  part  of  the  Indians. 

A  notification,  by  a  special  messenger,  to  the  Grand  River 
Ottawas,  is  dispatched  to  attend  the  payments  at  this  place  on  the 
1st  of  September,  and  to  signify  their  assent  or  dissent  to  the 
proposed  arrangement.  Rix  Robinson  and  Louis  Campeau,  Esqrs., 
of  that  valley,  and  the  Rev.  Leonard  Slater,  of  Barry,  are  re 
quested  to  give  this  notice  publicity. 

26th.  Mrs.  Jameson  embarks  in  an  open  boat  for  Sault  Ste. 
Marie,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Schoolcraft,  after  having  spent  a 
short  time  as  a  most  intelligent  and  agreeable  inmate  under  our 
roof.  This  lady,  respecting  whom  I  had  received  letters  from  my 
brother-in-law  Mr.  McMurray,  a  clergyman  of  Canada  West, 
evinced  a  most  familiar  knowledge  of  artistic  life  and  society  in 
England  and  Germany.  Her  acquaintance  with  Goethe,  and  other 
distinguished  writers,  gave  a  life  and  piquancy  to  her  conversation 
and  anecdotes,  which  made  us  cherish  her  society  the  more.  She 
is,  herself,  an  eminent  landscape  painter,  or  rather  sketcher  in 
crayon,  and  had  her  portfolio  ever  in  hand.  She  did  not  hesitate 
freely  to  walk  out  to  prominent  points,  of  which  the  island  has 
many,  to  complete  her  sketches.  This  freedom  from  restraint  in 
her  motions,  was  an  agreeable  trait  in  a  person  of  her  literary  tastes 
and  abilities.  She  took  a  very  lively  interest  in  the  Indian  race, 
36 


562  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

and  their  manners  and  customs,  doubtless  with  views  of  benevo 
lence  for  them  as  a  peculiar  race  of  man,  but  also  as  a  fine 
subject  of  artistic  observation.  Notwithstanding  her  strong  author- 
like  traits  and  peculiarities,  we  thought  her  a  woman  of  hearty 
and  warm  affections  and  attachments;  the  want  of  which,  in  her 
friends,  we  think  she  would  exquisitely  feel. 

Mrs.  Jameson  several  times  came  into  the  office  and  heard  the 
Indians  speaking.  She  also  stepped  out  on  the  piazza  and  saw 
the  wild  Indians  dancing ;  she  evidently  looked  on  with  the  eye  of 
a  Claude  Lorraine  or  Michael  Angelo. 

27fA.  The  term  ego,  added  to  an  active  Indian  verb,  renders  it 
passive.  I  have  given  an  example  of  this  before  in  the  case  of 
a  man's  name.  Here  is  another:  The  verb  to  carry  is  Be-moan 
in  the  Algonquin.  By  the  pronominal  prefix  Nim,  we  have  the 
sense  I  carry.  By  adding  to  the  latter  the  suffix  ego,  the  action 
is  reflected  and  the  sense  is  rendered  passive. 

29th.  A  treaty  is  concluded  this  day  at  Fort  Snelling,  St. 
Peter's,  between  Governor  H.  Dodge  and  the  Chippewa  Indians, 
by  which  they  cede  a  large  and  important  tract  to  the  United 
States. 

Aug.  ~Lst.  A  discovery  of  a  tooth  of  the  Mastodon  has  lately 
been  made  in  the  bed  of  the  Papaw  River,  in  Berrian  County, 
Michigan.  It  is  about  six  inches  long  and  three  broad.  The 
enamel  is  nearly  perfect,  and  that  part  of  the  tooth  which  was 
covered  by  it  nearly  whole,  while  the  portion  which  must  have 
been  inserted  in  the  socket  is  mostly  broken  off.  The  diluvian  soil 
of  the  Michigan  Peninsula  is  thus  added  to  the  wide  area  of  the 
mastodonic  period. 

2d.  Capt.  Marryatt  came  up  in  the  steamer  of  last  night.  A 
friend  writes :  "  He  is  one  of  Smollett's  sea  captains — much  more  of 
the  Trunnion  than  one  would  have  expected  to  find  in  a  literary  man. 
Stick  Mackinack  into  him,  with  all  its  rock-osities.  He  is  not  much 
disposed  to  the  admirari  without  the  nil — affects  little  enthusiasm 
about  anything,  and  perhaps  feels  as  little."  He  turned  out  here  a 
perfect  sea  urchin,  ugly,  rough,  ill-mannered,  and  conceited  beyond 
all  bounds.  Solomon  says,  "  answer  not  a  fool  according  to  his 
folly,"  so  I  paid  him  all  attention,  drove  him  over  the  island  in 
my  carriage,  and  rigged  him  out  with  my  canoe-elege  to  go  to  St. 
Mary's. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  563 

3c?.  George  Tucker,  Professor  in  the  University  of  Virginia, 
came  up  in  the  last  steamer.  I  hasted,  while  it  stayed,  to  drive 
him  out  and  show  off  the  curiosities  of  the  island  to  the  best 
advantage. 

5th.  Mrs.  Schoolcraft  writes  from  the  Sault,  that  Mrs.  Jameson 
and  the  children  suffered  much  on  the  trip  to  that  place  from  mos 
quitoes,  but  by  dint  of  a  douceur  of  five  dollars  extra  to  the  men, 
which  Mrs.  Jameson  made  to  the  crew,  they  rowed  all  night,  from 
Sailor's  encampment,  and  reached  the  Sault  at  6  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  "I  feel  delighted,"  she  says,  "at  my  having  come  with 
Mrs.  Jameson,  as  I  found  that  she  did  not  know  how  to  get  along 
at  all  at  all.  Mr.  McMurray  and  family  and  Mrs.  Jameson  started 
off  on  Tuesday  morning  for  Manitouline  with  a  fair  wind  and  fair 
day,  and  I  think  they  have  had  a  fine  voyage  down.  Poor  Mrs. 
Jameson  cried  heartily  when  she  parted  with  me  and  my  children ; 
she  is  indeed  a  woman  in  a  thousand.  While  here,  George  came 
down  the  rapids  with  her  in  fine  style  and  spirits.  She  insisted  on 
being  baptized  and  named  in  Indian,  after  her  sail  down  the  falls. 
We  named  her  Was-sa-je-wun-e-qua  (Woman  of  the  Bright  Stream), 
with  which  she  was  mightily  pleased." 

9th.  Delegates  from  the  Saginaws,  from  the  Swan  Creek  and 
Black  Chippewas  of  Lower  Michigan,  stop,  on  their  way,  to  ex 
plore  a  new  location  west,  in  charge  of  a  special  exploring  agent. 

Mr.  Ord,  recently  appointed  a  sub-agent  in  this  superintendency, 
reaches  the  island.  He  is  the  second  person  I  have  known  who 
has  made  the  names  of  his  children  an  object  of  singularity.  Mr. 
Stickney,  who  figured  prominently  in  the  Toledo  War,  called  his 
male  children  ONE,  Two,  &c.  Mr.  Ord  has  not  evidently  differed 
in  this  respect  from  general  custom,  for  the  same  reason,  namely, 
an  objection  to  Christian  prejudice  for  John  and  James,  or  Aaron 
and  Moses.  He  has  simply  given  them  Latin  nominatives,  from  the 
mere  love  he  has  apparently  for  that  tongue.  I  believe  he  was 
formerly  a  Georgetown  professor. 

Capt.  Marryatt  embarked  on  board  the  steamer  Michigan,  on 
his  return  from  the  island,  after  having  spent  several  days  in  a 
social  visit,  including  a  trip  to  the  Sault,  in  company  with  Mr. 
Lay,  of  Batavia.  While  here,  I  saw  a  good  deal  of  the  novelist. 
His  manners  and  style  of  conversation  appeared  to  be  those  of  a 
sailor,  and  such  as  we  should  look  for  in  his  own  Peter  Simple. 


564  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Temperance  and  religion,  if  not  morality,  were  to  him  mere  cant 
words,  and  whether  he  was  observed,  either  before  dinner  or  after 
dinner — in  the  parlor  or  out  of  it — his  words  and  manners  were 
anything  but  those  of  a  quiet,  modest,  English  gentleman. 

I  drove  Mr.  Lay  and  himself  out  one  day  after  dinner  to  see 
the  curiosities  of  the  island.  He  would  insist  walking  over  the 
arched  rock.  "It  is  a  fearful  and  dizzy  height."  When  on  the 
top  he  stumbled.  My  heart  was  in  my  throat ;  I  thought  he  would 
have  been  hurled  to  the  rocks  below  and  dashed  to  a  thousand 
pieces ;  but,  like  a  true  sailor,  he  crouched  down,  as  if  on  a  yard- 
arm,  and  again  arose  and  completed  his  perilous  walk. 

We  spoke  of  railroads.  He  said  they  were  not  built  perma 
nently  in  this  country,  and  attributed  the  fault  to  our  excessive 
go-aheadiveness.  Mr.  Lay  :  "  True  ;  but  if  we  expended  the  sums 
you  do  on  such  works,  they  could  not  be  built  at  all.  They  answer 
a  present  purpose,  and  we  can  afford  to  renew  them  in  a  few 
years  from  their  own  profits." 

The  captain's  knowledge  of  natural  history  was  not  precise.  He 
aimed  to  be  knowing  when  it  was  difficult  to  conceal  ignorance. 
He  called  some  well-characterized  species  of  septaria  in  my  cabi 
net  pudding-stone,  beautiful  specimens  of  limpid  hexagonal  crys 
tals  of  quartz,  common  quartz,  &c. 

Mr.  George  P.  Marsh,  of  Vermont,  brings  me  a  letter  of  intro 
duction.  This  gentleman  has  the  quiet  easy  air  of  a  man  who  has 
seen  the  world.  His  fine  taste  and  acquirements  have  procured 
him  a  ,  wide  reputation.  His  translation  of  Rusk's  Icelandic 
Crrammar  is  a  scholar-like  performance,  and  every  way  indicative 
of  the  propensities  of  his  mind  for  philological  studies. 

It  is  curious  to  observe,  in  this  language,  the  roots  of  many 
English  words,  and  it  denotes  through  what  lengths  of  mutations 
of  history  the  stock  words  of  a  generic  language  may  be  traced. 
Lond,  skip,  flaska,  sumar,  hamar,  ketill,  dal,  are  clearly  the  radices 
respectively  of  land,  ship,  flask,  summer,  hammer,  kettle,  dale. 
This  property  of  the  endurance  of  orthographical  forms  gives  one 
a  definite  illustration  of  the  importance  of  language  on  history. 

12th.  A  large  party  of  Munsees  and  Delaware^  from  the  River 
Thames,  in  Upper  Canada,  reach  the  harbor  in  a  vessel  bound  for 
Green  Bay,  Wisconsin.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Yogel,  in  whose  charge 
they  are,  lands  and  visits  the  office  with  some  of  the  principal  men. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  565 

He  says  that  most  of  them  have  been  known  as  "  Christian  Indians." 
That  the  number  recognized  by  this  title  on  the  Thames  is  282,  of 
whom  50  have  been  excommunicated.  Of  these  Christian  Indians, 
84  have  been  left  on  the  Thames,  in  charge  of  the  Rev.  Abraham 
Lukenbach. 

Mr.  Vogel  has  in  his  company  202  persons,  but  says  that  others, 
rendering  their  number  260  souls  inclusive,  are  on  their  way  by 
land.  Thirteen  of  this  party,  with  White  Eyes,  son  of  White 
Eyes  of  frontier  war  celebrity,  came  on  the  9th  instant,  and  have 
been  lodged  in  the  public  dormitory.  They  are  on  their  way,  in 
the  first  place,  to  the  Stockbridges,  at  Green  Bay,  and,  finally, 
to  their  kindred,  the  Delawares,  on  the  Kanzas. 

~L3th.  Early  one  morning  I  was  agreeably  surprised  by  the  ar 
rival  of  Mrs.  Jameson,  whom  I  had  previously  expected  to  spend 
some  time  with  me,  and  found  her  a  most  agreeable,  refined  and 
intelligent  guest,  with  none  of  the  supercilious  and  conceited  airs, 
which  I  had  noticed  in  some  of  her  traveling  countrywomen  of  the 
class  of  authors. 

15th.  Mukonsiwyan,  a  Chippewa  chief  of  the  first  class,  calls, 
on  his  way  back  from  a  visit  to  the  British  annual  meeting  of  the 
Indians,  to  get  their  subsidies  at  the  Manitouline  Islands.  He 
was  evidently  piqued  in  not  having  received  as  much  as  he  ex 
pected.  He  attempted  to  throw  dust  in  the  agent's  eyes  by  the 
following  speech  : — 

"  My  father,  I  wish  to  warm  myself  by  your  fire.  I  have  tried 
to  warm  myself  by  the  British  fire,  but  I  could  not,  although  I  sat 
close  by.  They  put  on  green  poplar,  which  would  throw  out  no 
heat.  This  is  the  place  where  hard  wood  grows,*  and  I  expect  to 
be  warmed  by  its  heat." 

It  was  said  that  an  inferior  quality  of  blankets  had  been  issued 
at  Manitouline.  This  was  the  green  poplar.  No  guns  and  no 
kettles  were  given.  This  is  the  coldness  and  want  of  heat,  al 
though  sitting  close  by  the  fire.  On  the  contrary,  large  and 
extraordinary  presents,  and  of  the  best  quality,  were  issued  here 
last  season  at  the  execution  of  the  treaty  of  1836.  This  is  the 
hard  wood  and  good  heat  thrown  out  to  all.  The  figure  derived 
appositeness  from  the  prevalence  of  such  species  on  the  island. 

*  The  island  of  Mackinack  was  formerly  covered  with  a  forest  of  rock- 
maple,  ironwood,  &c.,  and  much  of  it  is  still  characterized  by  these  species. 


566  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER  LX. 

Notions  of  foreigners  about  America — Mrs.  Jameson — Appraisements  of  In 
dian  property — Le  Jeune's  early  publication  on  the  Iroquois — Troops  for 
Florida — A  question  of  Indian  genealogy — Annuity  payments — Indians 
present  a  claim  of  salvage — Death  of  the  Prophet  Chusco — Indian  suffer 
ings — Gen.  Dodge's  treaty — Additional  debt  claims — Gazetteer  of  Michigan 
— Stone's  Life  of  Brant — University  of  Michigan — Christian  Keepsake — 
Indian  etymology — Small-pox  breaks  out  on  the  Missouri — Missionary 
operation  in  the  north-west — Treaty  of  Flint  River  with  the  Saginaws. 

1837.  Aug.  16th.  A  MR.  NATHAN,  an  English  traveler,  of  quiet 
and  pleasing  manners,  was  introduced.  He  had  been  to  St.  Mary's 
Falls,  and  to  the  magnificent  entrance  into  Lake  Superior,  of  whose 
fine  scenery  he  spoke  in  terms  of  admiration.  It  seems  to  me 
that  Englishmen  and  Englishwomen,  for  I  have  had  a  good  many 
of  both  sexes  to  visit  me  recently,  look  on  America  very  much  as 
one  does  when  he  peeps  through  a  magnifying  glass  on  pictures  of 
foreign  scenes,  and  the  picturesque  ruins  of  old  cities,  and  the  like. 
They  are  really  very  fine,  but  it  is  difficult  to  realize  that  such 
things  are.  It  is  all  an  optical  deception. 

It  was  clearly  so  with  Marryatt,  a  very  superficial  observer  ;  Miss 
Martineau,  who  was  in  search  of  something  ultra  and  elementary, 
and  even  Mrs.  Jameson,  who  had  the  most  accurate  and  artistic  eye 
of  all,  but  who,  with  the  exception  of  some  bits  of  womanly  heart, 
appeared  to  regard  our  vast  woods,  and  wilds,  and  lakes,  as  a  mag 
nificent  panorama,  a  painting  in  oil.  It  does  not  appear  to  occur 
to  them,  that  here  are  the  very  descendants  of  that  old  Saxa-Gothic 
race  who  sacked  Rome,  who  banished  the  Stuarts  from  the  English 
throne,  and  who  have  ever,  in  all  positions,  used  all  their  might  to 
battle  tyranny  and  oppression,  who  hate  taxations  as  they  hate 
snakes,  and  whose  day  and  night  dreams  have  ever  been  of  liberty, 
that  dear  cry  of  Freiheit,  whichever  war  made  "Germania"  ring. 
It  has  appeared  to  me  to  be  very  much  the  same  with  the  Austrian 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  567 

and  Italian  functionaries  who  have  wandered  as  far  as  Michili- 
mackinack  within  a  few  years,  but  who  are  yet  more  slow  to  appre- 
preciate  our  institutions  than  the  English.  The  whole  problem  of 
our  system,  one  would  judge,  seems  to  them  like  "  apples  of  ashes,'' 
instead  of  the  golden  fruits  of  Hesperides.  They  alike  mistake  real 
ities  for  fancies ;  real  states  of  flesh  and  blood,  bone  and  muscle,  for 
cosmoramic  pictures  on  a  wall.  They  do  not  appear  to  dream  hoW 
fast  our  millions  reduplicate,  what  triumphs  the  plough,  and  the 
engine,  and  loom,  are  making,  how  the  principles  of  a  well  guarded 
representative  system  are  spreading  over  the  world,  and  what  in 
domitable  moral,  and  sound  inductive  principles  lie  at  the  bottom 
of  the  whole  fabric. 

Troops  arrived  from  St.  Mary's  this  day,  to  garrison  the  Fort, 
to  keep  order  during  the  annuity  payments.  The  chiefs  from  St. 
Mary's  send  over  a  boat  for  their  share  of  the  treaty,  tobacco,  salt, 
rice,  &c. 

~L8th.  Mr.  Conner,  the  sub-agent,  writes  that  the  Saginaws  are 
afflicted  by  want  and  threatened  by  starvation  ;  and,  to  render  their 
condition  extreme,  the  small-pox  has  broken  out  amongst  them. 
Ordered  relief  to  be  given  in  the  cases  specified. 

20th.  Mrs.  Jameson  writes  to  Mrs.  Schoolcraft,  from  Toronto: 
"If  I  were  to  begin  by  expressing  all  the  pain  it  gave  me  to  part 
from  you,  I  should  not  know  when  or  where  to  end.  I  do  some 
times  thank  God,  that  in  many  different  countries  I  possess  friends 
worthy  that  name  ;  kind  hearts  that  feel  with  and /or  me  ;  hearts 
upon  which  my  own  could  be  satisfied  to  rest ;  but  then  that  part 
ing,  that  forced,  and  often  hopeless  separation  which  too  often  fol 
lows  such  a  meeting,  makes  me  repine.  I  will  not  say,  pettishly, 
that  I  could  wish  never  to  have  known  or  seen  a  treasure  I  cannot 
possess :  no !  how  can  I  think  of  you  and  feel  regret  that  I  have 
known  you  ?  As  long  as  I  live,  the  impression  of  your  kindness, 
and  of  your  character  altogether,  remains  with  me ;  your  image 
will  often  come  back  to  me,  and  I  dare  to  hope  that  you  will  not 
forget  me  quite.  I  am  not  so  unreasonable  as  to  ask  you  to  write 
to  me  ;  I  know  too  well  how  entirely  your  time  is  occupied  to  pre 
sume  to  claim  even  a  few  moments  of  it,  and  it  is  a  pity,  for  *  we 
do  not  live  by  bread  alone,'  and  every  faculty  and  affection  im 
planted  in  us  by  the  good  God  of  nature,  craves  the  food  which  he 
has  prepared  for  it,  even  in  this  world ;  so  that  I  do  wish  you  had 


568  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

a  little  leisure  from  eating  and  drinking,  cares  and  household  mat 
ters,  to  bestow  on  less  important  things,  on  me  for  instance  !  poor 
little  me,  at  the  other  side  of  the  world. 

"  Mrs.  McMurray  has  told  you  the  incidents  of  our  voyage  to 
the  Manitouline  Island,  from  thence  to  Toronto ;  it  was  all  delight 
ful  ;  the  most  extraordinary  scenery  I  ever  beheld,  the  wildest ! 
I  recall  it  as  a  dream.  I  arrived  at  my  own  house  at  three  o'clock 
on  the  morning  of  the  13th,  tired  and  much  eaten  by  those  abomi 
nable  mosquitoes,  but  otherwise  better  in  health  than  I  have  been 
for  many  months.  Still  I  have  but  imperfectly  achieved  the  object 
of  my  journey  ;  and  I  feel  that,  though  I  seized  on  my  return 
every  opportunity  of  seeing  and  visiting  the  Indian  lodges,  I  know 
but  too  little  of  them,  of  the  women  particularly.  If  only  I  had  been 
able  to  talk  a  little  more  to  my  dear  Neengay !  how  often  I-  think 
of  her  with  regret,  and  of  you  all !  But  it  is  in  vain  to  repine.  I 
must  be  thankful  for  what  I  have  gained,  what  I  have  seen  and 
done  !  I  have  written  to  Mrs.  McMurray,  and  troubled  her  with 
several  questions  relative  to  the  women.  I  remark  generally,  that 
the  propinquity  of  the  white  man  is  destruction  to  the  red  man ; 
and  the  farther  the  Indians  are  removed  from  us,  the  better  for 
them.  In  their  own  woods,  they  are  a  noble  race ;  brought  near  to 
us,  a  degraded  and  stupid  race.  We  are  destroying  them  off  the 
face  of  the  earth.  May  God  forgive  us  our  tyranny,  our  avarice, 
our  ignorance,  for  it  is  very  terrible  to  think  of!" 

2ls£.  Judge  McDonnel,  of  Detroit,  reached  the  island  with 
Captain  Clark  of  St.  Clair,  these  gentlemen  having  been  engaged 
since  spring,  in  a  careful  and  elaborate  appraisement  of  the  Indian 
improvements,  under  the  8th  article  of  the  treaty  of  28th  March, 
1836.  They  commenced  their  labor  in  the  Grand  River  Valley, 
and  continued  it  along  the  entire  eastern  coast  of  Lake  Michigan, 
to  Michilimackinack,  not  omitting  anything  which  could,  by  the 
most  liberal  construction,  be  considered  "as  giving  value  to  the 
lands  ceded."  Not  an  apple  tree,  not  a  house,  or  log  wigwam, 
and  not  an  acre,  once  in  cultivation,  though  now  waste,  was 
omitted. 

They  report  the  whole  number  of  villages  in  this  district  at 
twenty-two,  the  whole  number  of  improvements  at  485,  and  the 
gross  population  at  3,257  souls.  This  population  live  in  log  and 
bark  dwellings  of  every  grade,  cultivate  2477  acres  of  land,  on 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  569 

which  there  are  3.212  apple  trees;  besides  old  fields,  the  agoregate 

*••  *  '  oo       o 

value  of  which  is  put  at  $74,998.  They  add  that  these  appraise 
ments  have  been  deemed  everywhere  fully  satisfactory  to  the  In 
dians. 

23d.  A  poor  decrepit  Indian  woman,  who  was  abandoned  on  the 
beach  by  her  relatives  some  ten  days  ago,  applied  for  relief.  It 
is  found  that  she  has  been  indebted  for  food  in  the  interim  to  the 
benevolence  of  Mrs.  Lafromboise. 

23d.  "I  take  the  liberty,"  says  A.  W.  Buel,  Esq.,  of  Detroit, 
"  of  addressing  you  concerning  the  little  book  in  my  possession, 
touching  the  early  history  of  New  France  and  the  Iroquois.  You 
may  recollect,  perhaps,  that  on  one  occasion  last  winter  or  spring, 
when  you  were  in  this  city,  I  had  some  conversation  with  you  con 
cerning  it.  It  is  written  in  French,  of  old  orthography,  and  was 
published  at  Paris,  A.  D.  1658.  It  purports  to  have  been  written 
by  a  Jesuit,  Paul  Le  Jeune ;  I  am  however,  inclined  to  think  that 
it  was  not  all  written  by  him,  inasmuch  as  the  orthography  of  the 
same  Indian  words  varies  in  different  parts  of  the  book.  It  is 
rather  a  small  duodecimo  volume  and  contains  about  210  pages,  of 
rather  coarse  print.  To  give  you  a  better  idea  of  the  contents,  I 
will  mention  the  titles  of  the  several  chapters."  These  are  omitted. 

"  A  few  others  are  appended.  The  early  history  of  the  Iro 
quois,  and  of  our  own  country,  even  after  its  settlement  by  Euro 
peans,  you  are  well  aware,  is  buried  in  great  obscurity.  Even 
Ch'arlevoix's  Histoire  de  Nouvelle  France,  I  believe,  has  never 
been  translated  into  English.  I  have  never  seen  it,  if  it  has  been. 
That  work  I  suppose  to  be  at  present  the  starting  point  in  the  his 
tory  of  the  Iroquois  and  New  France,  as  regards  minuteness  of 
detail. 

"This  little  book  (Le  Jeune)  was  published  a  considerable  time 
previous.  It  appears  by  it  that  the  Jesuits  had,  for  several  years 
previously,  sent  some  letters;  but  I  am  confident  that  this  is  the 
first  book  ever  published  touching  directly  and  minutely  the  history 
of  the  Iroquois.  Caleb  Atwater,  in  his  book  on  western  antiqui 
ties,  speaks  of  a  little  work  published  in  Latin  at  Paris,  I  think,  in 
1664,  as  the  first  touching  the  history  of  New  France  and  the 
Iroquois.  I  could  not  at  first  decide  whether  it  be  of  much  value. 
I  thought  it  to  be  such  a  book  as  would  immediately  find  its  way 
to  the  missionaries,  and  so  small  as  to  be  easily  overlooked.  I  be- 


570  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

came  at  once  so  far  interested  in  it,  as  to  translate  it  into  English, 
not  certain  that  I  should  ever  make  any  further  use  of  it.  I  have, 
however,  been  solicited  by  some,  either  to  publish  a  translation  of 
it,  or  a  compendium  of  the  principal  matter  contained  in  it,  and 
beg  to  trouble  you  so  much  as  to  ask  your  views  of  the  probability 
of  the  utility  of  doing  so.  "Will  the  task  be  equal  to  the  reward  ?" 

25th.  Troops  from  Green  Bay  pass  Mackinack  on  their  way  to 
Florida,  to  act  in  the  campaign  against  the  Seminoles — a  weary 
long  way  to  send  reinforcements ;  but  our  army  is  so  small,  and 
has  so  large  a  frontier  to  guard,  that  it  must  face  to  the  right  and 
left  as  often  as  raw  recruits  under  drill. 

26£/i.  Received  a  copy  of  the  Miner's  Free  Press  of  Wisconsin  of 
the  llth  of  August,  containing  an  abstract  of  a  treaty  concluded 
by  Gov.  Dodge  with  the  Chippewas  of  the  Upper  Mississippi,  ceding 
an  important  tract  of  country,  lying  below  the  Crow-wing  River. 

Sept.  od.  The  old  chief  Saganosh  died. 

4th.  The  Chippewas  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  got  into  a  difficulty, 
among  each  other,  respecting  the  true  succession  of  the  principal 
chieftainship,  and  the  chiefs  came  in  a  body  to  leave  the  matter  to 
me.  The  point  of  genealogy  to  be  settled  runs  through  three 
generations,  and  was  stated  thus: — 

Gitcheojeedebun,  of  the  Crane  totem,  had  four  sons,  namely, 
Maidosagee,  Bwoinais,  Nawgitchigomee,  and  Kezhawokumijishkum. 
Maidosagee,  being  the  eldest,  had  nine  sons,  called,  Shingabowos- 
sin,  Sizzah,  Kaugayosh,  Nattaowa,  Ussaba,  Wabidjejauk,  Mucka- 
daywuckwut,  Wabidjejaukons,  and  Odjeeg.  On  the  principles  of 
Indian  descent,  these  were  all  Cranes  of  the  proper  mark,  but  the 
chieftainship  wo'uld  descend  in  the  line  of  the  eldest  son's  children. 
This  would  leave  Shingabowossin's  eldest  son  without  a  competitor. 
I  determined,  therefore,  to  award  the  first  chief's  medal  to  Kabay 
Noden,  the  deceased  chief  Shingabowossin's  eldest  son. 

IQtJi.  The  annuity  payments  commence. 

Major  Jno.  Garland,  U.  S.  A.,  having  succeeded  Major  Whiting 
as  the  general  disbursing  officer  on  this  frontier,  arrived  early  in 
the  month.  This  officer  has  been  engaged,  with  his  assistants  and 
the  aid  of  the  Indian  department,  about  a  week,  in  preparing  the 
pay  rolls  of  the  Indian  families,  and  correcting  the  lists  for  deaths, 
births,  and  new  families.  All  the  payments  which  were  made  in 
silver,  at  the  agency,  in  my  presence,  were  divided  per  capita. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  571 

This  business  of  counting  and  division  took  three  days,  during 
which  time  the  proportionate  share  of  $21,000,  in  half  dollars,  was 
paid.  The  annuities  in  provisions,  tobacco,  &c.,  were  delivered  in 
bulk  to  the  chiefs  of  villages,  to  be  divided  by  them. 

Mr.  John  J.  Blois,  of  Detroit,  proposes  to  publish  a  gazetteer  of 
Michigan,  and  writes  requesting  statistical  information,  &c.,  of  the 
upper  country,  an  Indian  nomenclature,  &c. 

Mr.  Palfrey  writes  proposing  to  me  to  review  Stone's  Life  of 
Brant,  and  Mr.  Dearborn,  the  publisher  at  New  York,  sends  me 
the  proofs. 

15th.  The  payments  are  finished,  and  the  Indians  begin  to  dis 
perse.  I  invested  Kabay  Noden  with  his  father's  medal,  and  his 
uncle,  Muckadaywuckwut,  with  a  flag ;  recommending  at  the  same 
time  the  division  of  the  St.  Mary's  Chippewas  into  three  bands, 
agreeably  to  fixed  geographical  boundaries. 

Having  finished  the  business  of  the  payments,  the  disbursing 
agent  embarks  on  board  of  the  steamer  Michigan,  and  the  island, 
which  has  been  thronged  for  three  weeks  with  Indians,  Indian 
traders,  and  visitors,  began  immediately  to  empty  itself  of  popula 
tion.  During  this  assemblage,  to  pay  the  Ottawas  and  Chippewas 
their  annuity,  great  care  and  exactitude  have  been  observed  by  the 
concurrently  acting  officers  of  the  army  and  the  Indian  depart 
ment,  to  carry  out  strictly  the  agreements  made  with  them  in  the 
spring,  by  which  the  payment  of  half  their  annuity  in  silver,  due 
for  1837,  was  postponed  till  1838.  Yet  it  was  reported  in  a  few 
days,  and  reiterated  by  the  press,  that  the  Indians  had  been  de 
frauded  out  of  half  their  annuities,  and  that  goods,  and  those  of  a 
bad  quality,  had  been  given  them  for  silver.  And  my  name  was 
coupled  with  the  transaction,  although  the  Indians  of  all  nations 
who  were  under  my  charge,  in  the  State  of  Michigan,  had,  from 
first  to  last,  been  treated  with  the  kindness  and  justice  of  a  father. 
The  Government  at  Washington  came  in  for  no  little  abuse.  Mrs. 
Jameson  wrote  from  Toronto,  asking  "  whether  it  was  true  that  a 
Miami  chief  had  offered  $70,000  to  enable  the  Indian  Department 
to  pay  their  debt  to  the  Indians  in  specie." 

23t?.  The  Indians  Akukojeesh  and  Akawkoway  brought  a  case 
of  salvage  for  my  action.  They  had  found  a  new  carriage  body, 
and  harness ;  a  box  of  7  by  9  glass,  and  18  chairs,  floating  on  the 
lake  (Huron),  N.  E.  of  the  island.  They  supposed  the  articles 


572  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

had  been  thrown  overboard  in  a  recent  storm,  or  by  a  vessel 
aground  on  the  point  of  Goose  Island,  called  Nekuhmenis.  The 
Nekuh  is  a  brant. 

3(M.  Chusco  dies. 

Completed  and  transmitted  the  returns  and  abstracts  of  the 
year's  proceedings  and  expenditures. 

Oct.  1st.  I  sent  the  interpreter  and  farmers  of  the  Department 
to  perform  the  funeral  rites  for  Chusco,  the  Ottawa  jossakeed,  who 
died  yesterday  at  the  house  erected  for  him  on  Round  Island.  He 
was  about  70  years  of  age ;  a  small  man,  of  light  frame,  and  walked 
a  little  bent.  He  had  an  expression  of  cunning  and  knowingness, 
which  induced  his  people,  when  young,  to  think  he  resembled  the 
muskrat,  just  rising  from  the  water,  after  a  dive.  This  trait  was 
implied  by  his  name.  For  many  years  he  had  acted  as  a  jossakeed, 
or  seer,  for  his  tribe.  In  this  business  he  told  me  that  the  powers 
he  relied  on,  were  the  spirits*  of  the  tortoise,  crow,  swan,  and 
woodpecker.  These  he  considered  his  familiar  spirits,  who  received 
their  miraculous  power  to  aid  him  directly  from  Mudjee  Moneto, 
or  the  Great/  Evil  Spirit.  After  the  establishment  of  the  Mission 
at  Mackinack,  his  wife  embraced  Christianity.  This  made  him 
mad.  At  length  his  mind  ran  so  much  on  the  theme,  that  he  fell 
into  doubts  and  glooms  when  thinking  it  over,  and  finally  embraced 
Christianity  himself;  and  he  was  admitted,  after  a  probation  of  a  year 
or  two,  to  church  membership.  I  asked  him,  after  this  period,  how 
he  had  deceived  his  people  by  the  art  of  powwowing,  or  jugglery. 
He  said  that  he  had  accomplished  it  by  the  direct  influence  of 
Satan.  He  had  addressed  him,  on  these  occasions,  and  sung  his 
songs  to  him,  beating  the  drum  or  shaking  the  rattle.  He  ad 
hered  firmly  to  this  opinion.  He  appeared  to  have  great  faith  in 
the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  relied  with  extraordinary  simplicity 
upon  it.  He  gave  a  striking  proof  of  this,  the  autumn  after  his 
conversion,  when  he  went  with  his  wife,  accordiDg  to  custom,  to 
dig  his  potatoes  on  a  neighboring  island.  The  wife  immediately 
began  to  dig.  "Stop,"  said  he,  "let  us  first  kneel  and  return 
thanks  for  their  growth."  He  was  aware  of  his  former  weakness 
on  the  subject  of  strong  drink,  and  would  not  indulge  in  it  after  he 
became  a  church  member. 

*  Indians  believe  animals  have  souls. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  573 

3(7.  Received  an  application  for  relief  from  the  Black  River 
Chippewas,  near  Fort  Gratiot.  It  is  astonishing  how  completely 
the  resources  of  the  Indians  have  failed  with  the  game,  on  which 
they  formerly  relied.  When  a  calamity  arrives,  such  as  a  white 
settlement  would  surmount  without  an  effort,  they  at  once  become 
objects  of  public  charity.  Kittemagizzi  is  their  immediate  cry. 
This  is  now  raised  by  the  Black  River  band,  under  the  influence  of 
small-pox. 

14th.  Received  a  copy  of  the  treaty  of  the  29th  of  July  last 
with  the  Chippewas.  This  tribe,  like  all  the  other  leading  tribes 
of  the  race,  is  destined  to  fritter  away  their  large  domain  for 
temporary  and  local  ends,  without  making  any  general  and  per 
manent  provision  for  their  prosperity.  The  system  of  temporary 
annuities  will,  at  last,  leave  them  without  a  home.  When  the 
buffalo,  and  the  deer,  and  the  beaver,  are  extinct,  the  Indian  must 
work  or  die.  In  a  higher  view,  there  is  no  blessing  which  is  not 
pronounced  in  connection  with  labor  and  faith.  These  the  nation 
falter  at. 

1.8th.  Finished  my  report  on  the  additional  debt  claim,  under 
the  treaty  of  1886,  agreeably  to  the  instructions  of  the  Commis 
sion  of  Indian  Affairs,  of  the  23d  March  last,  and  to  the  published 
notice  of  April  10th.  These  claims  on  the  debt  fund  of  the  treaty 
have  received  the  best  consideration  of  the  agent  and  the  Indian 
chiefs,  with  the  aid  of  a  secretary  authorized  at  Washington,  and 
the  result  is  forwarded  with  confidence  to  head-quarters. 

19th.  My  arduous  duties  during  the  summer  had  thrown  some 
of  my  private  correspondence  in  the  rear.  It  may  now  be  proper 
to  notice  some  of  it.  A  letter  (Aug.  20th)  from  St.  Mary's  says  : 
u  The  schooner  John  Jacob  Astor  arrived  on  the  18th  instant  from 
the  head  of  Lake  Superior,  and  the  captain  brings  us  information 
of  Mr.  Warren's  arrival  at  La  Pointe.  He  attended  the  treaty  at 
St.  Peter's,  concluded  by  Gov.  Dodge.  The  Indians  are  to  receive 
§700,000  in  annuities  for  twenty  years,  $100,000  to  the  half- 
breeds,  and  $70,000  for  Indian  creditors." 

", Captain  Stanard  brought  down  a  specimen  of  native  copper, 
similar  to  the  piece  of  forty- nine  pounds  weight  in  your  cabinet.  It 
was  at  De  1'Isle,  fifteen  leagues  on  the  north  shore  from  Fond  du 
Lac." 

Mr.  John  T.  Blois,  of  Detroit  (Sept.  20th),  informs  me  that  he 


574  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

is  preparing  a  Gazetteer  of  Michigan.  "  Of  the  topics,"  he  re 
marks,  "  I  had  proposed  to  submit  to  your  consideration,  one  was 
the  etymology  of  the  Indian  nomenclature,  to  the  extent  it  has 
been  adopted  in  the  application  of  proper  names  to  our  lakes, 
rivers,  and  other  inanimate  objects.  In  the  preparation  of  my 
work,  this  subject  has  frequently  presented  itself  to  my  mind  as 
one  of  interesting  importance,  and  whose  development  is  more 
auspicious,  at  the  present  time,  than  it  may  be  at  a  future  day. 
I  had  a  particular  desire  to  rescue  the  Indian  names  from  that  ob 
livion  to  which  the  negligence  of  the  early  settlers  of  other  States 
has  permitted  them  to  descend,  by  the  substitution,  for  no  reason 
able  cause,  of  insignificant  English  or  French  names,  without  re 
gard  to  either  good  taste  or  propriety. 

"  I  wish,  among  other  things,  to  ask  of  you  the  favor  to  inform 
me  of  the  origin  and  signification  of  the  name  of  our  adopted 
State,  Michigan." 

A  correspondent  at  Detroit  (J.  L.  S.)  writes  (21st  Sept.) :  "  Bills 
have  been  introduced  into  both  Houses  to  carry  out  the  President's 
sub-treasury  system,  and  'tis  said  Calhoun  will  support  the  mea 
sure.  These  bills,  which  were  introduced  by  Wright  and  Cambre- 
leng,  propose  that  treasury  notes  shall  be  issued  not  to  exceed 
$12,000,000." 

Mr.  Palfrey  (25th  Sept.)  suggests  my  reviewing  Col.  Stone's 
"  Life  of  Joseph  Brant,"  and  the  publishers  (Geo.  Dearborn  and 
Co.)  transmit  me  the  proof  sheets  on  sized  paper.  I  sat  down 
with  enthusiasm  to  read  them  (as  far  as  sent)  preparatory 
to  a  decision.  Many  things  are  desirable,  and  most  worthy  of 
commendation.  But  there  were  some  errors  of  fact  and  opinions, 
which  I  could  not  pass  over  without  bringing  forward  facts  which 
I  felt  no  capacity  to  manage,  without  giving  offence  to  one  whom 
I  had  every  reason  to  regard  as  a  friend.  Brant  had  been  the 
scourge  of  my  native  State  during  all  the  long  and  bloody  war 
of  the  Revolution ;  and  his  enormities  had  the  less  excuse  to  be 
plastered  over  on  account  of  his  having  received  a  Christian  edu 
cation,  and  speaking  and  writing  his  own  language.  He  was  doubt 
less  a  man  much  above  his  red  brethren  generally,  for  mental  con 
ception  and  boldness.  It  is  true,  I  had  heard  all  the  terrific  details 
of  his  cruelties  from  the  lips  of  my  father,  who  was  an  actor  in 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  575 

the  scenes  described,  at  an  age  when  impressions  sink  deep.  But 
I  had  outlived  my  youthful  impressions,  and  felt  disposed  to  re 
gard  him  as  one  of  the  most  celebrated  individuals  of  his  race, 
which  race  I  had  learned  to  regard  as  one  of  the  peculiar  types  of 
mankind.  But  I  thought  it  injudicious  to  lay  the  story  of  the 
Revolution  on  his  shoulders — with  the  real  causes  of  which  his 
life  had  about  as  much  to  do  as  the  fly  on  the  wagon-wheel,  in 
turning  it.  I  therefore  on  broad  grounds  declined  it. 

The  establishment  of  the  University  of  Michigan  and  its 
branches  over  the  State,  now  excited  considerable  attention,  and 
I  began  to  receive  letters  from  various  quarters  on  the  subject. 
"At  a  meeting  of  the  people  of  this  county  (Kalamazoo),"  says  A. 
Edwards,  Esq.,  "  very  advantageous  offers  were  made  to  the  Board, 
in  case  it  was  by  them  deemed  proper  to  establish  here  one  of  the 
two  branches  contemplated  within  the  senatorial  district." 

Mr.  Daniel  B.  Woods,  Dorchester,  Mass.,  writes  me  respecting 
an  article  for  the  "  Christian  Keepsake,''  which  has  passed  to  the 
hands  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clark,  of  Philadelphia. 

25th.  Letters  were  received  to-day  from  the  Secretaries  of  the 
Presbyterian,  and  from  the  Methodist  Boards  of  Missions  at  New 
York,  proposing  the  establishment  of  missions  for  the  Ottawas  and 
Chippewas,  under  the  fourth  article  of  the  treaty  of  1836.  I  ad 
vised  Mr.  Lowry,  the  organ  of  the  former,  and  also  the  Methodist 
Society,  to  select  positions  south  of  this  island  in  Lake  Michigan. 

21th.  The  first  snow  falls  for  the  season. 

30th.  The  chiefs  of  the  Ottawas  at  L'Arbre  Croche  request 
that  I  would  procure  and  send  them  vaccine  matter,  having  heard 
that  the  small- pox  existed  at  Grand  River,  and  at  Maskigo. 

An  Ottawa  Indian,  called  Mis-kweiu-wauk  (Red  Cedar)  brought 
a  counterfeit  half  dollar,  saying  that  he  had  received  it  at  the  pay 
ments,  from  Major  Garland.  It  seemed  to  me  that  such  was  not 
the  fact,  but  that  he  had  been  sent  by  some  saucy  fellow.  But  I 
thought  prudent  to  give  him  a  good  half  dollar  in  its  place. 

Nov.  4:th.  Information  was  received,  that  a  strong  party  of  Bois- 
brules  and  Indians,  who  went  west  from  Red  River  early  in  the  fall, 
to  hunt  the  buffalo  agreeably  to  their  custom,  were  met  and  attacked 
by  the  Gros  Venters  and  Sioux  of  the  plains,  and  one  hundred  of 
their  number  killed  in  the  affray. 


576  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

10th.  Completed  arrangements  to  leave  the  office  during  the 
winter  in  charge  of  Mr.  F.  W.  Shearman. 

11th.  Embarked  at  Mackinack  on  board  the  steamer  "  Madison,'' 
for  the  lower  country. 

~L3th.  Arrived  at  Detroit,  and  resumed  the  duties  of  the  super- 
intendency  at  that  point.  Charles  Rodd  reports  that  three  hun 
dred  Saginaws  have  taken  shelter  on  the  St.  Clair,  from  the  ravages 
of  the  small-pox,  that  they  will  pass  the  winter  in  the  vicinity  of 
Point  au  Barques;  and  that,  consequently,  they  will  not  attend 
the  payments  at  Saginaw  this  fall. 

Vlth.  Asked  H.  Conner,  Esq.,  the  signification  of  "  Mongua- 
gon."  He  replied,  the  true  name  is  Mo-gwau-go  [nong],  and  was 
a  man's  name,  signifying  dirty  backsides.  It  was  the  name  of  a 
Wyandot  who  died  there.  Mo,  in  the  Algonquin,  means  excre 
ment;  givau  is  a  personal  term ;  o,  the  accusative;  and  nong,  place. 
I  observe  that,  in  the  Hebrew,  the  same  word  Mo,  denotes  semen. 
The  mode  of  combination,  too,  is  not  diverse ;  thus,  mo-ab,  in  He 
brew,  is  a  substantive  of  two  roots,  mo,  semen,  and  db,  father. 

Paukad  [^P2],  Hebrew,  means  to  strike  upon  or  against  any 
person  or  thing.  Pukatai  Chip,  is  to  strike  anything  animate  or 
inanimate.  Paukad,  in  the  same  tongue,  means  a  stroke  of  light 
ning. 

VltJi.  Judge  Riggs,  who  has  charge  of  affairs  at  Saginaw,  reports 
that  about  twenty  Indians  have  been  carried  off  by  the  small-pox, 
on  the  Shiawassa,  and  the  same  number  on  the  Flint  River.  Says 
the  disease  was  first  brought  to  Saginaw  by  Mr.  Gardiner  D. 
Williams,  and  it  was  afterwards  extended  to  the  Flint  by  Mr. 
Campau. 

21st.  Rev.  J.  A.  Agnew,  of  N.  Y.,  addresses  me  as  one  of  the 
Regents  of  the  University,  under  a  belief  that  the  Board  will,  very 
soon,  proceed  to  the  election  of  a  chancellor  and  professors.  He 
takes  a  very  just  view  of  the  importance  of  making  it  a  fundamental 
point,  to  base  the  course  of  instruction  on  a  sound  moralify,  and  of 
insuring  the  confidence  of  religious  teachers  of  evangelical  views. 

25th.  Mr.  Conner  brought  me,  some  days  ago,  a  cranium  of  an 
Indian,  named  E-tow-i-ge-zhig  (Both  Sides  of  the  Sun), -who  was 
killed  and  buried  near  his  house  in  a  singular  way. 

It  seems  that  another  Indian,  a  young  man,  had  fallen  from  a 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  577 

tree,  and,  in  his  descent,  injured  his  testicles,  \vhich  swelled  up 
amazingly.  Etowigezhig  laughed  at  him,  which  so  incensed  the 
young  fellow  that  he  suddenly  picked  up  a  pot-hook  and  struck 
him  on  the  skull.  It  fractured  it,  and  killed  him.  So  he  died  for 
a  laugh.  He  was  a  good-natured  man,  about  forty-five,  and  a  good 
hunter.  I  gave  the  skull  to  Mr.  Toulmin  Smith,  a  phrenological 
lecturer. 

26th.  Mr.  Cleaveland  (Rev.  John)  preached  his  farewell  sermon  to 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Detroit,  from  Jonah  iii.  2  :  "Arise 
and  go  to  Nineveh,  that  great  city,  and  preach  unto  it  the  preaching 
that  I  bid  thee."  This  message  he  has  faithfully  and  ably  delivered 
to  them  for  about  five  years  that  he  has  occupied  this  pulpit. 

27th.  A  letter  of  this  date,  from  Fort  Union,  on  the  Missouri, 
published  in  the  St.  Louis  Bulletin,  gives  a  frightful  account  of  the 
ravages  of  the  small-pox  among  the  Mandans,  Aurickerees,  Mini- 
tares  and  Gros  Venters,  of  the  Missouri.  This  disease,  which  first 
broke  out  about  the  15th  of  July,  among  the  Mandans,  carried  off 
about  fifteen  hundred  of  that  tribe.  It  left  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  souls.*  It  spread  rapidly,  and  during  the  autumn  carried 
off  about  half  of  the  two  tribes  mentioned.  It  was  carried  to  the 
Blackfeet,  Crees,  and  Assinaboines,  who  also  suffered  dreadfully. 
Upwards  of  one  thousand  of  the  Blackfeet  perished,  and  about 
five  hundred  Minitares.  Whole  lodges  were  swept  away,  and  the 
desolations  created  were  frightful. 

2Sth.  Mr.  F.  Ayer  writes  from  Pokegoma,  on  Snake  River,  of 
the  St.  Croix  Valley  of  the  Upper  Mississippi :  "  Shall  we  be  mo 
lested  by  government  soon,  or  at  a  future  time;  or,  in  case  the 
government  sell  the  land  to  a  company,  or  to  individuals,  will  they 
consider  our  case  and  make  any  reservation  in  our  favor?" 

Dec.  2d.  Rev.  Oren  C.  Thompson  writes  in  relation  to  Michili- 
mackinack  : — 

"  1.  Have  you  a  missionary  engaged  for  that  station  ? 

"  2.  Do  you  feel  the  importance  and  necessity  of  obtaining  one 
who  is  already  acquainted  with  the  Indian  language  ? 

*  The  report  that  they  were  entirely  extinguished  was  an  error.  The  sur 
vivors  fled  to  their  relatives,  the  Minnitares,  where  they  increased  rapidly, 
when  they  returned  to  their  ancient  villages  on  the  Missouri,  where  they 
now  (1851)  reside,  numbering  about  five  hundred  souls. 

37 


578  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

"  3.  Do  you  wish  to  engage  one  for  that  station,  who  is  in  senti 
ment  a  Presbyterian  ? 

"4.  Are  there  appropriations  for  his  support  ? 

"  5.  What  will  be  his  business  particularly  ? 

"  6.  How  long  will  he  probably  be  wanted  there? 

"  7.  What,  in  your  opinion,  is  the  prospect  of  his  usefulness 
there  ?" 

Dec.  1st.  Mr.  Hamill,  of  Lawrenceville,  N.  J.,  responds  to  my 
inquiry  for  a  suitable  school  for  my  son — a  matter  respecting  which 
I  am  just  now  very  solicitous. 

13th.  Set  out  by  railroad  for  Flint  River,  accompanied  by  Major 
Garland  and  Mr.  Conner.  Weather  very  cold,  and  the  snow  form 
ing  a  good  road.  At  Pontiac,  we  took  a  double  sleigh,  and  drove 
out  to  Flint  Village.  I  was  invited  to  his  house  by  Mr.  Hascall, 
who  did  everything  to  render  the  visit  agreeable.  Between  400 
and  500  Indians  were  assembled.  They  appeared  poorly  clad, 
and  needy,  having  suffered  greatly  from  the  small-pox  during  the 
autumn  and  winter.  About  40  had  died  on  the  Shiawassa  River, 
and  some  30  on  the  Flint.  After  the  Major  had  completed  the 
payment  of  their  annuities  and  delivery  of  goods,  I  opened  a  ne 
gotiation  with  them  to  complete  the  sale  of  their  reservations. 

16th.  In  a  letter  of  this  date,  Dr.  Greene,  Sec.  of  the  A.  B.  C., 
for  F.  Missions,  adverts  to  the  positions  heretofore  taken,  by  that 
board,  respecting  the  missionary  establishment  at  Mackinack.  The 
moral  position  of  that  Board,  with  respect  to  that  Mission,  appears 
to  me  to  be  wrong.  This  mission  involves  the  mission  cause,  in 
some  important  respects,  with  the  entire  question  of  missionary  ope 
rations  over  the  North-west — reaching  from'lat.  42°  to  49°,  with 
many  degrees  of  longitude ;  for,  from  all  this  region,  the  Indian  boys 
and  girls  of  the  mission  have  been  collected.  It  began  operations 
with  them,  I  think,  in  1822  ;  and  having,  in  this  interval,  expended 
many  thousand  dollars,  and  erected  expensive  buildings,  it  now 
drops  the  thing,  just  at  the  point  when  the  Indians  have  commenced 
important  cessions,  and  when  their  condition  is  such  that  they  are 
not  only  inclined  to  receive  interior  teachers  and  evangelists,  which 
have  been  raised  at  that  central  point,  but,  by  these  cessions  to  the 
government,  they  have  provided  funds  for  schools  and  teachers. 

Merely  because  the  excellent  superintendent  determined,  two  or 
three  years  ago,  to  leave  this  important  point  and  enter  into  secular 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  579 

business,  to  provide  for  a  growing  family ;  and  because  the  attrac 
tion  of  foreign  fields  carries  young  clergymen  abroad,  to  the  detri- 
ment^>f  the  home  field,  it  does  not,  I  think,  fulfil  the  highest 
requisitions  of  duty  to  abandon  the  field,  and  thereby  to  leave  it* 
to  be  said  that  the  Board  doubts  God's  purposes  with  regard  to 
the  red  man.  If  the  missionary  himself,  who  has  so  many  years 
conducted  the  concern  with  approbation,  was  not  willing  to  trust 
his  rewards  to  a  higher  power,  but  aimed,  as  it  were,  to  steady 
himself  by  stretching  forth  his  hand,  it  seems  to  me  the  race  ought 
not  to  be  the  sufferers  for  such  a  course.  They  constitute  a  vastly 
more  appropriate  fieldof  labor  than  the  "  millions  of  foreign  lands," 
who  sit,  to  a  large  extent,  unaffected  by  the  Gospel.  Not,  indeed, 
that  those  fields  should  be  neglected ;  but  the  Indian  race,  and 
these  large  families  of  it,  are  worthy  of  a  warmer  sympathy  than 
I  can  see  in  Dr.  Greene's  letters,  or  the  decisions  of  the  Board  by 
whom  he  is  governed. 

20th.  Signed  a  supplementary  treaty  with  the  Saginaws  at 
Flint.  By  this  treaty  the  Saginaws  relinquish  their  reserves  in 
this  valuable  and  rapidly  settling  portion  of  the  country,  and  agree 
to  accept  a  location  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Osage,  which  their 
chiefs  have  explored.  They  are  to  occupy  two  of  their  reservations 
on.  the  west  shores  of  Saginaw  Bay,  for  five  years.  The  govern 
ment  is  to  pay  them  the  entire  proceeds  of  the  land,  as  sold  in  the 
public  land  offices.  They  set  apart  funds  for  schools,  and  to  pay 
their  debts.  This  tribe  has  now  no  instructors.  They  have  the 
reputation  of  being  turbulent,  and  averse  to  all  plans  of  improve 
ment.  Their  history  is  fraught  with  deeds  of  violence.  They 
made  bloody  inroads  on  the  settlements  of  Western  Virginia  and 
Pennsylvania,  after  the  close  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and 
brought  away  captives.  One  of  these  was  the  notorious  and  infa 
mous  John  Tanner.  They  lived  under  a  perfect  dictator,  in  the 
person  of  Kish-ka-ko,  who  made  and  altered  laws  to  suit  a  strong- 
willed  savage  mind.  They  were  originally  a  band  of  Chippewa 
refugees.  They  settled  here  when  the  Sauks  in  the  17th  century 
were  driven  off.  Their  name  is  derived  from  this.  The  true 
sound  of  the  word  is  SauJcinong,  or  Place  of  the  Sauks.  It  has 
been  improperly  assimilated  to  Saganosh,  i.  e.,  Englishman. 

23d.  Rev.  John  A.  Clark,  of  Philadelphia,  writes,  requesting  a 
contribution  to  the  "  Christian  Keepsake,'5  which  denotes  the  in 
terest  in  the  Indian  subject  to  be  unabated. 


580  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    LXI. 

Tradition  of  Pontiac's  conspiracy  and  death — Patriot  war — Expedition  of  a 
body  of  250  men  to  Boisblanc — Question  of  schools  and  missions  among 
the  Indians — Indian  affairs — Storm  at  Michilimackinack — Life  of  Brant — 
Interpreterships  and  Indian  language — A  Mohegan — Affair  of  the  "  Caro 
line" — Makons — Plan  of  names  for  new  towns — Indian  legends — Florida 
war — Patriot  war — Arrival  of  Gen.  Scott  on  the  frontiers — Resume  of  the 
difficulties  of  the  Florida  war — Natural  history  and  climate  of  Florida — 
Death  of  Doctor  Lutner. 

1838.  Jan.  1st.  OFFICE  OF  INDIAN  AFFAIRS,  DETROIT. — In 
the  recent  trip  to  Flint  River,  Mr.  Henry  Conner  told  me  one 
day  that  he  had  been  acquainted  with  the  Indian  person  who,  in 
1763,  informed  Major  Gladwyn,  the  commanding  officer  at  Detroit, 
of  Pontiac's  conspiracy. 

The  affair  had  other  motives  than  Carver  imagines.  She  thought 
more  of  saving  the  life  of  Major  Gladwin  than  of  saving  the  whole 
Anglo-Saxon  race.  She  had  been  a  very  handsome  person  in  her 
youth,  being  nearly  white,  though  of  Indian  blood.  Owing  to  her 
gallantries,  her  husband  had  bit  off  her  nose.  When  an  old 
woman,  she  became  intemperate,  and,  on  one  of  these  occasions,  at 
a  sugar  camp  on  the  Clinton  River,  she  fell  backward  into  a  boil 
ing  kettle  of  sap,  and  thus  perished.  Truly  "  the  way  of  the 
transgressor  is  hard." 

He  stated  the  tradition  respecting  Pontiac's  death  as  it  was  re 
lated  by  a  chief  who  well  knew  the  facts.  The  English  made  great 
efforts  to  conciliate  a  man  of  such  powerful  abilities  and  influence, 
and  endeavored  to  enlist  him  as  an  ambassador  among  the  Western 
Indians  to  bring  them  into  their  interests.  Pontiac  used  decep 
tion  in  appearing  to  fall  in  with  their  views,  and  went  on  this 
business  to  the  country  of  the  Illinois,  which  was  then  about  to  be 
surrendered  to  them.  They  took  the  precaution  to  send  with  him, 
as  an  associate,  a  chief  called  Chianocquot,  or  the  Big  Cloud,  who 
was  strongly  attached  to  their  interests.  When  Pontiac  reached 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  581 

the  region  of  the  Illinois  posts,  instead  of  persuading  the  Indians  to 
peace  and  friendship  with  the  English,  he  advised  them  not  to 
surrender  the  country,  and,  in  his  addresses  to  them,  he  used  the 
most  persuasive  arguments  to  dissuade  them  from  permitting  the 
surrendrj  at  all,  and  gave  vent  to  his  natural  feelings  and  senti 
ments  in  favor  of  the  French  and  against  the  EngTish. 

This  had  been  his  policy  at  Detroit.  He  appeared  instinctively 
to  dread  the  advance  of  the  English  race,  or,  perhaps,  really 
foresaw  that  their  arts  and  industry,  against  the  adoption  of  which 
he  so  vehemently  inveighed,  would  uproot  and  crush  the  aboriginal 
race.  Chianocquot  was  roused  to  anger  by  this  duplicity  and 
dispatched  him.* 

Mr.  Conner  continued:  Pontiac's  village  and  residence  near 
Detroit  was  Peach  Island  and  the  main  shore  directly  abreast  of 
it,  north-east.  In  the  summer  he  lived  on  the  island,  and  in  the 
winter  on  the  main  land. 

Pontiac  was  offended  at  the  Indian  who,  during  the  siege, 
killed  McDougel,  and  would  have  put  him  to  death  for  the  act  had 
the  murderer  not  fled.  The  man  who  did  it  had  been  absent,  and 
did  not  know  that  this  officer  had  received  permission  to  return  to 
the  fort. 

4th.  Walter  Lowrie,  Esq.,  Secretary  of  the  Presbyterian  Board 
of  Foreign  Missions  at  New  York,  writes  that  the  Executive  Com 
mittee  have  determined  to  establish  a  mission  and  school  among 
the  Chippewas  and  Ottawas  of  Lake  Michigan  as  early  in  the 
spring  as  suitable  men  can  be  procured. 

8th.  The  Canadian,  or  patriot  war,  is  now  at  its  height.  The 
city  has  been  kept  in  a  perfect  turmoil  by  it  for  weeks.  The  setting 
fire  to  outbuildings  or  deserted  houses  almost  every  dark  night, 
appears  to  be  connected  with  it.  One  dark  night  I  stumbled  and 
fell  on  an  uneven  pavement  on  a  part  of  Jefferson  Avenue,  and 
immediately  a  voice  cried  "  Hurrah  for  Canada  !"  There  was  an 

*  Nicollet,  in  his  HydrograpTtical  Report  in  1841,  has  placed  this  tradition 
in  its  proper  light.  He  gives  a  somewhat  different  account  of  Pontiac's  death, 
which  he  states  to  have  taken  place  when  he  was  in  liquor,  and  the  blow  was 
insidiously  given. 

A  Kaskaskia  Indian,  it  seems,  was  hired  for  a  barrel  of  rum  by  an  Indian 
trader  to  commit  the  act.  The  blow  he  inflicted  by  his  club  fractured  the 
ekuli  of  his  victim,  who  lingered  a  while,  but  eventually  died  of  the  wound. 
This  was  at  Fort  Chartres,  in  Illinois. 


582  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

intense  excitement  among  the  lower  classes  in  its  favor,  which  it 
required  a  high  degree  of  moral  energy  in  the  lovers  of  law  and 
order  to  keep  down. 

This  morning  a  conservative  force  of  250  volunteer  militia 
embarked,  at  two  P.  M.,  in  a  steamer  for  Amherstburg  (the  Mai 
den  of  the  war  of  1812),  to  demand  the  surrendry  of  the  State 
arms  recently  taken  from  their  place  of  deposit — the  city  jail. 
This  demand  is  to  be  made  of  the  patriot  refugee  force  from 
Canada,  who  are  about  to  take  post  on  the  island  of  Boisblanc, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Detroit  River.  It  was  a  well-armed  force, 
with  muskets  and  cartridge-boxes  well  filled ;  but  it  was  found  that, 
on  the  way  down  the  river,  their  cartridge-boxes  had  been  relieved, 
by  persons  friendly  to  the  patriots  on  board,  of  every  particle  of 
ammunition.  The  detachment  returned  about  eleven  o'clock  at 
night,  having  proved  wholly  unsuccessful  in  the  object  of  the 
movement. 

Mr.  Ball,  a  representative  in  the  local  legislature  from  Kent 
County,  called  this  day  to  inquire  into  the  propriety  of  establish 
ing  a  sub-agency  at  Grand  Rapids,  on  Grand  River,  for  the 
ostensible  benefit  of  the  Ottawas  in  that  quarter.  The  question 
of  the  division  of  funds  between  schools  established  for  a  part  of 
the  same  people  at  Gull  Prairie,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Slater, 
and  the  separate  school  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  in  Chippewa 
County,  in  the  care  of  Mr.  Bingharn,  both  of  which  are  under  the 
general  direction  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Board  at  Boston,  was 
considered  and  approved,  and  letters  written  accordingly. 

These  efforts,  at  detached  points,  to  improve  the  race  must,  we 
are  inclined  to  believe,  eventually  fail.  Two  races  so  diverse  in 
mind  and  habits  catinot  prosper  together  permanently ;  but  the 
hope  is  that  temporary  good  may  be  done.  An  Indian  who  is 
converted  and  dies  in  the  faith,  is  essentially  "  a  brand  plucked 
out  of  the  fire,"  and  no  man  can  undertake  to  estimate  the  moral 
value  of  the  act.  A  child  who  is  taught  to  read  and  write  is  armed 
with  two  requisites  for  entering  civilized  life.  But  the  want  of  gene 
ral  efficient  efforts,  unobstructed  by  local  laws  and  deleterious  influ 
ences,  cannot  but,  jn  a  few  years,  convince  the  Boards  that  the 
colonization  of  the  tribes  West  is  the  best,  if  not  the  only  hope 
of  prosperity  to  the  race  as  a  race. 

9th.  Lieut.  E.  S.  Sibley,  U.  S.  A.,  sets  out  to  pay  the  Grand 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  583 

River  Indians.  I  commissioned  Charles  H.  Oakes,  Esq.,  to  witness 
the  pay  rolls.  Mr.  Conner  returns  the  same  day  from  attending 
the  payments  of  the  Swan  Creek  and  Black  River  bands.  He 
reports  the  Indians  on  the  American  side  of  the  lines  not  disposed 
to  engage  in  the  present  unhappy  contest  in  the  Canadas.  Exer 
tions,  he  affirms,  have  been  made  by  the  British  authorities  to  induce 
the  Chippewas  living  in  Canada,  opposite  to  the  mouth  of  Black 
River,  to  engage  in  the  conflict  against  their  revolted  people,  but 
Avithout  success.  They  threatened,  if  matters  were  pushed,  to 
flee  to  the  American  side.  He  states,  also,  that  a  council  to  the 
same  effect  had  been  held  with  the  Canada  Indians  opposite 
Peach  Island,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  St.  Clair,  which  resulted  in  the 
same  declaration. 

12th.  The  appraisement  rolls  transmitted  to  Washington  by 
Messrs.  Macdonnel  &  Clarke,  the  appraisers  appointed  under  the  8th 
article  of  the  treaty  of  28th  March,  1836,  were  judged  to  be  too  high ; 
and  the  subject  was  referred  for  revision  to  Maj.  Garland  and  my 
self.  I  this  day  transmitted  a  joint  reply  of  the  major  and  my 
self,  stating  how  impossible  it  would  be  to  revise  so  complex  a 
subject  without  opportunities  of  personal  examination  in  each  case 
— a  business  which  neither  of  us  desires. 

IQth.  Received  the  first  winter  express  from  Mackinack,  trans 
mitting  reports  from  the  various  persons  in  official  employ  there. 
They  report  a  great  storm  at  that  place  on  the  8th  and  9th  of 
December,  1837,  in  the  course  of  which  the  light-house  on  Bois- 
blanc  was  blown  down,  and  other  damage  done  by  the  rise  of  water. 

ISth.  Received  the  Senate's  printed  document,  No.  1,  contain 
ing  the  President's  annual  message  and  all  the  Secretaries'  reports. 
The  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs  recommends  the  abolition  of 
sub-agencies,  and  the  raising  of  the  pay  of  interpreters — two 
measures  recommended  in  my  annual  report.  The  department  is 
very  much  in  the  hands  of  ignorant  and  immoral  interpreters,  who 
frequently  misconceive  the  point  to  be  interpreted.  Could  we 
raise  up  a  set  of  educated  and  moral  men  for  this  duty,  the  de 
partment  would  stand  on  high  grounds.  Surely,  a  sort  of  normal 
institute  could  teach  the  principles  of  the  Indian  grammar,  as  well 
as  the  Greek.  There  is  no  sound  without  a  meaning,  and  no 
meaning  conveyed  without  an  orthographical  rule.  They  do  not 
gabble  at  random,  as  some  think.  Their  modes  of  utterance  are, 


584  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

it  is  true,  often  defective,  but  they  are  not  without  grammatical  laws. 
I  inquired  into  this  matter  at  my  first  entrance  into  the  Indian 
country  of  the  Algonquins,  sixteen  years  ago.  I  found  that  verbs 
had  eight  classes  of  conjugations,  and  ten  including  the  broad 
vowels  ;  five  declensions  of  nouns,  and  two  sets  of  pronouns,  one 
to  be  placed  before  and  the  other  at  the  end  of  the  verb  and  sub 
stantive.  That  all  substantives  could  be  changed  into  verbs ;  that 
there  were  a  stock  of  adjective  and  prepositional  participles,  and 
that  the  mode  of  forming  compounds  and  derivatives  was  varied, 
but  all  subject  to  the  most  exact  rules.  They  have  a  very  accu 
rate  appreciation  of  sound  and  its  varied  meanings,  and  are  pushed 
"'to  use  figures  to  help  out  or  illustrate  a  meaning  ;  but  the  excessive 
refinements  of  syntax,  for  which  some  contend,  are  theories  in  the 
minds  of  unpracticed  collaborators. 

18^.  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Palfrey,  E.  N.  A.  R.,  declining  to  re 
view  Stone's  "  Brant,"  and  apprizing  him  of  the  preparation  of  an 
article  on  the  "North-west,"  by  Mr.  I.  Lanman.  "I  take  this 
occasion  to  say  that  I  have  received  the  proof-sheets  of  some 
hundred  and  fifty  pages  of  Col.  Stone's  Life  of  Brant.  It  is 
a  work  somewhat  discursive,  and  involves  some  critical  points  in 
Indian  history  and  customs.  I  should  not  feel  willing  to  com 
mence  a  notice  of  it,  without  having  the  whole  before  me.  The 
hero  of  the  work  hardly  exerts  influence  enough  on  the  revolu 
tionary  contest  to  justify  the  attempt  of  piling  on  him  so  much  of 
the  materials  of  that  momentous  contest,  and  I  think,  moreover, 
there  is  a  perceptible  attempt  made  to  whiteivasJi  a  man  who  lived 
and  died  with  no  slight  nor  undeserved  opprobrium." 

19th.  Hendrick  Apaumut,  a  Mohegan  chief,  of  Wisconsin,  ap 
plied  for  aid,  in  money,  to  facilitate  his  journey  to  Washington. 
What  the  Indians  lack,  in  their  business  affairs,  is  system  and 
method  ;  foresight  to  plan,  and  stability  to  carry  into  eifect. 

Received  a  copy  of  the  message  of  the  President,  communi 
cating  the  thrilling  circumstances  of  the  recent  massacre  on  board 
of  the  ill-fated  steamer  "  Caroline,"  and  the  gross  outrage  of  na 
tional  rights  committed  by  the  burning  of  that  boat  and  the  destruc 
tion  of  her  crew.  Palliatives  for  the  act  will  undoubtedly  be 
plead ;  but  the  act  itself  will  probably  make  a  hero,  in  the  estima 
tion  of  his  countrymen,  of  Mr.  McNab,  if  it  does  nothing  more. 

22d.  The  friends  of  education  in  Michigan,  having  assembled  in 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  585 

convention,  issue  a  circular  calling  attention  to  that  vital  subject, 
and  recommend  a  "  Journal  of  Public  Instruction"  to  the  patron 
age  of  the  people.     There   can  be  no  fear  of  our  institutions  as  : 
long  as  education  is  cherished. 

24th.  Maconse  (the  Little  Bear),  chief  of  the  Swan  Creeks, 
writes  to  Gov.  Mason  that  it  is  reported  some  of  his  people  are 
about  to  join  the  Canadian  authorities  to  put  down  the  partial 
revolt.  The  Governor,  probably  thinking  I  would  better  know 
how  to  deal  with  him,  sends  the  letter  to  me.  The  fellow,  whose 
moral  code  is  not  very  high,  only  meant  to  give  himself  a  little 
consequence  by  it.  Both  he  and  his  people  will  take  good  care  to 
keep  out  of  harm's  way. 

24th.  Gov.  Mason  informs  me  that  he  has  communicated  to  the 
Legislature  of  Michigan  my  plan  for  a  system  of  Indian  names 
communicated  to  him  on  the  12th  instant,  for  the  new  counties 
and  towns,  founded  on  the  idea  of  the  avoidance  of  the  number  of 
dead  letters  reported  as  annually  received  at  Washington,  from 
their  misdirection.  This  misdirection  is  supposed  to  arise  chiefly 
from  great  repetition  of  old  township,  city,  county,  and  village 
names.  Let  any  one  take  up  a  gazetteer  or  post-office  list  who 
wishes  to  see  this.  Names  that  are  sonorous  and  appropriate  are 
rejected  ;  but  there  is  hardly  a  county  in  any  of  the  new  States 
without  their  Springfields,  and  Fairfields,  and  Oxfords,  and  War- 
wicks  without  number.  Where  they  do  not  abound  taste  is  often 
put  to  shame.  Mud  Creek,  and  Jack's  Corner,  and  Shingle  Hollow 
are  doubtless  appropriate  names  compared  to  some.  But  cannot 
we  supply  a  remedy  by  drawing  on  the  aboriginal  vocabulary  ? 

2Qth.  Completed  the  revision  of  a  body  of  Indian  oral  legends, 
collected  during  many  years  with  labor.  These  oral  tales  show 
up  the  Indian  in  a  new  light.  Their  chief  value  consists  in  their 
exhibition  of  aboriginal  opinions.  But,  if  published,  incredulity 
will  start  up  critics  to  call  their  authenticity  in  question.  There 
are  so  many  Indian  tales  fancied,  by  writers,  that  it  will  hardly 
be  admitted  that  there  exist  any  real  legends.  If  there  be  any 
literary  labor  which  has  cost  me  more  than  usual  pains,  it  is  this. 
I  have  weeded  out  many  vulgarisms.  I  have  endeavored  to  restore 
the  simplicity  of  the  original  style.  In  this  I  have  not  always 
fully  succeeded,  and  it  has  been  sometimes  found  necessary,  to 
avoid  incongruity,  to  break  a  legend  in  two,  or  cut  it  short  off. 


586  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

The  steamer  "Robert  Fulton''  arrived  at  Detroit,  with  three 
companies  of  U.  S.  troops,  under  the  command  of  Col.  Worth,  to 
keep  up  neutrality,  put  down  the  wild  "  patriot  movement,"  and 
prevent  disturbances  on  the  frontier. 

%lth.  Mr.  Trowbridge  tells  me  that  he  has  heard  of  the  arrival 
of  our  minister  to  France  (Gren.  Cass),  at  Port  Mahon,  with  his 
family,  on  his  return  to  Paris,  from  his  Mediterranean  tour.  He 
had  carried  out  a  letter  to  Com.  Elliot,  from  the  President,  to  offer 
him  every  facility  in  this  trip  to  visit  the  sites  of  Oriental  cities. 

3Qt7i.  Transmit  to  Washington  a  plan  and  estimates  for  building 
a  dormitory  at  Mackinack,  under  the  provision  of  the  treaty  of 
March,  1886.  Such  a  building  has  been  long  called  for  at  that 
point,  where  the  Indians  are  often  sojourners,  without  a  place  to 
sleep,  or  cook  the  provisions  furnished  them. 

Feb.  1st.  The  ^Knickerbocker  Magazine  says:  "  That  the  Indian 
oratory  contains  many  attributes  of  true  eloquence.  With  a  lan 
guage  so  barren,  and  minds  too  free  for  the  rules  of  rhetoric,  they 
still  attained  a  power  of  touching  the  feelings,  and  a  sublimity  of 
style,  which  rival  the  highest  productions  of  their  more  cultivated 
enemies." 

*lth.  Mr.  Palfrey,  in  a  letter  of  this  date,  observes  :  "  I  have 
only  to  repeat  that,  in  the  preparation  of  the  article  (on  Stone's 
"  Brant" — which  I  hope  you  will  not  think  of  giving  up),  I  trust  you 
will  not  hesitate  to  introduce,  with  the  utmost  freedom,  whatever 
your  respect  for  the  truth  of  history,  and  distaste  for  the  tricks  of 
bookmaking,  may  dictate." 

\\tli.  General  Jessup  writes  to  the  department  that,  "we  have 
committed  the  error  of  attempting  to  remove  the  Seminoles,  when 
their  lands  were  not  required  for  agricultural  purposes,  when  they 
were  not  in  the  way  of  the  white  inhabitants,  and  when  the  greater 
portion  of  their  country  was  an  unexplored  wilderness,  of  the 
interior  of  which  we  were  as  ignorant  as  of  the  interior  of  China." 
He  recommends  a  line  of  occupancy  west  of  the  Kissamee  and 
Okee  Chubbe,  which  they  may  be  allowed  to  occupy. 

20th.  W.  Lowrie,  Esq.,  S.  P.  B.  F.  Missions,  in  a  letter  of  this 
date,  says:  "I  was  glad  to  see  your  suggestion  to  the  government 
in  relation  to  a  cabinet  and  library  in  the  Indian  office." 

22d.  Charles  E.  Anderson,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  announces  his 
intention  to  visit  Europe.  "I  will  not  leave  here  until  the  loth 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  587 

of  March,  at  least,  when  I  shall  take  out  my  wife  with  me,  and 
anticipate  much  gratification  in  presenting  her  to  such  a  pattern 
of  goodness  and  true  feminine  excellence  as  Mrs.  Cass.  Anything 
you  wish  to  forward  I  will  attend  to  with  pleasure,  and  when  in 
Paris  will  not  forget  the  interesting  subject  of  your  letter,  and  will 
inform  you  what  books  may  be  obtained  respecting  the  early  his 
tory  of  the  country." 

26th.  Gen.  Scott  this  day  arrived  at  Detroit,  with  a  view  to 
quiet  the  disturbances  on  the  lines,  and  see  to  the  proper  disposi 
tion  of  the  troops  along  the  chain  of  lakes  to  effect  this  end.  I 
immediately  called  on  him,  and  offered  him  any  of  the  peculiar 
facilities,  which  are  at  the  command  of  the  Indian  department,  in 
sending  expresses  in  the  Indian  country,  &c. 

27^A.  Major  H.  Whiting,  U.  S.  A.,  writes  from  St.  Augustine, 
Florida:  "  I  have  been  favored  with  your  letter  of  a  month  since, 
it  having,  I  dare  say,  made  all  due  diligence  the  post  office  arrange 
ments  admit.  But  the  time  shows  the  sort  of  intercourse  I  am 
doomed  to  have  with  my  Detroit  friends.  I  consider  that  the 
country  ought  to  feel  under  obligations  to  one  who  serves  her  at 
such  a  sacrifice.  Indeed,  she  can  make  us  no  adequate  return, 
but  to  allow  me  to  return — the  only  return  I  ask.  When,  how 
ever,  that  favor  will  be  granted  is  past  my  guessing.  You  ask 
when  the  war  will  terminate  ?  You  could  not  puzzle  any  of  us 
more  than  by  putting  such  a  question.  We  are  more  at  our  wit's 
end  than  the  war's  end.  And  yet  I  do  not  see  that  anything  has 
been  left  undone,  that  might  have  been  done.  The  army  has 
moved  steadily  toward  its  objects.  But  those  objects  are  like  a 
mirage,  they  are  always  nearly  ^he  same  distance  off.  What  can 
we  do  in  such  a  case  ? 

"  The  army  for  the  last  few  weeks  has  been  operating  in  a  coun 
try  that  is  more  than  half  under  water.  It  has  often  been  dif 
ficult  to  find  a  spot  dry  enough  for  an  encampment.  If  the  troops 
do  not  all  come  out  web-footed,  it  is  because  water  can't  make  a 
duck's  leg. 

u  I  am  on  the  lookout  for  specimens.  I  have  one  small  alli 
gator's  bones,  and  have  laid  in  for  those  of  a  larger  one,  an  old 
settler,  no  doubt  going  back  to  Bartram's  days.  Alligators  here 
have  suffered  more  than  the  Indians  in  this  war.  I  should  judge 
that  several  hundreds  have  been  killed  from  the  boats  as  they  pass 


588  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

up  and  down.  They  all  have  a  bed  just  in  the  bank  of  the  river, 
where  they  sleep  in  the  sun,  and  the  temptation  is  too  great  for 
any  rifle,  and  they  generally  wake  up  a  little  too  late.  Mineral 
specimens  here  are  not  various.  I  have  collected  a  few  in  order 
to  show  my  friends,  who  can  draw  inferences  from  them.  Shells 
have  had  a  principal  hand  in  the  formation  of  this  peninsula. 
They  form  the  ninety-ninth  part  of  the  rock  in  this  quarter.  It 
is  a  most  convenient  formation,  being  worked  almost  as  easily  as 
clay,  and  yet  it  makes  substantial  walls.  Frost,  I  presume,  would 
play  the  deuce  with  it.  But  that  is  a  thing  not  much  known  here. 
I  have  not  yet  had  the  pleasure  to  fix  my  northern  eye  on  a  piece 
of  ice  this  winter,  though  there  has  been  a  cream  thickness  of  it 
once  or  twice.  A  pitcher  frozen  over  here  makes  more  noise  than 
the  river  frozen  over  at  Detroit.  The  frogs  have  piped  here  all 
winter — happy  dogs.  I  have  been  out  at  all  times  and  in  all 
places,  and  I  don't  think  my  nose  has  been  blue  but  once  since  I 
have  been  here — I  have  not  been  blue  myself  once.  I  have  not 
yet  been  to  Ponce  de  Leon's  spring.  But  there  are  some  springs 
here  of  a  wondrous  look.  They  are  so  transparent  that  the  fish 
can  scarce  believe  themselves  there  in  their  own  element.  The 
Mackinack  waters  are  almost  turbid  to  them.  They  have  a  most 
sulphurous  odour,  and  might  renew  a  man's  youth,  but  it  must  be 
at  the  expense  of  all  sweet  smells.  I  would  rather  keep  on  than 
go  back  on  such  conditions. 

"  In  the  fight  which  Lieut.  Powell  had  with  the  Indians,  a  Doc 
tor  Lutner  was  killed,  who  was  a  scientific  man,  and  had  joined 
the  expedition  to  botanize,  &c.  He  had  already  done  some 
thing  in  that  way,  and  would  have  done  much  more.  Such  a  life  is 
a  great  loss." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  589 


CHAPTER    LXII. 

Indians  tampered  with  at  Grand  River — Small-pox  in  the  Missouri  Y  alley— • 
Living  history  at  home — Sunday  schools — Agriculture — Indian  names — 
Murder  of  the  Glass  family — Dr.  Morton's  inquiries  respecting  Indian 
crania — Necessity  of  one's  writing  his  name  plain — Michigan  Gazetteer  in 
preparation — Attempt  to  make  the  Indian  a  political  pack-horse — Return 
to  the  Agency  of  Michilimackinack — Indian  skulls  phrenologically  exa 
mined — J.  Toulmin  Smith — Cherokee  question — Trip  to  Grand  River — 
Treaty  and  annuity  payments — The  department  accused  of  injustice  to  the 
Indians. 

1838.  March  2d.  LIEUT.  E.  S.  SIBLEY,  U.  S.  A.,  called  at  the 
office,  and  reported  certain  things  which  had  been  put  into  the  heads 
of  the  Indians  of  Grand  River,  by  interested  persons,  which  they 
had  at  the  recent  annuity  payments,  requested  him  to  state  to  me. 
Also,  the  fact  of  an  outrage  upon  one  of  their  number,  committed 
by  a  white  person,  which  should  have  been  redressed  at  once  by  the 
civil  magistrates.  There  is  but  one  way  of  escape  for  the  Indians 
living  in  white  communities,  that  is,  to  place  them,  at  once,  under 
the  protection,  and  subject  to  the  penalties  of  our  criminal  and 
civil  codes. 

3d.  Renewed  and  confirmatory  accounts  are  published  at  St. 
Louis,  of  the  desolating  effects  of  the  small-pox  among  the  Indian 
tribes  on  the  Missouri.  In  addition  to  the  tribes  mentioned  in  the 
first  accounts  as  having  suffered,  the  Upsarokees,  or  Crows,  have 
been  dreadfully  afflicted.  The  various  bands  of  the  Pie-gans, 
Blood  Indians,  and  Blackfeet,  have  lost  great  numbers.  And  the 
visitation  of  this  appalling  disease,  against  which  they  have  no 
remedy,  has  been  one  of  the  severest  ever  felt  by  these  tribes. 
Compared  to  it,  the  loss  that  the  Saginaws  and  other  local  bands 
in  Michigan  have  felt,  is  small;  but  it  is  an  instructive  fact,  that  the 
outbreak  has  been  concurrent  in  point  of  time,  on  the  Missouri  and 
in  Michigan,  which  would  seem  to  imply  a  climatic  condition  of  the 
atmosphere,  on  a  wide  scale,  favorable  to  morbid  eruptions. 

6th.  A.  E.  Wing,  Esq.,  declines  to  deliver  the  annual  address 
before  the  Michigan  Historical  Society,  owing  to  other  engage 
ments.  Few  men  who  have  capacity  are  found  willing  to  devote 


590  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  time  necessary  for  the  preparation  of  a  literary  address,  even 
where  the  materials  for  it  would  appear  to  lie  ready.  The  pressing 
practical  calls  of  life,  in  a  new  country,  where  there  is  no  heredi 
tary  wealth,  appear  to  furnish  a  valid  reason  for  this.  But  another 
reason  is,  that  the  materials  and  framework  of  an  address  are 
sought  for  at  too  great  a  distance,  and  are  thought  to  lie  too  deeply 
buried,  to  be  disinterred  by  any  but  extraordinary  hands.  This 
is  a  mistake.  The  subjects  are  at  home,  and  exist  not  only  in  ex 
ploring  old  literary  mines,  but  in  the  very  circumstances  around 
us.  What  more  extraordinary  than  the  current  which  throws 
such  masses  of  people  daily  among  us,  tearing  up,  as  it  were,  the 
old  plan  of  life,  and  laying  the  foundations  of  new  social  ties  in 
the  wilderness.  Not  a  county  is  settled  in  the  West,  the  initial 
steps  of  which  does  not  furnish  legitimate  materials  for  an  'address 
which  would  edify  the  living  generation,  and  instruct  those  which 
are  to  follow  us.  A  single  century  hence,  and  how  much  tradition 
will  sleep  in  the  grave  that  might  now  be  rescued  !  Somebody  has 
written  a  book  "How  to  Observe,"  but  there  is  good  need  of 
another — "  How  TO  THINK." 

TtfA.  A  new  and  growing  society  has  every  kind  of  moral  want. 
The  necessity  for  education  exists  in  a  thousand  forms ;  and  if  the 
friends  of  it  do  not  bestir  themselves,  the  enemies  will.  The 
friends  of  the  Sunday  School  Union,  in  Michigan,  feeling  im 
pressed  with  these  views,  issued  a  circular  this  day,  making  an 
appeal  which  deserves  a  hearty  response.  Michigan  mind  appears 
very  active  in  every  department. 

Vltli.  Received  a  circular  (from  Messrs.  Baloh  &  Wales,  of 
Marshall,  Calhoun  Co.)  for  the  issue  of  an  agricultural  paper,  ade 
quate  to  the  wants  of  that  interest. 

29th.  Dr.  D.  Houghton,  the  agent  of  the  Geological  Survey 
of  the  State,  which  is  in  progress,  commits  to  me,  in  a  letter  of 
this  date,  the  topic  of  the  Indian  terminology,  and  the  bestowal 
of  new  names,  from  the  aboriginal  vocabulary. 

30^/i.  An  inquest  was  held  this  day,  in  Ionia,  on  the  head  waters 
of  Grand  River,  on  the  bodies  of  a  woman  and  two  children, 
supposed  (mistakingly)  to  have  been  murdered  by  the  Indians. 
By  the  testimony  adduced,  it  is  shown  that  a  Mr.  Aensel  D. 
Glass,  of  whose  family  the  bodies  consist,  lived  about  four  miles 
from  the  nearest  neighbor.  He  had  not  been  seen  since  the  14th  of 
the  month.  On  the  28th,  a  Mr.  Hiram  Brown,  one  of  his  nearest 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  591 

neighbors,  went  there  on  business,  and  found  the  house  burned,  and 
the  bodies  of  his  wife  and  children  lying  half  burned  in  the  area  of 
the  house  (which  was  of  logs),  having  been  previously  most  horribly 
mutilated.  No  trace  could  be  found  of  Mr.  Glass,  nor  of  a  good 
rifle,  two  axes,  and  two  barrels  of  flour,  which  he  was  known  to 
have  had. 

Suspicion  first  fell  on  the  Grand  River  Ottawas.  I  investi 
gated  the  subject,  and  found  this  unjust.  They  are  a  peaceable, 
orderly,  agricultural  people,  friendly  to  the  settlers,  and  having  no 
cause  of  dislike  to  them.  Suspicion  next  fell  on  the  Saginaws,  who 
hunt  in  that  quarter,  and  whose  character  has  not  recovered  from 
the  imputation  of  murder  and  plunder  committed  during  the  war 
of  1812.  Petossegay  was  named  as  the  probable  aggressor.  But 
on  an  investigation  made  by  Mr.  Conner,  at  Saginaw,  this  impu 
tation  was  also  found  improbable,  and  he  was  dismissed,  leaving  the 
horrible  mystery  unexplained.* 

April  1st.  Dr.  Samuel  George  Morton,  of  Philadelphia,  who  is 
preparing  a  comprehensive  work  on  aboriginal  crania,  writes : — 
"Your  obliging  letter,  offering  me  any  information  you  might 
possess  that  would  promote  my  work  on  the  skulls  of  the  American 
tribes,  makes  me  free  to  put  to  you  the  following  inquiries,  inas 
much  as  I  am  desirous  of  seeing  as  many  tribes,  and  as  many 
individuals  as  possible,  in  a  limited  space  of  time. 

"  When  will  the  next  annual  payment  be  made  at  Mackinaw, 
and  how  many  tribes,  and  what  number  of  people  do  you  think 
will  assemble  on  that  occasion  ? 

"  If  I  visit  Mackinaw,  can  I  readily  cross  the  country  to  the 
Mississippi,  and  what  length  of  time  will  be  required  on  the  journey  ? 

"  It  is  my  intention  to  visit  Mackinaw,  or  any  adjacent  place, 
that,  in  your  judgment,  will  give  me  the  greatest  opportunity  for 
seeing  the  Indians,  and  I  shall  await  your  advice  thereon. 

"  My  work  progresses  rapidly.  Twenty  of  sixty  plates  are 
already  finished,  and  I  hope  to  complete  the  work  before  the  close 
of  the  year.  I  shall  soon  have  an  opportunity  of  forwarding,  as 
far  as  Detroit,  a  set  of  my  plates  for  your  inspection  and  accept 
ance." 

10th.  Washington  Irving  writes :  "I  have  to  acknowledge  the 
receipt  of  a  letter  informing  me  of  my  having  been  elected  an 

*  Mr.  Glass  was  subsequently,  in  1841,  found  alive  in  Wisconsin. 


592  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

honorary  member  of  the  Michigan  Historical  Society,  of  which,  I 
perceive,  you  are  President.  Not  being  able  to  make  out  the  name 
of  the  Corresponding  Secretary,  I  have  to  ask  the  favor  of  you  to 
assure  the  Society  of  the  deep  sense  I  entertain  of  the  honor  they 
have  done  me,  and  my  ready  disposition  to  promote  the  views  of 
so  meritorious  an  institution."  What  is  worthy  of  note  herein  is 
this,  that  the  name  which  the  distinguished  writer  could  not  make 
out,  is  that  of  one  of  our  most  fluent  penmen,  namely,  C.  C.  Trow- 
bridge,  Esq.,  but  who,  on  scrutiny,  I  perceive,  writes  his  name 
worse  than  anything  else,  and  so  inconceivably  bad  that  a  stranger 
might  not  be  able  to  guess  it. 

16th.  Mr.  John  T.  Blois,  who  is  engaged  on  a  Gazetteer  of  the 
State  of  Michigan,  acknowledges  the  receipt  from  me  of  some 
details  respecting  the  statistical  and  topographical  departments  of 
his  work.  The  difficulty  to  be  met  with  by  all  gazetteers  of  the 
new  States,  consists  in  this,  that  most  classes  of  the  data  alter  so 
much  in  a  few  years  that  the  books  do  not  present  the  true  state  of 
things.  Towns  and  counties  spring  up  like  magic,  and  if  old 
Aladdin  had  his  lamp  he  could  not  more  expeditiously  cover  the 
shores  of  streams,  and  valleys,  and  plains,  with  seats,  mills,  and 
various  institutions  belonging  to  our  system.* 

19th.  A  memorial  is  got  up  in  Ionia  County,  on  Grand  Kiver, 
respecting  the  Indians,  their  feelings  and  their  affairs.  In  it  facts 
are  distorted,  opinions  misapprehended,  and  the  acts  and  policy  of 
the  government  and  its  agents  greatly  misconceived  in  some  things, 
and  wholly  misrepresented  in  others.  And  the  paper,  when  exa 
mined  by  the  lights  of  treaties  and  acts,  as  they  really  occurred,  is  to 
be  regarded  as  the  work  of  some  ambitious  man  who  wishes  to 
get  on  the  backs  of  the  Indians  to  ride  into  office,  or  to  promote, 
in  some  other  way,  selfish  and  concealed  ends.  All  such  attempts, 
though  they  may  seem  to  "run  well"  for  a  time,  and  may  result  in 
temporary  success,  may  be  safely  left  to  the  counteraction  of  right 
opinions.  For  it  has  always  remained  an  axiom  of  truth,  verified 
by  every  day's  experience,  "  That  he  that  diggeth  a  pit  for  his 
neighbor  shall  himself  fall  into  it." 

20th.  General  Jo.  M.  Brown,  of  the  militia,  who  with  the  valor 
of  the  redoubtable  Peter  Stuyvesant  at  Christina,  marched  into 

*  This  was  proved  by  the  result.  The  work  was  published  in  Oct.,  1838. 
and  was  a  very  creditable  performance,  but  the  author  had  been  two  or  three  or 
even  four  years  about  it,  and  the  information  was  just  this  time  out  of  date. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  593 

Toledo,  " brimful  of  wrath  and  cabbage,"  transmits  the  above  pre 
cious  memorial,  not  to  the  Department,  or  the  President,  to  whom 
it  is  ostensibly  addressed,  but  to  the  editor  of  a  political  party 
paper  at  Detroit,  to  " manufacture"  public  opinion,  claiming,  at 
the  same  time,  very  high  motives  for  so  very  disinterested  an 
act,  in  which  the  good  of  the  Indians,  and  the  integrity  of  public 
faith,  are  clearly  held  forth  as  the  aim  of  the  writer.  The  editor 
endorsing  it  with  most  high-sounding  phrases,  in  which  he  speaks 
of  it  as  taking  fit  place  beside  the  most  atrocious  fictions,  which 
have  been  conjured  up  by  mistaken  heads  and  zealous  hearts, 
anxious  to  ride  the  aforesaid  "Indian  question,"  in  relation  to  the 
Cherokees  and  Florida  Indians.  When  all  this  grandiloquent  dis 
play  of  parental  sympathy,  and  a  sense  of  outraged  justice,  is 
stripped  of  its  false  ga.rbs  and  put  into  the  crucible  of  truth,  the 
result  is,  that  political  capital  can  be  made  just  now  of  the  handling 
of  the  topic.  A  delay  of  a  few  months  (owing  to  the  fiscal  crisis 
at  Washington)  in  the  payment  of  half  the  annuity  for  the  year, 
and  the  neglect  or  refusal  of  a  few  bands  to  come  for  the  other 
moiety,  as  ready  in  silver,  and  paid  at  the  stipulated  time  and 
place,  is  made  the  subject  of  allusion  in  this  political  hue  and 
cry.  As  to  these  bands,  they  are  the  most  peaceable,  corn-plant 
ing,  and  semi-agricultural  bands  in  the  State.  They  have  been 
pre-eminently  cultivators  from  an  early  date  of  their  history,  and 
have  been  so  characteristically  addicted  to  barter,  in  the  products 
of  their  industry  as  to  be  called  by  the  other  Algonquin  bands, 
Ottawas,  or  traders  from  the  days  of  Champlain.  They  had  pro 
bably  as  little  to  do  with  the  Glass  murder  in  Ionia,  which  is 
alleged  as  an  instance  of  hostility  to  the  United  States,  as  Gen. 
Jo.  M.  Brown  himself. 

20th.  Mrs.  Caroline  Lee  Hentz,  one  of  our  female  writers,  in  a  note 
of  acknowledgment  to  the  Hist.  Soc.,  falls  into  the  same  quandary 
about  making  out  the  signature  of  one  of  our  most  expert  and  beau 
tiful  penmen,  that  Washington  Irving  did.  She  could  by  no  means 
make  out  Mr.  Trowbridge's  name,  and  addressed  her  reply  to  me. 

21st.  Having  passed  the  winter  at  Detroit,  I  left  the  Superin- 
tendency  office  in  charge  of  Mr.  Lee,  an  efficient  clerk,  and  embraced 
the  sailing  of  one  of  the  earliest  vessels  for  the  Upper  Lakes,  to 
return  to  Michilimackinack.  Winter  still  showed  some  of  its 
aspects  there,  although  gardening  at  Detroit  had  been  commenced 
38 


594  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

for  weeks.  The  difference  in  latitude  is  nearly  four  and  a  half 
degrees  ;  the  geographical  distance  is  computed  by  mariners  at 
300  miles. 

May  1st.  In  a  communication  from  Mr.  J.  Toulmin  Smith,  he 
expresses  his  anxiety  to  procure  some  Indian  skulls  from  the  tribes 
of  the  Upper  Lakes,  to  be  employed  in  his  lectures  on  phrenology; 
and,  also,  for  the  purpose  of  transmission  to  London.  This  gentle 
man  lectured  acceptably  on  this  topic  during  the  winter  at  Detroit. 
During  these  lectures,  I  gave  him  the  skull  of  Etowigezhik,  a  Chip- 
pewa,  who  was  killed  on  Mr.  Conner's  farm  about  four  or  five 
years  ago.  He  pronounced  the  anterior  portion  to  exceed  in  mea 
surement  by  one-half  an  inch  the  posterior,  and  drew  conclusions 
favorable  to  the  natural  intellect. 

lOth.  The  Cherokee  question  assumes  a  definite  crisis.  Gen. 
Scott  issues,  under  this  date,  a  friendly  proclamation  to  the  Chero- 
kees,  calling  on  them  to  remove  peaceably,  under  the  terms  of  the 
treaty  of  1835,  telling  them  that  more  than  two  years  had  already 
elapsed  after  the  time  agreed  on,  and  that  they  would  be  provided, 
in  their  removal  to  the  west  of  the  Mississippi,  with  food,  clothing, 
and  every  means  of  transportation;  and  making  a  just  and  humane 
appeal  to  their  sense  of  justice  to  remove  ;  but  assuring  them  that, 
if  these  considerations  were  allowed  to  pass  unheeded,  his  instruc 
tions  were  imperative,  and  he  had  an  army  at  his  command,  and 
would  be  compelled  to  order  it  to  act  in  the  premises.  Such  an 
appeal  must  be  successful. 

However  much  we  may  sympathize  with  the  poetic  view  of  the  sub 
ject,  and  admire  that  spirit  of  the  human  heart  which  loves  to  linger 
about  its  ancient  seats  and  homes,  the  question  in  this  case  has 
assumed  a  purely  practical  aspect  founded  on  public  transactions, 
which  cannot  be  recalled.  The  inaptitude  of  the  Indian  tribes 
generally,  for  conducting  the  business  of  self-government,  and  their 
want  of  a  wise  foresight  in  anticipating  the  relative  power  and  posi 
tion  of  the  two  great  opposing  races  in  America,  namely,  the  white 
and  red,  has  been  the  primary  cause  of  all  their  treaty  difficulties. 
The  treaties  themselves  are  not  violated  in  any  respect,  but  being 
written  by  lawyers  and  legalists,  the  true  intent  of  some  of  these 
provisions,  or  the  relative  condition  of  the  parties  at  a  given  time, 
are  not  sometimes  fully  appreciated  ;  and  at  other  times,  the  Indian 
chiefs  exercise  diplomatic  functions  which  their  nation  has  not  re 
stored,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Creeks  of  Georgia,  or  to  the  exercise  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  595 

which  the  majority  are  actually  opposed,  as  in  the  treaty  of  New 
Echota  with  the  Cherokees.  Some  of  their  most  intelligent  and 
best  minds  led  the  way  to  and  signed  the  treaty  of  final  cession  of 
New  Echota,  in  1835.  But  the  compensation  being  found  ample, 
and  the  provisions  wise,  and  such  as  would,  in  the  judgment  of  the 
United  States  Senate,  secure  their  prosperity  and  advancement 
permanently,  that  body,  on  large  consideration,  yielded  its  assent, 
making,  at  the  same  time,  further  concessions  to  satisfy  the  mal 
contents.  These  are  the  final  arrangements  for  leaving  the  land 
to  which  Gen.  Scott,  in  his  proclamation,  alludes. 

This  tribe  has  lived  in  its  present  central  position  longer  than 
the  period  of  exact  history  denotes.  They  are  first  heard  of  under 
the  name  of  "  Achalaques,"  by  the  narrator  of  De  Soto's  Conquest 
of  Florida,  in  1540  ;  within  a  dozen  years  of  three  centuries  ago. 

June  2d.  I  proceeded,  during  the  latter  part  of  May,  to  visit 
the  Ottawas  of  the  southern  part  of  Michigan,  to  inquire  about 
their  schools  under  the  treaty  of  '36,  and  to  learn,  personally,  their 
condition  during  the  state  of  the  rapid  settlements  pressing  around 
them.  I  went  to  Chicago  by  steamboat,  and  there  found  a  schooner 
for  Grand  River.  Here  I  was  pleased  to  meet  our  old  pastor,  Mr. 
Eerry,  as  a  proprietor  and  pastor  of  the  newly-planned  town  of 
Grand  Haven.  I  had  to  wait  here,  some  days,  for  a  conveyance 
to  the  Grand  Rapids,  which  gave  me  time  to  ramble,  with  my  little 
son,  about  the  sandy  eminences  of  the  neighborhood,  and  to  pluck 
the  early  spring  flowers  in  the  valley.  The  "  Washtenong,"  a  small 
steamer  with  a  stern-wheel,  in  due  time  carried  us  up.  Among  the 
passengers  was  an  emigrant  English  family  from  Canada,  who  landed 
at  a  log  house  in  the  woods.  I  was  invited,  at  the  Rapids,  to  take 
lodgings  with  Mr.  Lewis  Campeau,  the  proprietor  of  the  village. 
The  fall  of  Grand  River  here  creates  an  ample  water  power.  The 
surrounding  country  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  fertile  imagin 
able,  and  its  rise  to  wealth  and  populousness  must  be  a  mere  ques 
tion  of  time,  and  that  time  hurried  on  by  a  speed  that  is  astonish 
ing.  This  generation  will  hardly  be  in  their  graves  before  it  will 
have  the  growth  and  improvements  which,  in  other  countries,  are 
the  results  of  centuries. 

5th.  I  this  day,  in  a  public  council  at  the  court  house,  paid  the 
Indians  the  deferred  half  annuity  of  last  year  (1837)  in  silver 
coin,  and  afterwards  concluded  a  treaty  with  them,  modifying  the 
treaty  of  28th  March,  1836,  so  far  as  to  make  it  obligatory  on 


596  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  government  to  pay  their  annuities  here  instead  of  Michilimack- 
inack.  The  annuities  in  salt,  tobacco,  provisions  and  goods, 
were  also  delivered  to  them  by  agents  appointed  for  the  purpose. 
They  expressed  themselves,  and  appeared  to  be  highly  gratified, 
with  the  just  fulfilment  of  every  treaty  obligation,  and  with  the  kind 
and  benevolent  policy  and  treatment  of  the  American  government. 

I  took  this  occasion  to  call  their  attention  to  the  murder  of  the 
Glass  family  in  Ionia,  in  the  month  of  March  last.  They  utterly 
disclaimed  it,  or  any  participation  of  any  kind  in  its  perpetration. 
They  agreed  to  send  delegates  west,  in  accordance  with  the  8th 
art.  of  the  treaty  of  '36,  to  explore  the  country  on  the  sources  of 
the  Osage  River,  for  their  future  permanent  residence.  They  were 
well  content  with  their  teachers  and  missionaries  of  all  denomina 
tions.  The  Chief  Nawequageezhig,  in  particular,  spoke  with  a 
commanding  voice  and  just  appreciation  on  the  subject,  which 
evinced  no  ordinary  mental  elevation,  purpose  and  dignity. 

~L~Lth.  George  Bancroft,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  in  a  letter  of  this  date, 
observes:  "I  can  only  repeat,  what  before  I  have  urged  on  you, 
to  collect  all  the  materials  that  can  illustrate  the  language,  cha 
racter  and  origin  of  the  natives,  and  the  early  settlement  of  the 
French."  The  encouragement  I  receive  from  my  literary  and 
scientific  friends,  and  which  has  been  continued  these  many  years, 
is,  indeed,  of  a  character  which  is  calculated  to  stimulate  to  new 
exertions,  although  the  love  for  such  exertions  pre-exists.  I  do 
not  know  that  I  shall  live  to  make  use  of  the  materials  I  collect, 
or  that  I  have  the  capacity  to  digest  and  employ  them;  but  if  not. 
they  may  be  useful  in  the  hands  of  other  laborers. 

~L6th.  Office  of  Indian  Affairs,  Michilimackinack.  On  returning 
from  Grand  River,  I  observed  a  continuation  of  the  misrepresenta 
tions  begun  last  winter,  respecting  the  Indian  policy  and  proceed 
ings  of  the  Department.  A  ground  for  these  misconceptions,  and 
in  some  things,  perversions,  arose  from  the  goods'  offer  for  the  half 
annuity,  made  in  1837.  This  offer  being  rejected  by  the  Michigan 
Indians,  was  renewed  to  those  of  Wisconsin,  and  accepted  by  the 
Menomonies  of  Green  Bay.  Traders  and  merchants  who  were 
expecting  the  usual  payments  of  cash  annuities  to  the  Indians, 
were  sorely  disappointed  by  finding  a  single  tribe  in  the  lake 
country  paid  in  merchandise.  The  policy  itself  was  a  bad  one, 
and  denoted  the  inexperience  and  consequent  unfitness  of  Mr. 
Carey  A.  Harris  for  the  post  of  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  597 

at  Washington.  I  anticipated  the  storm  it  would  raise  on  the 
frontiers,  and,  when  the  project  was  transmitted  to  me,  did  not 
attempt  to  influence  my  Indians  (the  Michigan  Indians)  to  accept 
or  reject  it,  but  left  it  entirely  to  their  own  judgments,  after  ap 
pointing  two  honest  men  to  show  the  goods  and  state  the  prices. 
A  less  impartial  course  appears  to  have  been  pursued  at  Green 
Bay,  where  this  policy  of  the  "  goods  offer"  of  1837  was  loudly 
called  in  question.  I  had  shielded  the  tribes  under  my  care  from 
it,  and  should  have  had  credit  for  it  from  all  honest  and  candid 
men,  but  finding  no  disposition  in  some  quarters  to  discriminate,  I 
immediately,  on  reaching  home,  sat  down  and  wrote  a  plain  and 
clear  statement  of  the  affair  for  the  public  press,  and  having  thus 
satisfied  my  sense  of  justice  and  truth,  left  others,  who  had  acted 
wholly  out  of  my  jurisdiction  and  influence,  to  vindicate  them 
selves.  J.  W.  Edmonds,  Esq.,  and  Maj.  John  Garland,  who  had 
been  chief  actors  in  the  matter,  did  so.  But  it  seemed  like  talk 
ing  against  a  whirlwind.  The  whole  action  of  this  offer,  on  the 
Michigan  Indians,  was  to  postpone,  by  their  own  consent,  the 
payment  of  the  half  annuity  in  coin  one  year. 

The  Grand  River  Indians  declined  to  come  to  Mackinack,  the 
place  specially  named  in  the  treaty,  to  receive  their  half  annuity, 
in  consequence  of  which,  it  was  not  practicable  to  send  it  to  them 
till  the  next  spring.  I  paid  it  myself  on  the  5th  of  June,  1848, 
in  silver.  Yet  the  rumor  of  gross  injustice  to  the  Indians  only 
gained  force  as  it  spread.  The  Grand  River  memorialists  made 
"nuts''  of  it,  and  General  Jim  Wilson  wielded  it  for  my  benefit,  in 
his  classical  stump  speeches  in  New  Hampshire.  I  had  carefully 
shielded  my  Indians  from  a  cent's  loss,  yet  my  name  was  pitched  into 
the  general  condemnation,  like  the  thirteenth  biscuit  in  a  baker's 
dozen.  Nothing  rolls  up  so  fast  as  a  lie,  when  once  afloat.* 

'*  Harris  felt  disobliged  by  ray  independence  of  action  respecting  the 
"  goods  offer,"  He  had,  in  fact,  been  overreached  by  a  noted  commercial 
house,  who  dealt  heavily  in  Indian  goods  in  New  York,  who  sold  him  the 
goods  on  credit ;  but  who  actually  collected  the  specie  from  the  western  land 
offices,  on  public  drafts,  before  the  year  expired.  He  vented  this  pique  offi 
cially,  by  suspending  my  report  of  Oct.  18th,  1837,  on  the  debt  claims  against 
the  Indians,  finally  assumed  powers  in  relation  to  them,  directly  subversive  of 
the  principles  of  the  treaty  of  March  28th,  1836,  which  had  been  negotiated 
by  me,  and  referred  them  for  revision  to  a  more  supple  agent  of  his  wishes 
at  New  York,  who  had  been  one  of  the  efficient  actors  in  the  "goods  offer"  at 
Green  Bay,  Wisconsin,  as  above  detailed. 


598  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS, 


CHAPTER    LXIII. 

Missions — Hard  times,  consequent  on  over-speculation — Question  of  the  rise 
of  the  lakes — Scientific  theory — Trip  to  Washington — Trip  to  Lake  Supe 
rior  and  the  Straits  of  St.  Mary — John  Tanner — Indian  improvements 
north  of  Michilimackinack — Great  cave — Isle  Nabiquon — Superstitious 
ideas  of  the  Indians  connected  with  females — Scotch  royals — McKenzie — 
Climate  of  the  United  States  —  Foreign  coins  and  natural  history — 
Antique  fort  in  Adams  County,  Ohio — Royal  Society  of  Northern  Anti 
quaries — Statistics  of  lands  purchased  from  the  Indians — Sun's  eclipse — 
Government  payments. 

1838.  June  IStJi.  W.  LOWRIE,  Esq.,  Missionary  Rooms,  N.  Y.? 
announces  the  sending  of  an  agent  to  explore  the  missionary  field, 
which  it  is  proposed  to  occupy  by  the  Presbyterian  Board,  in  the 
region  of  Lake  Michigan,  bespeaking  my  friendly  offices  to  the 
agent. 

The  plethora  of  success  which  has  animated  every  department 
of  life  and'  business,  puffing  them  up  like  gas  in  a  balloon,  since 
about  '35  has  departed  and  left  the  fiscal  system  perfectly  flaccid 
and  lifeless.  The  rage  for  speculation  in  real  estate  has  absorbed 
all  loose  cash,  and  the  country  is  now  groaning  for  its  fast-locked 
circulating  medium.  A  friend  at  Detroit  writes :  "  With  fifty 
thousand  dollars  of  productive  real  estate  in  the  city,  and  as 
much  more  in  stocks  and  mortgages,  I  am  absolutely  in  want  of 
small  sums  to  pay  my  current  expenses,  and  to  rid  myself  of  the 
mortification  produced  by  this  feeling  I  am  prepared  to  make 
almost  any  sacrifice." 

21th.  Received  a  communication  from  the  chief  engineer  of  the 
New  York  canal  (Alfred  Barrett,  Esq.)  on  the  subject  of  the  rise 
of  water  in  the  lakes.  "  A  question  of  considerable  importance," 
he  says,  "has  arisen  in  our  State  Legislature,  in  relation  to  the 
rise  of  water  in  Lake  Erie.  The  lake  has  been  gradually  increas 
ing  in  its  height  for  the  last  ten  years,  and  has  gained  an  elevation 
of  four  feet  above  that  of  1826.  The  inhabitants  along  the 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  599 

shores  of  the  lake  as  far  as  Detroit,  upon  both  sides,  and  many 
throughout  our  State,  have  been  led  to  attribute  this  increase  to 
the  erection  of  the  State  and  the  United  States  pier  at  the  outlet 
of  the  lake,  opposite  Black  Rock,  which  presents  an  obstruction 
to  the  action  of  the  river.  But  this  evidently  is  not  the  only- 
cause  of  the  rise  of  the  lake,  for,  by  observation,  we  find  the 
Niagara  River  below  the  dam,  and  the  surface  of  Lake  Ontario,  to 
have  increased  in  the  same  ratio  in  the  same  time.  Lake  Ontario 
is  four  feet  higher  than  it  was  in  1826. 

"  Our  Legislature  has  called  for  information  on  the  subject.  And 
for  many  important  facts  we  shall  be  indebted  to  the  goodness  of 
persons  residing  or  acquainted  at  the  places  where  they  may  exist. 
The  canal  commissioners  of  the  State  have  desired  me  to  commu 
nicate  with  you,  desiring  such  data  as  you  may  have  in  your  pos 
session  relevant  to  the  subject.  And  we  are  induced  to  trouble 
you  for  information  respecting  the  condition  of  the  water  in  Lake 
Superior  and  other  western  waters,  believing  that  your  extensive 
acquaintance  and  close  observation  in  that  region  have  put  you 
in  possession  of  facts  which  will  enable  you  to  determine,  with  a 
degree  of  accuracy,  the  fluctuations  of  these  waters,  and  their 
present  increased  or  diminished  height,  as  well  as  to  trace  some 
of  the  causes  which  have  an  influence  in  producing  the  results  that 
are  experienced  in  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  lakes." 

This  rise  arid  fall  is  found  to  be  concurrent  in  volume  and  time 
in,  the  whole  series  of  lake  basins,  and  is  not  at  all  influenced  by 
artificial  constructions.  It  is  believed  to  be  dependent  on  the  an 
nual  fall  of  water,  on  the  water  sheds  of  the  lake  basins,  and  the 
comparative  evaporation  caused  by  the  annual  diffusion  of  solar 
heat  during  the  same  periods.  Nothing  less  than  the  accumula 
tion  of  facts  to  illustrate  these  general  laws,  for  considerable  pe 
riods  of  time,  will,  it  is  believed,  philosophically  account  for  the 
phenomena.  Tables  of  solar  heat,  rain  guages,  and  scientific 
measures,  to  determine  the  fall  of  snow  over  the  large  continental 
era  of  the  whole  series  of  basins,  are,  therefore,  the  scientific 
means  that  should  be  employed  before  we  can  theorize  properly. 
As  to  periodical  rises,  actually  observed,  they  are  believed  to  be 
the  very  measure  of  these  phenomena,  namely,  the  fall  of  atmo 
spheric  moisture,  and  the  concurrent  intensity  of  solar  heat  be 
tween  the  unknown  periods  of  the  rise. 


600  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

The  fluctuations  in  Lake  Michigan  and  the  Straits  of  Michilimack- 
inack  are  capable  of  being  accounted  for  on  a  separate  theory, 
namely,  the  theory  of  lake  winds. 

4th  July.  Letters  from  Detroit  show  that  the  political  agitations 
respecting  Canada  still  continue.  One  correspondent  remarks  : 
"  The  fourth  of  July  passed  off  here  with  more  apparent  patriotic 
feeling  than  I  have  ever  known  before.  Canada  is  still  across  the 
river — the  pat-riots  have  not  yet  removed  any  part  of  it ;  they 
are,  however,  still  busy." 

Another  says :  "  Times  look  troublesome,  but  I  am  in  hopes 
that  it  will  all  blow  over  and  peace  continue,  which  should  be  the 
earnest  wish  of  every  Christian." 

23d.  Public  business  calling  me  to  Washington,  I  left  Macki- 
nack  late  in  June,  and,  pushing  day  and  night,  reached  that  city 
on  the  9th  of  July.  The  day  of  my  arrival  was  a  hot  one,  and, 
during  our  temporary  stop  in  the  cars  between  the  Relay*  House 
and  Bladensburg,  some  pickpocket  eased  me  of  my  pocket-book, 
containing  a  treasury-note  for  $50,  about  $60  in  bills,  and  sundry 
papers.  The  man  must  have  been  a  genteel  and  wrell-dressed  fellow, 
for  I  conversed  with  none  other,  and  very  adroit  at  his  business. 
I  did  not  discover  my  loss  till  reaching  the  hotel,  and  all  inquiry 
was  then  fruitless.  After  four  days  I  again  set  out  for  the  North 
in  an  immense  train  of  cars,  having  half  of  Congress  aboard,  as 
they  had  just  adjourned,  and  reached  Mackinack  about  the  tenth 
day's  travel.  This  was  a  toilsome  trip,  the  whole  journey  to  the 
seat  of  government  and  back,  say  2,000  miles,  being  made  *n 
some  twenty-five  days,  all  stops  inclusive. 

31s£.  I  set  out  this  day  from  Mackinack  in  a  boat  for  Lake 
Superior  and  the  Straits  of  St.  Mary,  for  the  purpose  of  estimat 
ing  the  value  of  the  Indian  improvements  North,  under  the  eighth 
art.  of  the  treaty  of  March  28th,  1836.  The  weather  being  fine, 
and  anticipating  no  high  winds  at  this  season,  I  determined,  as  a 
means  of  health  and  recreation,  to  take  Mrs.  S.  and  her  niece,  Julia, 
a  maid,  and  the  children  along,  having  tents  and  every  camping 
apparatus  to  make  the  trip  a  pleasant  one.  My  boat  was  one  of 
the  largest  and  best  of  those  usually  employed  in  the  trade,  man 
ned  with  seven  rowers  and  provided  with  a  mast  and  sails.  An 
awning  was  prepared  to  cover  the  centre-bar,  which  was  furnished 
with  seats  made  of  our  rolled-up  beds.  Magazines,  a  spy-glass. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  601 

&c.,  &c.,  served  to  while  away  the  time,  and  a  well-furnished  mess- 
basket  served  to  make  us  quite  easy  in  that  department.  At 
Sault  St.  Marie  I  took  on  board  Mr.  Placidus  Ord  to  keep  the 
record  of  appraisements. 

While  here,  the  notorious  John  Tanner,  who  had  been  on  very 
ill  terms  with  the  civilized  world  for  many  years — for  no  reason, 
it  seems,  but  that  it  would  not  support  him  in  idleness — this  man, 
whose  thoughts  were  bitter  and  suspicious  of  every  one,  followed 
me  one  day  unperceived  into  a  canoe-house,  where  I  had  gone 
alone  to  inspect  a  newly-made  canoe.  He  began  to  talk  after  his 
manner,  when,  lifting  my  eyes  to  meet  his  glance,  I  saw  mischief 
evidently  in  their  cold,  malicious,  bandit  air,  and,  looking  him 
determinedly  in  the  eyes,  instantly  raising  my  heavy  walking- cane, 
confronted  him  with  the  declaration  of  his  secret  purpose  with  a 
degree  of  decision  of  tone  and  manner  which  caused  him  to  step 
back  out  of  the  open  door  and  leave  the  premises.  I  was  perfectly 
surprised  at  his  dastardly  movement,  for  I  had  supposed  him 
before  to  be  a  brave  man,  and  I  heard  or  saw  no  more  of  him 
while  there.* 

Tanner  was  stolen  by  old  Kishkako,  the  Saginaw,  from  Ken 
tucky,  when  he  was  a  boy  of  about  nine  years  old.  He  is  now 
a  gray-headed,  hard-featured  old  man,  whose  feelings  are  at  war 
with  every  one  on  earth,  white  and  red.  Every  attempt  to  melio 
rate  his  manners  and  Indian  notions,  has  failed.  He  has  invari 
ably  misapprehended  them,  and  is  more  suspicious,  revengeful,  and 
bad  tempered  than  any  Indian  I  ever  knew.  Dr.  James,  who  made, 
by  the  way,  a  mere  pack-horse  of  Indian  opinions  of  him,  did  not 
suspect  his  fidelity,  and  put  many  things  in  his  narrative  which 
made  the  whites  about  St.  Mary's  call  him  an  old  liar.  This 
enraged  him  against  the  Doctor,  whom  he  threatened  to  kill.  He 
had  served  me  awhile  as  an  interpreter,  and,  while  thus  employed, 
he  went  to  Detroit,  and  was  pleased  with  a  country  girl,  who  was 
a  chambermaid  at  old  Ben.  Woodworth's  hotel.  He  married  her, 
but,  after  having  one  child,  and  living  with  him  a  year,  she  was 
glad  to  escape  with  life,  and,  under  the  plea  of  a  visit,  made  some 
arrangement  with  the  ladies  of  Fort  Brady  to  slip  off,  on  board 

*  Eight  years  afterwards,  namely,  in  July,  1846,  this  lawless  vagabond 
waylaid  and  shot  my  brother  James,  having  concealed  himself  in  a  cedar 
thicket. 


602  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

of  a  vessel,  and  so  eluded  Mm.  The  Legislature  afterwards  granted 
her  a  divorce.  He  blamed  me  for  the  escape,  though  I  was  entirely 
ignorant  of  its  execution,  and  knew  nothing  of  it,  till  it  had  trans 
pired. 

In  this  trip  to  the  North,  I  called  on  the  Indians  to  show  me 
their  old  fields  and  gardens  at  every  point. 

It  was  found  that  there  were  eight  geographical  bands,  consist 
ing  of  separate  villages,  living  on  the  ceded  tract.  The  whole 
population  of  these  did  not  exceed,  by  a  close  count,  569  souls. 
The  population  had  evidently  deteriorated  from  the  days  of  the 
French  and  British  rule,  when  game  was  abundant.  This  was 
the  'tradition  they  gave,  and  was  proved  by  the  comparatively 
large  old  fields,  not  now  in  cultivation,  particularly  at  Portaguni- 
see,  at  various  points  on  the  Straits  of  St.  Mary's,  and  at  Grand 
Island  and  its  coasts  on  Lake  Superior. 

They  cultivate  chiefly,  the  potato,  and  retire  in  the  spring  to 
certain  points,  where  the  Acer  saccharinum  abounds,  and  all  rely 
on  the  quantity  of  maple  sugar  made.  This  is  eaten  by  all,  and 
appears  to  have  a  fattening  effect,  particularly  on  the  children. 
The  season  of  sugar-making  is  indeed  a  sort  of  carnival,  at  which 
there  is  general  joy  and  hilarity.  The  whole  number  of  acres 
found  in  cultivation  by  individuals,  was  125J  acres;  and  by  bands, 
and  in  common,  100J  acres,  which  would  give  an  average  of  a  little 
over  j-  of  an  acre  per  soul.  Even  this  is  thought  high.  There 
were  1459  acres  of  old  fields,  partly  run  up  in  brush.  There  were 
also  3162  acres  of  abandoned  village  sites,  where  not  a  soul  lived. 
I  counted  27  dwellings  which  had  a  fixity,  and  nineteen  apple 
trees  in  the  forest.  In  proportion  as  they  had  little,  they  set  a 
high  value  on  it,  and  insisted  on  showing  everything,  and  they  gave 
me  a  good  deal  of  information.  The  whole  sum  appraised  to 
individuals  was  $3,428  25 ;  and  to  collective  bands,  $11,173  50. 

While  off  the  mural  coast  of  the  Pictured  Rocks,  the  lake  was 
perfectly  calm,  and  the  wind  hushed.  I  directed  the  men  to  row 
in  to  the  cave  or  opening  of  the  part  where  the  water  has  made 
the  most  striking  inroad  upon  the  solid  coast.  This  coast  is  a 
coarse  sandstone,  easily  disintegrated.  I  doubted  if  the  oarsmen 
could  enter  without  pulling  in  their  oars.  But  nothing  seemed 
easier  when  we  attempted  it.  They,  in  fact,  rowed  us,  in  a  few  mo 
ments,  masts  standing,  into  a  most  extraordinary  and  gigantic  cave. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  603 

under  the  loftiest  part  of  the  coast.  I  thought  of  the  rotunda  in  the 
Capitol  at  Washington,  as  giving  some  idea  of  its  vastness,  but  no 
thing  of  its  dark  and  sombre  appearance,  its  vast  side  arches,  and 
the  singular  influence  of  the  light  beaming  in  from  the  open  lake.  I 
took  out  my  note-book  and  drew  a  sketch  of  this  very  unique  view.* 

The  next  day  the  calmness  continued  on  the  lake,  and  I  took  ad 
vantage  of  it  to  visit  the  dimly  seen  island  in  the  lake,  off  Presque 
Isle  and  Granite  Point,  called  Nabikivon  by  the  Indians,  from  the 
effects  of  mirage.  Its  deep  volcanic  chasms,  and  upheaved  rocks, 
tell  a  story  of  mighty  elemental  conflicts  in  the  season  of  storms ; 
but  it  did  not  reward  me  with  much  in  the  way  of  natural  history, 
except  in  geological  specimens. 

Aug.  1th.  The  Chippewas  have  some  strange  notions.  Articles 
which  have  been  stepped  over  by  Indian  females  are  considered 
unclean,  and  are  condemned  by  the  men.  Great  aversion  is  shown 
by  the  females  at  finding  hairs  drawn  out  by  the  comb,  which  they 
roll  up,  and,  making  a  hole  in  the  ashes,  bury. 

Indian  females  never  go  before  a  man :  they  never  walk  in  front 
in  the  path,  or  cross  in  front  of  the  place  where  a  sachem  is  sitting. 

A  man  will  never  eat  out  of  the  same  dish  with  a  woman.  The 
lodge-separation,  at  the  period  of  illness,  is  universally  observed, 
where  the  original  manners  have  not  been  broken  down.  If  she 
have  no  barks,  or  apukwas  to  make  a  separate  lodge,  a  mere  booth 
or  bower  of  branches  is  made  near  by. 

~LQth.  Mrs.  Deborah  Schoolcraft  Johnson  died  at  Albany,  aged 
fifty-four  years.  The  father  of  this  lady  (John  McKenzie,  usually 
called  McKenny)  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  served  with  credit  in 
the  regiment  of  Royal  Highlanders,  before  the  Revolutionary  War, 
of  whose  movements  he  kept  a  journal.  He  was  present  during 
the  siege  of  Fort  Niagara,  in  1759,  witnessed  the  death  of  Gen. 
Prideau,  and  participated  in  the  capture  of  the  works,  under  Sir 
William  Johnson.  He  was  also  engaged  in  the  movements  of  Gen. 
Bradstreet,  to  relieve  the  fort  of  Detroit  from  the  hosts  brought 
against  it  by  Pontiac  and  his  confederates  three  or  four  years  after. 
He  settled,  after  the  war,  as  a  merchant  at  Anthony's  Nose,  on  the 
Mohawk,  where  he  was  surprised,  his  store  and  dwelling-house 
pillaged,  and  himself  scalped.  He  recovered  from  this,  as  the 

*  See  Ethnological  Researches,  vol.  i.,  plate  xliv. 


604  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

blow  he  received  had  only  been  stunning,  and  the  copious  bleed 
ing,  as  is  usual  in  such  cases,  had  soon  restored  consciousness. 
He  then  settled  at  Albany,  a  place  of  comparative  safety,  and 
devoted  himself  in  old  age  to  instruction.  He  left  a  numerous 
family.  His  son  John,  who  embraced  the  medical  profession, 
became  a  distinguished  man  in  Washington  County  (N.  Y.), 
where  his  science,  as  a  practitioner,  and  his  talents  as  a  politi 
cian,  rendered  him  alike  eminent.  But  he  embraced  the  poli 
tics  of  Burr,  a  man  whose  talents  he  admired,  when  that  erra 
tic  man  ran  for  Governor  of  the  State,  and  shortly  after  died. 
Five  daughters  married  respectable  individuals  in  the  county,  all 
of  whom  have  left  families.  Of  such  threads  of  genealogy  is  the 
base  of  society  in  all  parts  of  America  composed.  One  of  her 
granddaughters,  now  living  in  Paris,  is  a  lady  entitled  to  respect, 
on  various  accounts.  Deborah,  whose  death  is  announced,  married 
in  early  life,  as  her  first  husband,  John  Schoolcraft,  Jr.,  Esq.,  a 
most  gifted  son  of  one  of  the  actors  and  patriots  of  the  revolution 
— a  man  who  was  engaged  in  one  of  its  earliest  movements;  who 
shared  its  deepest  perils,  and  lived  long  to  enjoy  its  triumphs.  The 
early  death  of  this  object  of  her  choice,  induced  her  in  after  years 
to  contract  a  second  marriage  with  an  enterprising  son  of  Massachu 
setts  (R.  Johnson),  with  whom  she  migrated  to  Detroit.  Death 
here  again,  in  a  few  years,  left  her  free  to  rejoin  her  relatives  in 
Albany,  where,  at  last  at  ease  in  her  temporal  affairs,  she  finally  fell 
a  victim  to  consumption,  at  a  not  very  advanced  age,  meeting  her 
death  with  the  calmness  and  preparedness  of  a  Christian. 

"  As  those  we  love  decay,  we  die  in  part." 

25th.  Returned  to  Michilimackinack,  at  a  quarter  past  one 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  from  my  trip  to  the  north,  for  the  appraisal  of  the 
Indian  improvements. 

31«£.  According  to  observations  kept,  the  average  temperature 
of  the  month  of  August  (lat.  42°)  was  69.16  degrees.  Last  year 
the  average  temperature  of  the  same  month  was  sixty-five  degrees. 
The  average  temperature  of  the  entire  summer  of  1838  was  70.85; 
while  that  of  the  summer  of  1837  was  but  65.48.  Our  lakes  must 
sink  with  such  a  temperature,  if  the  comparative  degree  of  heat 
has  been  kept  up  in  the  upper  lakes  during  the  year. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  605 

Sept.  4ith.  Troops  arrive  at  Fort  Mackinack  to  attend  the  pay 
ments. 

An  officer  of  the  army,  who  has  spent  a  year  or  so  in  Florida, 
and  has  just  returned  to  Michigan,  says  :  "I  have  seen  much  that 
was  well  worth  seeing,  am  much  wiser  than  I  was  before,  and  am 
all  the  better  contented  with  a  lot  midway  of  the  map.  The  cli 
mate  of  Florida,  during  the  winter,  was  truly  delicious,  but  the 
summers,  a  part  of  one  of  which  I  saw  and  felt,  are  uncomfortable, 
perhaps  more  so  than  our  winters.  This  puts  the  scales  even,  if  it 
do  not  incline  the  balance  in  our  favor.  The  summer  annoyances  of 
insects,  &c.,  are  more  than  a  counterbalance  for  our  ice  and  snow, 
especially  when  we  can  rectify  their  influences  by  a  well- warmed 
house." 

6th.  A  literary  friend  in  Paris  writes :  "I  send  a  box  to  Detroit 
to-day,  to  the  address  of  Mr.  Trowbridge.  It  contains,  for  you, 
upwards  of  200  coins,  among  which  is  one  Chinese,  and  the  rest 
ancient.  You  must  busy  yourself  in  arranging  and  deciphering 
them.  I  send  you,  also,  some  specimens,  one  from  the  catacombs 
of  Paris,  others  from  the  great  excavations  of  Maestricht,  where 
such  large  antediluvian  remains  have  been  found,  also  relics  from 
the  field  of  Waterloo.  The  petrifactions  are  from  Mount  Leba 
non." 

Mr.  Palfrey  writes  in  relation  to  the  expected  notice  of  Stone's 
"  Brant,"  but  my  engagements  have  not  permitted  me  to  write  a 
line  on  the  subject. 

10th.  Dr.  John  Locke,  of  Ohio,  announces  the  discovery  in 
Adams  County,  in  that  State,  of  the  remains  of  an  antique  fort, 
supposed  to  be  600  years  old.  It  is  on  a  plateau  500  feet  above 
Brush  Creek,  and  is  estimated  at  800  to  1000  feet  above  the  Ohio 
at  low  water.  It  is  covered  by  soil,  forest,  and  trees.  Some  of 
the  trees  in  the  vicinity  are  twenty-one  feet  in  diameter.  He 
infers  the  age  from  a  large  chestnut  in  the  enclosure.  His  data 
would  give  A.  D.  1238,  as  the  date  of  the  abandonment.  We 
must  approach  the  subject  of  our  western  antiquities  with  great 
care  and  not  allow  hasty  and  warm  fancies  to  run  away  with  us. 

12th.  A  communication  from  Mr.  Rafn  informs  me  that  the 
Royal  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Copenhagen,  Denmark,  have 
honored  me  by  enrolling  my  name  as  one  of  its  members. 

12th.  Congress  publishes  a  statement  submitted  by  the  Indian 


606  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Bureau,  showing,  1.  That  upwards  of  fifty  treaties  have  been  con 
cluded  with  various  tribes  since  Jan.  1,  1830,  for  their  removal  to 
the  west,  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of  the  organic  act  of 
May  28th,  1830.  2.  That  by  these  treaties  109,879,937  acres 
of  land  have  been  acquired.  3.  That  the  probable  value  of  this 
land  to  the  United  States  is  $137,349,946.  4.  That  the  total  cost 
of  these  cessions,  including  the  various  expenses  of  carrying  the 
treaties  into  effect,  is  $70,059,505. 

12th.  Major  Chancy  Bush,  Assistant  to  Major  Garland,  the 
Disbursing  Agent,  arrives  with  funds  to  make  the  annuity  pay 
ments. 

~L4:th.  The  Cherokees  West,  meet  in  general  council  to  consult 
on  their  affairs,  and  adopt  some  measures  preparatory  to  the  ar 
rival  of  the  eastern  body  of  the  nation.  John  Ridge,  a  chief  of 
note  of  the  Cherokees  West,  states,  that  this  meeting  is  entirely 
pacific — entirely  deliberative — and  by  no  means  of  a  hostile  cha 
racter,  as  has  been  falsely  reported. 

~L8th.  The  obscurity  which  attends  an  Indian's  power  of  ratio 
cination  may  be  judged  of  by  the  following  claim,  verbally  made 
to  me  and  supported  by  some  bit  of  writing,  this  day,  by  Gabriel 
Muccutapenais,  an  Ottawa  chief  of  L'Arbre  Croche.  He  states 
that,  at  one  time,  a  trader  took  from  him  forty  beavers ;  at  another, 
thirty  beavers  and  bears  ;  at  another,  ten  beavers,  and  at  ano 
ther,  thirty  beavers,  and  four  carcasses  of  beavers,  for  all  which 
he  received  no  pay,  although  promised  it.  He  also  served  as  a 
clerk  or  sub-trader  for  a  merchant,  for  which  he  was  to  have  re 
ceived  $500,  and  never  received  a  cent.  He  requests  the  Pre 
sident  of  the  United  States  to  pay  for  all  these  things.  On 
inquiry,  the  skins  were  hunted,  and  the  service  rendered,  and  the 
wrong  received  at  Athabasca  Lake,  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Terri 
tory,  when  he  was  a  young  man.  He  is  now  about  sixty-six  years 
old. 

~L8th.  The  sun's  eclipse  took  place,  and  was  very  plainly  visible 
to  the  naked  eye,  agreeably  to  the  calculation  for  its  commence 
ment  and  termination.  I  took  the  occasion  of  its  termination 
(four  o'clock,  fifty  minutes)  to  set  my  watch  by  astronomical 
time. 

ISth.  The  Indian  payments  were  completed  by  Major  Bush  this 
day.  These  payments  included  the  full  annuity  for  1838,  and 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  607 

the  deferred  half  annuity  for  1837,  making  a  total  of  $47,000, 
which  was  paid  in  coin  per  capita. 

The  whole  number  of  Indians  on  the  pay  rolls  this  year  amounted 
to  4,872,  of  whom  1,197  were  in  the  Grand  River  Valley.  Last 
year  they  numbered,  in  all,  4,561,  denoting  an  increase  of  311. 
This  increase,  however,  is  partly  due  to  emigrations  from  the  south, 
and  partly  to  imperfect  counts  last  season,  and  but  partially  to  the 
increase  of  births  over  deaths.  The  annuity  divided  $12  57  on  the 
North,  $22  50  in  the  Middle,  or  Thunder  Bay  district,  and  $11  50 
on  the  Southern  pay  list.  The  Indians  requested  that  these  per 
capita  divisions  might  be  equalized,  but  the  terms  in  the  treaty 
itself  create  the  geographical  districts. 


608  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER   LXIV, 

Descendant  of  one  spared  at  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew's — Death  of 
Gen.  Clarke — Massacre  of  Peurifoy's  family  in  Florida — Gen.  Harrison's 
historical  discourse — Death  of  an  emigrant  on  board  a  steamboat — -Murder 
of  an  Indian — History  of  Mackinack — Incidents  of  the  treaty  of  29th  July, 
1837 — Mr.  Fleming's  account  of  the  missionaries  leaving  Georgia,  and  of 
the  improvements  of  the  Indians  west — Death  of  Black  Hawk — Incidents 
of  his  life  and  character — Dreadful  cruelty  of  the  Pawnees  in  burning  a 
female  captive — Cherokee  emigration — Phrenology — Return  to  Detroit — 
University — Indian  affairs — Cherokee  removal — Indians  shot  at  Foft  Snel- 
ling. 

1838.  Sept.  20th.  COUNT  CASTLENEAU,  a  French  gentleman  on 
his  travels  in  America,  brings  me  a  note  of  introduction  from  a  friend, 
I  was  impressed  with  his  suavity  of  manners,  and  the  interest  he 
manifested  in  natural  history,  and  furnished  him  some  of  our  charac 
teristic  northern  specimens  in  mineralogy.  I  understood  him  to  say, 
in  some  familiar  conversation,  that  he  was  the  descendant  of  a 
child  saved  accidentally  at  the  memorable  massacre  of  St.  Bartho 
lomew's  ;  and  suppose,  of  course,  that  he  is  of  Protestant  parentage. 

21s£.  The  St.  Louis  papers  are  dressed  in  mourning,  on  account 
of  the  death  of  Gen.  William  Clarke.  Few  men  have  acted  a  more 
distinguished  part  in  the  Indian  history  of  the  country.  He  was 
widely  known  and  respected  by  the  Indians  on  the  prairies,  who 
sent  in  their  delegations  to  him  with  all  the  pomp  and  pride  of  so 
many  eastern  Rajahs.  Gen.  Clarke  was,  I  believe,  the  second  ter 
ritorial  governor  of  Missouri,  an  office  which  he  held  until  it  be 
came  a  state,  when  Congress  provided  the  office  of  Superintendent 
of  Indian  Affairs  for  him.  He  contributed  largely,  by  his  enterprise 
and  knowledge,  to  the  prosperity  of  the  west.  The  expedition  which 
he  led,  in  conjunction  with  Capt.  Meri wether  Lewis,  across  the 
Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Pacific,  in  1805  and  1806,  first  opened 
the  way  to  the  consideration  of  its  resources  and  occupancy.  With 
out  that  expedition,  Oregon  would  have  been  a  foreign  province. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  609 

i.  Letters  from  Florida  indicate  the  war  with  the  Seminoles 
to  be  lingering,  without  reasonable  expectation  of  bringing  it  soon 
to  a  close.  Etha  Emathla,  however,  the  chief  of  the  Tallasees,  is 
daily  expected  to  come  in,  his  children  being  already  arrived,  and 
he  has  promised  to  bring  in  his  people. 

But  what  a  war  of  details,  which  are  harassing  to  the  troops, 
whose  action  is  paralyzed  in  a  maze  of  swamps  and  morasses ;  and 
how  many  scenes  has  it  given  birth  to  which  are  appalling  to  the 
heart !  A  recent  letter  from  a  Mr.  T.  D.  Peurifoy,  Superintendent 
of  the  Alachua  Mission,  describes  a  most  shocking  murder  in  his 
own  family,  communicated  to  him  at  first  by  letter : — 

"It  informed  me,"  he  says,  "that  the  Indians  had  murdered  my 
family  !  I  set  out  for  home,  hoping  that  it  might  not  prove  as  bad 
as  the  letter  stated ;  but,  0  my  God,  it  is  even  worse  !  My 
precious  children,  Corick,  Pierce  and  Elizabeth,  were  killed  and 
burned  up  in  the  house.  My  dear  wife  was  stabbed,  shot,  and 
stamped,  seemingly  to  death,  in  the  yard.  But  after  the  wretches 
went  to  pack  up  their  plunder,  she  revived  and  crawled  off  from 
the  scene  of  death,  to  suffer  a  thousand  deaths  during  the  dreadful 
night  which  she  spent  alone  by  the  side  of  a  pond,  bleeding  at  four 
bullet  holes  and  more  than  half  a  dozen  stabs — three  deep  gashes 
to  the  bone  on  her  head  and  three  stabs  through  the  ribs,  besides 
a  number  of  small  cuts  and  bruises.  She  is  yet  living ;  and  0,  help 
me  to  pray  that  she  may  yet  live  !  My  negroes  lay  dead  all  about 
the  yard  and  woods,  and  my  everything  else  burned  to  ashes." 

Oct.  1st.  Mr.  Palfrey,  Editor  of  the  North  American  Review,  re 
quests  me  (Sept.  20th)  to  notice  Gen.  Harrison's  late  discourse  on 
the  aboriginal  history,  delivered  before  the  Ohio  Historical  Society. 
The  difficulty  in  all  these  cases  is  to  steer  clear  of  some  objectional 
theory.  To  the  General,  the  Delawares  have  appeared  to  play 
the  key-note.  But  it  has  not  fallen  to  his  lot,  while  bearing  a  dis 
tinguished  part  in  Indian  affairs  in  the  west,  to  examine  their 
ancient  history  with  much  attention. 

The  steamer  Madison  arrived  with  a  crowd  of  emigrants  for  the 
west,  one  of  whom  had  died  on  the  passage  from  Detroit.  It 
proved  to  be  a  young  man  named  Jesse  Cummings,  from  Groton, 
N.  H.,  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church  of  that  place. 
Having  no  pastor,  I  conducted  the  religious  observance  of  the  fune 
ral,  and  selected  a  spot  for  his  burial,  in  a  high  part  of  the  Presbyte- 
39 


610  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

rian  burial  ground,  towards  the  N.  E.,  where  a  few  loose  stones 
are  gathered  to  mark  the  place. 

2d.  Wakazo,  a  chief,  sent  to  tell  me  that  an  Ottawa  Indian, 
Ishquondaim's  son,  had  killed  a  Chippewa  called  Debaindung,  of 
Manistee  River.  Both  had  been  drinking.  I  informed  him  that 
an  Indian  killing  an  Indian  on  a  reserve,  where  the  case  occurred, 
which  is  still  "  Indian  country,"  did  not  call  for  the  interposition 
of  our  law.  Our  criminal  Indian  code,  which  is  defective,  applies 
only  to  the  murder  of  white  men  killed  in  the  Indian  country. 
So  that  justice  for  a  white  man  and  an  Indian  is  weighed  in  two 
scales. 

3c?.  Mrs.  Therese  Schindler,  a  daughter  of  a  former  factor  of  the 
N.  W.  Company  at  Mackinack,  visited  the  office.  I  inquired  her 
age.  She  replied  68,  which  would  give  the  year  1775  as  her  birth. 
Having  lived  through  a  historical  era  of  much  interest,  en  this 
island,  and  possessing  her  faculties  unimpaired,  I  obtained  the  fol 
lowing  facts  from  her.  The  British  commanding  officers  remem 
bered  by  her  were  Sinclair,  Robinson,  and  Doyle.  The  interpret 
ers  acting  under  them,  extending  to  a  later  period,  were  Charles 
Gothier,  Lamott,  Charles  Chabollier,  and  John  Asken.  The  first 
interpreter  here  was  Hans,  a  half-breed,  and  father  to  the  present 
chief  Ance,  of  Point  St.  Ignace.  His  father  had  been  a  Hol 
lander,  as  the  name  implies.  Longlade  was  the  interpreter  at  old 
Fort  Mackinack,  on  the  main,  at  the  massacre.  She  says  she  re 
collects  the  transference  of  the  post  to  the  island.  If  so,  that 
event  could  not  have  happened,  so  as  to  be  recollected  by  her,  till 
about  1780.  Asken  went  along  with  the  British  troops  on  the 
final  surrender  of  the  island  to  the  Americans  in  1796,  and  re 
turned  in  the  surprise  and  taking  of  the  island  in  1812. 

5th.  Finished  my  report  on  a  resolution  of  Congress  of  March 
19th  respecting  the  interference  of  the  British  Indian  Department 
in  the  Indian  affairs  of  the  frontier.  The  treaty  of  Ghent  termi 
nated  the  war  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  but 
it  did  not  terminate  the  feelings  and  spirit  with  which  the  Indian 
tribes  had,  from  the  fall  of  their  French  power,  regarded  them. 

Mr.  Warren  (Lyman  M.),  of  La  Pointe,  Lake  Superior,  visited 
the  office.  Having  been  long  a  trader  in  the  north,  and  well 
acquainted  with  Indian  affairs  in  that  quarter,  I  took  occasion 
to  inquire  into  the  circumstances  of  the  cession  of  the  treaty 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  611 

of  the  29th  of  July,  1837,  and  asked  him  why  it  was  that  so 
little  had  been  given  for  so  large  a  cession,  comprehending  the 
very  best  lands  of  the  Chippewas  in  the  Mississippi  Valley.  He 
detailed  a  series  of  petty  intrigues  by  the  St.  Peter's  agent,  who 
had  flattered  two  of  the  Pillager  chiefs,  and  loaded  them  with  new 
clothes  and  presents.  One  of  these,  Hole-in-the-Day,  came  down 
twenty  days  before  the  time.  The  Pillagers,  in  fact,  made  the 
treaty.  The  bands  of  the  St.  Croix  and  Chippewa  Rivers,  who 
really  lived  on  the  land  and  owned  it,  had,  in  effect,  no  voice. 
So  with  respect  to  the  La  Pointe  Indians.  He  stated  that  Gen. 
Dodge  really  knew  nothing  of  the  fertility  and  value  of  the  coun 
try  purchased,  having  never  set  foot  on  it.  Governor  Dodge 
thought  the  tract  chiefly  valuable  for  its  pine,  and  natural  mill- 
power  ;  and  there  was  no  one  to  undeceive  him.  He  had  been 
authorized  to  offer  $1,800 ;  but  the  Chippewas  managed  badly — 
they  knew  nothing  of  thousands,  or  how  the  annuity  would  divide 
among  so  many,  and  were,  in  fact,  cowed  down  by  the  braggadocia 
of  the  flattered  Pillager  war  chief,  Hole-in-the-Day. 

Mr.  Warren  stated  that  the  Lac  Courtorielle  band  had  not  united 
in  the  sale,  and  would  not  attend  the  payment  of  the  annuities ; 
nor  would  the  St.  Croix  and  Lac  du  Flambeau  Indians.  He  said 
the  present  of  $19,000  would  not  exceed  a  breech-cloth  and  a  pair 
of  leggins  apiece.  I  have  not  the  means  of  testing  these  facts, 
but  have  the  highest  confidence  in  the  character,  sense  of  justice, 
and  good  natural  judgment  of  Gov.  Dodge.  He  may  have  been 
ill  advised  of  some  facts.  The  Pillagers  certainly  do  not,  I  think, 
as  a  band,  own  or  occupy  a  foot  of  the  soil  east  of  the  Mississippi 
below  Sandy  Lake,  but  their  warlike  character  has  a  sensible  influ 
ence  on  those  tribes,  quite  down  to  the  St.  Croix  and  Chippewa. 
Rivers.  The  sources  of  these  rivers  are  valuable  only  for  their 
pineries,  and  their  valleys  only  become  fertile  below  their  falls  and 
principal  rapids. 

From  Mr.  Warren's  statements,  the  sub-agencies  of  Crow-wing 
River  and  La  Pointe  have  been  improperly  divided  by  a  longitudi 
nal  instead  of  a  latitudinal  line,  by  which  it  happens  that  the  St. 
Croix  and  Chippewa  River  Indians  are  required  to  travel  from  200 
to  350  miles  up  the  Mississippi,  by  all  its  falls  and  rapids,  to  Crow- 
wing  River,  to  get  their  pay.  The  chief,  Hole-in-the-Day,  referred 
to,  was  one  of  the  most  hardened,  blood-thirsty  wretches  of  whom 


612  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

I  have  ever  heard.  Mr.  Aitkin,  the  elder,  told  me  that  having 
once  surprised  and  killed  a  Sioux  family,  the  fellow  picked  up  a 
little  girl,  who  had  fled  from  the  lodge,  and  pitched  her  into  the 
Mississippi.  The  current  bore  her  against  a  point  of  land.  See 
ing  it,  the  hardened  wretch  ran  down  and  again  pushed  her  in. 

Sth.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Fleming  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dougherty  arrived 
as  missionaries  under  the  Presbyterian  Board  at  New  York.  Mr. 
Fleming  stated  that  he  had  been  one  of  the  expelled  missionaries 
from  the  Creek  country,  Georgia.  That  he  had  labored  four  years 
there,  under  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners,  and  had  learned 
the  Creek  language  so  as  to  preach  in  it,  by  first  writing  his  dis 
course.  The  order  to  have  the  missionaries  quit  the  Creek  country 
was  given  by  Capt.  Armstrong  (now  Act.  Supt.  Western  Territory), 
who  then  lived  at  the  Choctaw  agency,  sixty  miles  off,  and  was 
sudden  and  unexpected.  He  went  to  see  him  for  the  purpose  of 
refuting  the  charges,  but  found  Gen.  Arbuckle  there,  as  acting 
agent,  who  told  him  that,  in  Capt.  Armstrong's  absence,  he  had 
nothing  to  do  but  to  enforce  the  order. 

Mr.  Fleming  said  that  he  had  since  been  in  the  Indian  country, 
west,  in  the  region  of  the  Osage,  &c.,  and  spoke  highly  in  favor  of 
the  fertility  of  the  country,  and  the  advanced  state  of  the  Indians 
who  had  emigrated.  He  said  the  belt  of  country  immediately 
west  of  Missouri  State  line,  was  decidedly  the  richest  in  point  of 
natural  fertility  in  the  region.  That  there  was  considerable  wood 
on  the  streams,  and  of  an  excellent  kind,  namely :  hickory,  hack- 
berry,  cottonwood,  cypress,  with  blackjack  on  the  hills,  which  made 
excellent  firewood. 

As  an  instance  of  the  improvement  made  by  the  Indians  in  their 
removal,  he  said  that  the  first  party  of  Creeks  who  went  west, 
immediately  after  Mackintosh's  Treaty,  were  the  most  degraded 
Indians  in  Georgia ;  but  that  recently,  on  the  arrival  of  the  large 
body  of  Creeks  at  the  west,  they  found  their  brethren  in  the  pos 
session  of  every  comfort,  and  decidedly  superior  to  them.  He  said 
that  the  Maumee  Ottawas,  so  besotted  in  their  habits  on  leaving 
Ohio,  had  already  improved ;  were  planting ;  had  given  up  drink, 
and  listened  to  teachers  of  the  Gospel.  He  spoke  of  the  Shawnese 
as  being  in  a  state  of  enviable  advancement,  &c. 

Ilth.  First  frost  at  Mackinack  for  the  season. 

A  friend  at  Detroit  writes:  "  The  Rev.  Mr.  Duffield  (called  as 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  613 

pastor  here)  preached  last  Sabbath.  In  the  morning,  when  he 
finished,  there  was  scarce  a  dry  eye  in  the  house.  He  excels  in 
the  pathetic — his  voice  and  whole  manner  being  suited  to  that  style. 
He  is  clear-headed,  and  has  considerable  power  of  illustration, 
though  different  from  Mr.  Cleaveland.  I  like  him  much  on  first 
hearing." 

~L3th.  Finished  grading  and  planting  trees  in  front  of  the  dor 
mitory. 

IZth.  The  Iowa  Gazette  mentions  the  death  of  Black  Hawk,  who 
was  buried,  agreeably  to  his  own  request,  by  being  placed  on  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  in  a  sitting  posture,  with  his  cane  clenched 
in  his  hands.  His  body  was  then  enclosed  with  palings,  and  the 
earth  filled  in.  This  is  said  to  be  the  method  in  which  Sac  chiefs 
are  usually  buried.  The  spectacle  of  his  sepulchre  was  witnessed 
by  many  persons  who  were  anxious  to  witness  the  last  resting  place 
of  a  man  who  had  made  so  much  noise  and  disturbance. 

He  was  71  years  of  age,  having,  by  his  own  account,  published 
in  1833,  been  born  in  the  Sac  village  on  Rock  River,  in  1767 — the 
year  of  the  death  of  Pontiac.  In  his  indomitable  enmity  to  the 
(American  type  of  the)  Anglo-Saxon  race,  he  was  animated  with  the 
spirit  of  this  celebrated  chief,  and  had  some  of  his  powers  of  com 
bination.  His  strong  predilections  for  the  British  Government 
were  undoubtedly  fostered  by  the  annual  visits  of  his  tribe  to  the 
depot  of  Maiden.  His  denial  of  the  authority  of  the  men  who, 
in  1804,  sold  the  Sac  and  Fox  country,  east  of  the  Mississippi, 
may  have  had  the  sanction  of  his  own  judgment,  but  without  it  he 
would  have  found  it  no  difficult  matter  to  hatch  up  a  cause  of  war 
with  the  United  States.  That  war  seems  to  have  been  brooded  over 
many  years:  it  had  been  the  subject  of  innumerable  war  messages 
to  the  various  tribes,  a  large  number  of  whom  had  favored  his 
views.  And  when  it  broke  out  in  the  spring  of  1832,  the  sudden 
ness  of  the  movement,  the  great  cruelties  of  the  onset,  and  the 
comparatively  defenceless  state  of  the  frontier,  gave  it  all  its  alarm 
ing  power.  As  soon  as  the  army  could  be  got  to  the  frontiers,  and 
the  Indian  force  brought  to  action,  the  contest  was  over.  The 
battle  of  the  Badaxe  annihilated  his  forces,  and  he  was  carried  a 
prisoner  to  Washington.  But  he  was  more  to  be  respected  and 
pitied  than  blamed.  His  errors  were  the  result  of  ignorance,  and 
none  of  the  cruelties  of  the  war  were  directly  chargeable  to  him. 


614  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

He  was  honest  in  his  belief — honest  in  the  opinion  that  the  country 
east  of  the  Mississippi  had  been  unjustly  wrested  from  him ;  and 
there  is  no  doubt  but  the  trespasses  and  injuries  received  from  the 
reckless  frontier  emigrants  were  of  a  character  that  provoked  retali 
ation.  He  has  been  compared,  in  some  things,  to  Pontiac.  Like 
him,  he  sought  to  restore  his  people  to  a  position  and  rights,  which 
he  did  not  perceive  were  inevitably  lost.  He  possessed  a  degree  of 
intellectual  vigor  and  decision  of  character  far  beyond  the  mass, 
and  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  principal  minds  of  the  Indians 
of  the  first  half  of  the  19th  century. 

15th.  A  letter  of  this  date  from  Council  Bluffs,  describes  a 
most  shocking  and  tragic  death  of  a  Sioux  girl,  of  only  fourteen 
years  of  age,  who  was  sacrificed  to  the  spirit  of  corn,  by  the  Paw 
nees,  on  the  22d  of  February  last.  For  this  purpose  she  was 
placed  on  a  foot-rest,  between  two  trees,  about  two  feet  aparj,  and 
raised  above  the  ground,  just  high  enough  to  have  a  torturing  fire 
built  under  her  feet.  Here  she  was  held  by  two  warriors,  who 
mounted  the  rest  beside  her,  and  who  applied  lighted  splinters 
under  her  arms.  At  a  given  signal  a  hundred  arrows  were  let  fly, 
and  her  whole  body  was  pierced.  These  were  immediately  with 
drawn,  and  her  flesh  cut  from  her  bones  in  small  pieces,  which 
were  put  into  baskets,  and  carried  into  the  corn-field,  where  the 
grain  was  being  planted,  and  the  blood  squeezed  out  in  each  hill. 

CHEROKEE  EMIGRATION. — A  letter  from  Gen.  Scott  of  this  date, 
to  the  Governor  of  Georgia,  states  that,  of  the  two  parties  of 
Cherokees,  or  those  who  are  for  and  against  the  treaty  of  New 
Echota,  only  about  five  hundred  (including  three  hundred  and 
seventy-sixty  Creeks)  remain  east  of  the  Mississippi,  and  of  the 
anties  a  little  over  five  thousand  souls.  About  two  thousand  five 
hundred  of  these  had  been  emigrated  in  June,  when  the  emigration 
was  suspended  on  account  of  sickness.  An  arrangement  was 
made  in  the  month  of  September,  by  which  John  Ross  was,  in 
effect,  constituted  the  contractor  for  the  removal  of  the  remainder 
(twelve  thousand  five  hundred)  of  his  people. 

IQth.  Mr.  J.  Toulmin  Smith,  the  phrenologist,  of  Boston,  writes  : 
"I  perfectly  concur  with  you  in  your  remarks  on  the  minor  de 
tails  of  phrenology.  They  have  hitherto  been  loose  and  vague, 
but  though  at  first  sight  they  seem  minor.,  they  will  be  found,  in 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  615 

truth,  of  great  importance  to  the  thorough  elucidation  and  applica 
tion  of  the  subject. 

"  The  Indian  tribes  do,  indeed,  present  most  interesting  subjects 
for  examination,  and  it  is  an  anxious  wish  of  my  mind  to  be  able 
to  examine  them  thoroughly  (per  crania),  and  also  to  compare 
them  with  the  crania  found  in  their  ancient  burial-places,  supposed 
to  be  the  remnants  of  an  anterior  race.  Not  only  will  this  throw 
light  on  their  history,  but  it  will  do  so  also  on  those  '  minor'  but 
most  interesting  points,  to  the  elucidation  of  which  my  attention 
has  been,  and  is  particularly  directed.  I  should  be  exceedingly 
happy  to  be  able  to  compare  also  one  or  two  female  Indian  skulls 
with  the  males  of  the  same  tribe.  The  females,  I  presume,  may 
be  easily  recognized  phrenologically ;  it  may  be  done  with  facility 
by  the  large  philoprogenitiveness,  and  the  smaller  general  size  of 
the  head." 

22d.  Rumor  says  that  Mr.  Harris,  Com.  Indian  Affairs,  had  en 
tered  into  land  speculations  in  Arkansas,  which  led  Mr.  Van  Buren 
to  call  for  a  report,  which,  being  made,  the  President  returned  it 
with  the  pithy  and  laconic  endorsement  "  unsatisfactory,"  where 
upon  Mr.  H.  tendered  his  resignation.  Rumor  also  says,  that  Mr. 
T.  Hartley  Crawford,  of  Pennsylvania,  is  appointed  in  his  stead. 
This  gentleman  is  represented  to  be  a  person  of  some  ability ;  an 
old  black-letter  lawyer,  but  a  man  who  is  apt  to  lose  sight  of  main 
questions  in  the  search  after  technicalities.  They  say  he  is  very 
opinionated  and  dogmatical ;  personally  unacquainted  with  the 
character  of  the  Indians,  and  the  geography  of  the  western  coun 
try,  and  not  likely,  therefore,  to  be  very  ready  or  practical  in  the 
administrative  duties  of  the  office.  Time  must  test  this,  and  time 
sometimes  agreeably  disappoints  us. 

29iA.  I  reached  Detroit  this  day,  with  my  family,  in  the  new 
steamer  "  Illinois,"  having  had  a  pleasant  passage,  for  the  season, 
from  Mackinack.  The  style  of  the  lake  steamboats  is  greatly  im 
proved  within  the  last  few  years,  and  one  of  the  first-class  boats 
bears  no  slight  resemblance  to  a  floating  parlor,  where  every  atten 
tion  and  comfort  is  promptly  provided.  He  must  be  fastidious,  in 
deed,  who  is  not  pleased. 

3~Lst.  Col.  Whiting  called  at  my  office  to  get  the  loan  of  an 
elementary  work  on  conchology.  Dr.  Pitcher  stated  that  the 
Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Michigan  had  adopted  a 
plan  of  buildings  to  be  erected  at  Ann  Arbor.  Four  Saginaw 


616  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

delegates  are  sent  in  by  Ogema  Kegido,  to  ascertain  the  time  and 
place  of  their  annuity  payments. 

Nov.  4:th.  The  Regents  of  the  University  of  Michigan  adopt  re 
solutions  respecting  the  establishment  of  branches  in  the  counties, 
which  are  apprehended  to  be  rather  in  advance  of  their  means;  but 
the  measure  is  stated  to  be  popular. 

3d.  Mr.  James  Lawrence  Schoolcraft,  the  acting  agent  of  In 
dian  Affairs  at  Michilimackinack,  writes  respecting  the  additional 
claim  of  the  estate  of  John  Johnston,  an  Irish  gentleman  of  the 
upper  country,  whose  name  is  mentioned  in  a  prior  part  of  these 
memoirs :  "  I  have  looked  over  the  old  books  belonging  to  the  es 
tate,  and  find  the  following  result  upon  the  most  critical  examination. 

"  William's  account  of  the  beaver  skins  due  was  7,221.  Mr.  Ed 
monds'  account  was  4,313.  My  own  6,043.  William's  account 
exceeded  mine  1,178.  Mine  exceeds  Mr.  Edmonds'  1,730.  In 
my  account  I  have  cast  out  all  debts  (or  skins)  charged  for  liquor. 
William  did  not.  Mr.  Edmonds  did. 

"I  found  all  the  books  but  one  in  the  box,  which  one,  according 
to  William's  account,  contained  five  hundred  and  sixty  skins. 
From  these  five  hundred  and  sixty,  I  made  deductions  correspond 
ing  with  the  skins  found  to  be  charged  in  all  the  other  books,  so 
that  the  difference  can  be  but  very  trifling,  and,  by  the  liberal  dis 
count  made,  I  think,  will  be  in  favor  of  the  claim. 

"The  account  stands  thus  : — 

Due  6,043  beavers  at  $4 $24,172  00 

Average  loss  on  four  years'  trade,  from  1813  to  1816, 

at  $2,014  per  annum 8,056  00 

Add:— 

Item  2  as  allowed  in  1836  .         .         $6,040  00 

"     6  "          "  .  9,192  00 

"7  .  1,141  00 

«     8  44  90       10,384  72 


$42,612  72 
Allowed  in  1836  .  32,436  72 


$10,176  00 

"  Books  are  shown  from  1816  to  1828,  a  period  of  twelve  years; 
consequently  twelve  divided  into  24,172  will  give  the  average  loss 
for  the  four  years'  trade,  for  which  no  books  are  shown.  Mr.  Ed- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  617 

monds  made  an  error  in  computing  the  number  of  skins  due  ;  the 
other  difference  was,  of  course,  in  consequence.  I  am  inclined  to 
think  Mr.  E.  was  prejudiced  against  the  claim,  as  I  cannot  see  how 
he  could  so  much  reduce  the  number  of  skins  due." 

6th.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Potter,  a  missionary  for  sixteen  years  among 
the  Cherpkees,  called  and  introduced  himself  to  me.  He  said  that 
he  thought  the  Cherokees  had  received  enough  for  their  lands  ;  that 
they  were  peaceably  emigrating  west,  but  had  been  delayed  by  low 
water  in  the  streams.  While  thus  waiting,  about  five  hundred  per 
sons  had  died. 

This  gentleman  had  been  stationed  at  Creek  Path,  where  the 
morally  celebrated  Catherine  Brown  and  her  brother  and  parents 
lived.  While  there,  he  had  a  church  of  about  sixty  members,  and 
thinks  they  exhibited  as  good  evidences  of  Christianity  as  the  same 
number  of  whites  would  do.  He  speaks  in  raptures  of  the  country 
this  people  are  living  in,  and  are  now  emigrating  from,  in  the  Cum 
berland  Mountains,  as  full  of  springs,  a  region  of  great  salubrity, 
fertility,  and  picturesque  beauty.  Says  a  portion  of  the  country, 
to  which  they  are  embarking  west,  is  also  fertile. 

Florida,  the  papers  of  this  date  tell  us,  is  now  free  from  Indians. 
This  can  only  be  strictly  true  of  the  towns  on  the  Apalachicola,  &c. 
The  majority  of  them  are  doubtless  gone. 

A  Wyandot,  of  Michigan,  named  Thomas  Short,  complains  that 
his  lands,  at  Flat  Rock,  are  overflowed  by  raising  a  mill-dam. 
Dispatched  a  special  agent  to  inquire  into  and  remedy  this  tres 
pass. 

The  Swan  Creeks  complain  that  a  Frenchman,  named  Yaks,  having 
been  permitted  to  live  in  one  of  their  houses  at  Salt  River,  on  rent, 
refuses  to  leave  it,  intending  to  set  up  a  pre-emption  right  to  the 
lands.  I  replied,  "That  is  a  matter  I  will  inquire  into.  But  you 
have  ceded  the  land  without  stipulating  for  improvements,  and  can 
not  prevent  pre-emptions." 

7th.  I  received  instructions  from  Washington,  dated  29th  Oct., 
to  draw  requisitions  in  favor  of  the  Ottawas  and  Chippewas,  for 
the  amounts  awarded  for  their  public  improvements  in  the  lower 
peninsula,  agreeably  to  the  estimates  of  Messrs.  MacDonnel  and 
Clarke,  under  the  treaty  of  March  28th,  1836. 

Eshtonaquot  (Clear  Sky),  principal  chief  of  the  Swan  Creeks, 
states  that  his  people  will  be  ready  to  remove  to  their  location  on 


618  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  Osage,  by  the  middle  of  next  summer.  He  states  that  his 
brother-in-law,  an  Indian,  living  at  River  Au  Sables,  in  Upper 
Canada,  reports  that  a  large  number  of  Potawattomies  have  fled  to 
that  province  from  Illinois  ;  and  that  many  of  the  Grand  River 
Ottawas,  during  the  past  summer,  visited  the  Manitoulines,  and 
gave  in  their  names  to  migrate  thither.  Little  reliance  can  be 
placed  on  this  information.  Besides,  the  government  does  not  pro 
pose  to  hinder  the  movements  of  the  Indians. 

Maj.  Garland  states  that  he  was  present,  a  few  years  ago,  at 
Fort  Snelling,  Upper  Mississippi,  at  the  time  the  fracas  occurred 
in  which  the  Sioux  fired  on  the  Chippewas  and  killed  four  of  their 
number.  Col.  Snelling  exhibited  the  greatest  decision  of  character 
on  this  occasion.  He  immediately  put  the  garrison  under  arms,  and 
seized  four  Sioux,  and  put  them  in  hold  till  their  tribe  should  sur 
render  the  real  murderers.  Next  day  the  demand  was  complied 
with,  by  the  delivery  of  two  men,  to  replace  two  of  the  four  host 
ages,  the  other  two  of  the  prisoners  being,  by  hap,  the  murderers. 
The  Indian  agent  vacillated  as  to  the  course  to  be  adopted.  Col. 
Snelling  said  that  he  would  take  the  responsibility  of  acting.  He 
then  turned  the  aggressors  over  to  the  Chippewas,  saying :  "  Punish 
them  according  to  your  law;  and,  if  you  do  not,  I  will."  The 
Chippewas  selected  nine  of  their  party  as  executioners.  They  then 
told  the  prisoners  to  run,  and  shot  them  down  as  they  fled.  Two 
were  shot  on  the  very  day  after  the  murder,  and  two  the  following 
day,  when  they  were  brought  in.  One  of  the  latter  was  a  fine, 
bold,  tall  young  fellow,  who,  having  hold  of  the  other  prisoner's 
hand,  observed  him  to  tremble.  He  instantly  threw  his  hand  loose 
from  him,  declaring  "that  he  was  ashamed  of  being  made  to  suifer 
with  a  coward." 

8th.  Col.  Whiting  exhibited  to  me,  at  his  office,  several  bound 
volumes  of  MSS.,  being  the  orderly  book  of  his  father,  an  adju 
tant  in  a  regiment  of  Massachusetts  Continentals,  during  the  great 
struggle  of  1776.  Many  of  the  orders  of  Gen.  Washington  show 
the  exact  care  and  knowledge  of  details,  which  went  to  make  up 
a  part  of  his  military  reputation. 

12£A.  Texas  is  involved  in  troubles  with  fierce  and  intractable 
bands  of  Indians.  Among  these  the  Camanches  are  prominent, 
who  have  shown  themselves,  in  force,  near  Bexar,  and  in  a  conflict 
killed  ten  Americans  with  arrows. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  619 


CHAPTER    LXV. 

Embark  for  New  York— A  glimpse  of  Texan  affairs— Toltecan  monuments- 
Indian  population  of  Texas — Horrible  effects  of  drinking  ardent  spirits 
among  the  Indians — Mr.  Gallatin — His  opinions  on  various  subjects  of 
philosophy  and  history— Visit  to  the  South— Philadelphia— Washington- 
Indian  affairs — Debt  claim — Leave  to  visit  Europe — Question  of  neutrality 
— Mr.  Van  Buren — American  imaginative  literature — Knickerbocker — Re"- 
sume  of  the  Indian  question  of  sovereignty. 

1838.  Nov.  I4:th.  I  EMBARKED  in  a  steamer,  with  my  family,  for 
New  York,  having  the  double  object  of  placing  my  children  at 
eligible  boarding-schools,  and  seeking  the  renovation  of  Mrs.  S.'s 
health.  The  season  being  boisterous,  we  ran  along  shore  from 
river  to  river,  putting  in  and  putting  out,  in  nautical  phrase,  as 
we  could.  On  the  way,  scarlatina  developed  itself  in  my  daughter. 
Fortunately  a  Dr.  Hume  was  among  the  passengers,  by  whose 
timely  remedies  the  case  was  successfully  treated,  and  a  tempo 
rary  stop  at  Buffalo  enabled  us  to  pursue  our  way  down  the  canal. 
Ice  and  frost  were  now  the  cause  of  apprehension,  and  our  canal 
packet  was  at  length  frozen  in,  when  reaching  the  vicinity  of  Utica, 
which  we  entered  in  sleighs.  In  conversation  on  board  the  packet 
boat  on  the  canal,  Mr.  Thomas  Borden,  of  Buffalo  Bayou,  Texas, 
stated  that  there  is  a  mistake  in  the  current  report  of  the  Camanche 
Indians  being  about  to  join  the  Mexicans.  They  are,  perhaps,  in 
league  with  the  Spaniards  of  Nacogdoches,  who  now  cry  out  for 
the  federal  constitution  of  1824;  but  there  is  no  coalition  between 
them  and  the  Mexicans.  Lamar  is  elected  president,  the  popula 
tion  has  greatly  increased  within  the  last  year,  customs  are  col 
lected,  taxes  paid,  and  a  revenue  raised  to  support  the  government. 
Mr.  Borden  said,  he  was  one  of  the  original  three  hundred  families 
who  went  to  Texas,  with  my  early  friend  Stephen  F.  Austin,  Esq., 
the  founder  of  Texas,  of  whom  he  spoke  highly. 

"Hurry"  was  the  word  on   all  parts  of  our  route;  but,  after 
reaching  the  Hudson,  we  felt  more  at  ease,  and  we  reached  New 


620  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

York  and  got  into  lodgings,  on  the  evening  of  the  24th  (Nov.). 
The  next  day  was  celebrated,  to  the  joy  of  the  children,  as  "Eva 
cuation  Day,'  by  a  brilliant  display  of  the  military,  our  windows 
overlooking  the  Park,  which  was  the  focus  of  this  turnout. 

2Sth.  In  conversation  with  the  Rev.  Henry  Dwight,  of  Geneva, 
he  made  some  pertinent  remarks  on  the  Toltecan  monuments,  and 
the  skill  of  this  ancient  people  in  architecture,  in  connection  with 
some  specimens  of  antiquities  just -deposited  in  the  New  York  His 
torical  Society.  This  nation  had  not  only  preceded  the  Aztecs  in 
time,  as  is  very  clearly  shown  by  the  traditions  of  the  latter,  but 
alsor  there  is  every  reason  to  believe,  in  knowledge. 

29th.  Texas  papers  contain  the  following  statistics  of  the  Indian 
population  of  that  Republic,  of  whom  it  is  estimated  that  there 
may  be  20,000.  "  The  different  tribes  known  as  wild  Indians, 
comprise  about  24,000,  west  and  south-west.  There  are  on  the 
north  ten  tribes,  known  as  the  i  Ten  United  Bands,'  between  the 
Trinity  and  Red  River,  numbering  between  3  and  4000.  Of 
these  latter  tribes,  three  are  said  to  have  wandered  off  beyond 
the  Rio  Grande  and  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Of  the  Comanees, 
nearly  one-half  of  the  Indians  known  by  that  name  are,  and  have 
always  been,  without  the  limits,  and  press  upon  the  tribes  of  New 
Mexico.  In  all  it  appears  that  we  have  writhin  the  limits  of  Texas, 
an  Indian  population  of  20,000 — of  whom  one-fifth  may  be  ac 
counted  warriors.  There  are  one  or  two  remnants  of  tribes  (per 
haps  not  more  than  fifty  in  number)  living  within  the  settlements 
of  the  whites,  whom  they  supply  with  venison,  and  in  that  way 
support  themselves. 

"Some  of  these  tribes  are  the  hereditary  enemies  of  Mexico, 
who  has  nevertheless  furnished  them  with  arms  and  ammunition, 
in  the  hope  of  inciting  them  against  our  people,  at  a  risk  to  her 
own.  If,  looking  beyond  our  borders,  we  turn  our  eyes  to  the 
north,  we  behold  within  striking  distance  of  the  United  States 
frontier  on  the  north-west,  an  indigenous  Indian  population  of 
150,000,  and  on  their  western  frontier  46,000;  in  all  between  2 
and  300,000  Indians  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States — 
against  whom,  were  they  to  combine,  they  could  at  any  moment 
direct  a  war  force  of  60,000  men." 

These  popular  estimates,  may  serve  the  purpose  of  general  com 
parison,  but  require  some  considerable  abatements.  There  is  a 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  621 

tendency  to  estimate  the  numbers  of  Indian  tribes  like  those  of 
flocks  of  birds  and  schools  of  fish.  We  soon  get  into  thousands, 
and  where  the  theme  is  guessing,  thousands  are  soon  added  to 
thousands. 

Dec.  4th.  James  L.  Schoolcraft  of  Michilimackinack,  in  a  letter 
of  Nov.  10th,  describes  a  most  revolting  scene  of  murder,  which, 
owing  to  the  effects  of  drinking,  recently  occurred  at  the  Meno- 
monie  pay-ground  at  Grande  Chute,  Wisconsin. 

"Since  closing  my  letter  of  this  morning,  Lieut.  Root,  just  from 
Fort  Winnebago,  informs  me  that  he  attended  the  payment  of  the 
Menomonies,  at  the  Grrande  Chute;  that  liquor,  as  usual,  had  found 
its  way  to  the  place  of  payment,  and  that,  in  consequence,  an  In 
dian  had  killed  two  Indian  women.  That  the  individual  (murderer) 
was  taken  to  the  tent  of  the  agent,  Colonel  Boyd,  but  that,  in 
consequence  of  the  repeated  and  threatening  demands  of  the  In 
dians  for  the  man,  the  agent  was  obliged  to  deliver  him  up  to  them, 
and  that  they  then,  in  front  of  the  tent,  inflicted  wounds  of  death, 
from  six  different  blades,  upon  the  body  of  the  murderer,  beat  his 
brain  out  with  clubs,  and  then  threw  his  body  upon  a  burning  fire, 
after  which  he  was  dragged  some  distance,  to  which  place  he  might 
be  traced  by  attached  embers  strewed  along  the  path. 

"  A  child  was  crushed  to  death  by  a  drunken  Indian  accidentally. 
Lieut.  Root  informs  me  that  he  left  the  ground,  soon  after  the 
scene  above  alluded  to,  and  that  many  of  the  Indians  were  armed 
with  knives,  and  in  much  excitement." 

6th.  I  visited  Mr.  Gallatin  at  his  house  in  Bleecker  Street,  and 
spent  the  entire  morning  in  listening  to  his  instructive  conversation, 
in  the  course  of  which  he  spoke  of  early  education,  geometric  arith 
metic,  the  principles  of  languages  and  history,  American  and 
European.  He  said,  speaking  of  the 

EARLY  EDUCATION  OF  CHILDREN. — Few  children  are  taught  to 
read  well  early,  and,  in  consequence,  they  never  can  become  good 
readers.  A  page  should,  as  it  were,  dissolve  before  the  eye,  and 
be  absorbed  by  the  mind.  Reading  and  spelling  correctly  cannot 
be  too  early  taught,  and  should  be  thoroughly  taught. 

Arithmetic. — Gr.  There  is  no  good  arithmetic  in  which  the  reasons 
are  given,  so  as  to  be  intelligible  to  children.  Condorcet  wrote 


622  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

the  best  tract  on  the  subject,  while  in  confinement  at  a  widow's 
house  near  Paris,  before  his  execution.  The  language  of  arithmetic 
is  universal,  the  eight  digits  serving  all  combinations.  They  were 
not  introduced  till  1200.  The  Russians  count  by  sticks  and  beads. 
The  Romans  must  have  had  some  such  method.  M  stood  for  1000, 
D  for  500,  C  for  100,  L  for  50,  X  for  ten,  V  for  five,  and  I  for 
one.  But  how  could  they 'multiply  complex  sums  by  placing  one 
under  another. 

LANGUAGES. — S.  How  desirable  it  would  be  if  so  simple  a 
system  could  be  applied  to  language. 

Cr.  Ah !  it  was  not  designed  by  the  Creator.  He  evidently 
designed  diversity.  I  have  recently  received  some  of  the  native 
vocabularies  from  Mackenzie — the  Blackfeet  and  Fall  Indians,  &c. 
Parker  had  furnished  in  his  travels  vocabularies  of  the  Nez  Perces, 
Chinooks,  &c. 

LEADING  FAMILIES. — S.  The  term  Algonquin,  as  commonly  un 
derstood,  is  not  sufficiently  comprehensive  for  the  people  indicated. 

G-.  I  intended  to  extend  it  by  adding  the  term  "Lenape."  The 
Choctaw  and  the  Muscogee  is  radically  the  same.  The  Chickasaw 
and  Choctaw  has  been  previously  deemed  one.  Du  Pratz  wrote 
about  the  Mobilian  language  without  even  suspecting  that  it  was 
the  Choctaw. 

Cr.  The  National  Institute  at  Paris  has  printed  Mr.  Dupon- 
ceau's  Prize  Essay  on  the  Algonquin.  Dr.  James  wrote  unsuccess 
fully  for  the  prize.  Duponceau  first  mentioned  you  to  me.  He 
has  freely  translated  from  your  lectures  on  the  substantive,  which 
gives  you  a  European  reputation. 

PUBLISHERS  ON  PHILOLOGY. — G-.  There  is  no  patronage  for  such 
works  here.  Germany  and  France  are  the  only  countries  where 
treatises  on  philology  can  be  published.  It  is  Berlin  or  Paris,  and 
of  these  Berlin  holds  the  first  place.  In  Great  Britain,  as  in  this 
country,  there  is  not  sufficient  interest  on  the  subject  for  booksellers 
to  take  hold  of  mere  works  of  fact  of  this  sort.  They  are  given 
to  reading  tales  and  light  literature,  as  here. 

ORAL  TALES  OF  THE  INDIANS—  Cr.  Your  "Indian  Tales"  and 
your  "Hieroglyphics"  would  sell  here;  but  grammatical  materials 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  623 

on  the  languages  will  not  do,  unless  they  can  be  arranged  as 
appendices. 

S.  I  urged  Governor  Cass  to  write  on  this  subject,  and  he  de 
clined. 

Gr.  Does  he  understand  the  languages  ? 

S.  Pronouns,  in  our  Indian  languages,  are  of  a  more  permanent 
character  than  philologists  have  admitted.  They  endure  in  some 
form,  in  kindred  dialects,  the  most  diverse. 

Cr.  This  is  true,  the  sign  is  always  left,  and  enables  one,  clearly 
enough,  to  trace  stocks.  Dialects  are  easily  made.  There  are 
many  in  France,  and  they  fill  other  parts  of  Europe.  Every  de 
partment  in  France  has  one. 

DISCRIMINATING  VIEWS  OF  PHILOLOGY  AND  PHILOLOGISTS. — G-. 
It  is  not  clear  what  Heckewelder  meant  by  "whistling  sound,"  in 
the  prefix  pronouns.  I  told  Mr.  Duponceau  that  it  had  been  better 
that  the  gentleman's  MSS.  were  left  as  he  originally  wrote  them, 
with  mere  corrections  as  to  grammar — that  wre  should  then,  in  fact, 
have  had  Indian  information.  For  Heckewelder  thought  and  felt 
like  a  Delaware,  and  believed  all  their  stories.* 

MONOSYLLABIC  LANGUAGE. — G-.  You  have  asserted  that  all  the 
Indian  roots  are  monosyllables. 

S.  Most  of  them,  not  all.  This  is  a  branch  to  which  I  have 
paid  particular  attention  ;  and  if  there  is  anything  in  Indian  phi 
lology  in  which  I  deem  myself  at  home,  it  is  in  the  analysis  of 
Indian  words,  the  digging  out  of  roots,  and  showing  their  deriva 
tives  and  compounds. 

Cr.  The  societies  would  print  your  observations  on  these  topics. 
They  are  of  much  interest. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  INDIAN  LANGUAGE. — S.  The  Hebrew  is  based  on 
roots  like  the  Indian,  which  appear  to  have  strong  analogies  to 
the  Semitic  family.  It  is  not  clearly  Hindostanee,  or  Chinese,  or 

*  This  admission  of  the  re-composition  of  Mr.  Heckewelder's  letters,  and 
the  excellent  missionary's  general  deficiency,  furnishes  a  striking  confirmation 
of  the  views  and  sagacity  of  a  critic  of  the  North  American  Review,  writing 
on  that  topic,  in  1825.  And  the  more  so,  as  those  views  were  conjectural, 
but  they  were  the  conjectures  of  one  who  had  personally  known  Mr.  Hecke 
welder. 


624  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Norse.   I  have  perused  Rafn's  Grammar  by  Marsh.    The  Icelandic 
(language)  clearly  lies  at  the  foundation  of  the  Teutonic. 

Gr.  I  have  not  seen  this.  The  grammatical  principles  of  the 
Hebrew*  are  widely  different  (from  the  Indian).  There  is,  in  this 
respect,  no  resemblance.  I  think  the  Indian  language  has  prin 
ciples  akin  to  the  Greek.  The  middle  moods,  or  voices,  in  the 
Greek  and  Indian  dialects  are  alike  ;  they  make  the  imperfect  past, 
or  aorist,  in  a  similar  manner. 

PATOIS. — Gr.  The  great  impediment  to  popular  instruction  in 
France,  is  the  multiplicity  of  patois,  and  the  tenacity  of  the  pea 
santry  for  them.  The  same  objection  exists  to  the  use  of  so  many 
Indian  dialects  by  such  numbers  of  petty  tribes.  Pity  these  were 
not  all  abolished.  They  can  never  prosper  without  coming  on  to 
general  grounds  in  this  respect. 

CHINESE. — Mr.  Duponceau  had  published  Col.  Galindo's  ac 
count  of  the  Ottomic  of  Mexico,  and  likened  it  to  the  Chinese. 
It  was  the  very  reverse. 

ENGLISH  LANGUAGE. — S.  The  English  language  of  Chaucer's 
day,  is  based  on  the  Frisic,  Belgic,  and  Low  Dutch ;  and  not  on 
the  Saxon.  (Examples  were  given.  He  fully  assented  to  this, 
and  used  his  familiarity  with  European  history  to  demonstrate  it.) 

Gr.  There  was,  in  fact,  no  Anglo-Saxon  but  that  of  Alfred,  which 
was  the  old  English.  The  early  migrations  were  from  Belgium. 
Doubtless  the  Teutons  had  made  the  conquest  ascribed  to  them, 
but  I  think  they  did  not  revolutionize  the  language.  They  conquered 
the  people,  but  not  the  language. 

WASHINGTON  IRVING. — Gr.  Washington  Irving  is  the  most  popu 
lar  writer.  Anything  from  his  pen  would  sell. 

JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR. — Several  years  ago,  J.  J.  A.  put  into  my 
hands  the  journal  of  his  traders  on  the  Columbia,  desiring  me  to 
use  it.  I  put  it  into  the  hands  of  Malte  Brun,  at  Paris,  who 

*  Mr.  G.  did  not  understand  the  Hebrew,  and  was  not  aware  that  the 
person  he  addressed  had  made  a  study  of  it  in  particular  reference  to  the 
Indian. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  625 

employed  the  geographical  facts  in  his  work,  but  paid  but  little 

respect  to  Mr.  Astor,  -whom  he  regarded  merely  as  a  merchant 

seeking  his  own  profit,  and  not  a  discoverer.     He  had  not  even  sent 

a  man  to  observe  the  facts  in  the  natural  history.    Astor  did  not  like 

it.    He  was  restive  several  years,  and  then  gave  Washington  Irving 

$5,000  to  take  up  the  MSS.     This  is  the  History  of  "Astoria." 

RAFINESQUE. — This  erratic  naturalist  being  referred  to,  he  said — 

"  Who  is  Rafinesque,  and  what  is  his  character?" 

NAPOLEON  AND  NERO. — Bonaparte  was  a  mathematician ;  but, 
whatever  he  did,  he  did  not  appreciate  other  branches  of  science 
and  research.  On  taking  Rome,  he  carried  to  Paris  all  the  Pope's 
archives,  containing,  in  fact,  the  materials  for  the  secret  history  of 
Europe.  The  papers  occupied  seventy  large  boxes,  which  were 
carefully  corded  and  sealed,  and  put  away  in  a  garret  of  the 
Louvre  at  Paris,  and  never  opened.  On  the  restoration  of  the 
Bourbons,  Louis  XVIII.  gave  them  back  to  the  Pope's  nuncio.  The 
seals  had  never  been  broken. 

Bonaparte  hated  Tacitus.  He  was  an  aristocrat,  he  said,  and 
lied  in  his  history.  He  had  blackened  the  character  of  Nero 
merely  because  he  was  a  republican.  "  That  may  be,  sire,"  said 
,  "  but  it  is  not  the  generally  received  opinion,  and  autho 
rities  sustain  him."  "  Read  Suetonius,"  said  he.  "  Truly,"  said 
M.  Gallatin,  "  it  is  there  stated  that  the  people  strewed  flowers  on 
Nero's  grave  for  years." 

ALGIC  RESEARCHES. — The  oral  legends  of  the  Indians  collected 
by  me  being  adhered  to,  he  said,  "  Take  care  that,  in  publishing 
your  Indian  legends,  you  do  not  subject  yourself  to  the  imputa 
tions  made  against  Macpherson." 

On  leaving  the  hall,  whither  he  came  to  see  me  out,  he  said  :  "  I 
am  seventy-eight,  and  (assuming  a  gayer  vein)  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation."  He  was  then  a  little  bent,  but  preserved  in  conver 
sation  the  vivacity  of  his  prime.  He  had,  I  think,  been  a  man  of 
about  five  feet  ten  or  eleven  inches.  His  accent  and  tone  of  voice 
are  decidedly  French.  His  eye,  which  is  black  and  penetrating,  kin 
dled  up  readily.  He  wore  a  black  silk  cap  to  hide  baldness. 

15th.  A  singular  coincidence  of  the  names  and  ages  of  Indian 
chiefs,  is  shown  in  the  following  notice  from  a  Russian  source : — 
40 


626  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

"  We  have  just  received  from  Nova  Archangesk,  an  account  of 
the  death  of  the  chief  of  one  of  the  most  powerful  tribes  of  North 
America,  Black  Hawk,  who  was  suddenly  carried  off  on  the  banks 
of  the  River  Moivna,  in  the  seventy-first  year  of  his  age.  The 
loss  of  this  chief,  who  kept  up  friendly  relations  with  the  authori 
ties  of  the  Russian  colony,  and  was  always  hostile  to  the  English, 
is  felt  in  a  lively  manner  by  the  Russian  government,  who  rested 
great  hopes  on  the  influence  exercised  by  Black  Hawk,  not  only 
over  his  own  tribe,  but  also  over  all  the  neighboring  nations.  The 
Czar  has  ordered  the  new  governor-general  of  the  Russian  colony 
in  America  to  endeavor  by  all  means  to  secure  the  friendship  of 
the  three  sons  of  Black  Hawk,  the  eldest  of  whom,  now  forty- eight 
years  of  age,  has  succeeded  his  father  in  the  government  of  the 
tribe." — Le  Commerce. 

22d.  I  left  New  York  on  the  12th,  in  the  cars,  with  Mrs.  School- 
craft  and  the  children,  for  Washington,  stopping  at  the  Princeton 
depot,  and  taking  a  carriage  for  Princeton.  I  determined  to  leave 
my  son  at  the  Round  Hill  School,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Hart,  and  the 
next  day  went  to  Philadelphia,  where  I  accepted  the  invitation  of 
Gen.  Robert  Patterson  to  spend  a  few  days  at  his  tasteful  mansion 
in  Locust  street.  I  visited  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  and 
examined  Dr.  Samuel  George  Morton's  extensive  collection  of  In 
dian  crania.  While  here,  I  placed  my  daughter  in  the  private 
school  of  the  Misses  Guild,  South  Fourth  Street.  I  attended  one 
of  the  "  Wistar  parties"  of  the  season,  on  the  15th,  at  Mr.  Lea's, 
the  distinguished  bookseller  and  conchologist,  and  reached  the 
city  of  Washington  on  the  21st,  taking  lodgings  at  my  excellent 
friends,  the  Miss  Polks. 

24:th.  Submitted  an  application  to  the  department  for  expending 
a  small  part  of  the  Indian  education  fund,  for  furthering  the  gene 
ral  object,  by  publishing,  for  the  use  of  teachers  and  scholars,  a 
compendious  dictionary,  and  general  grammar  of  the  Indian  lan 
guages. 

25th.  In  a  conference  with  Mr.  Murray,  of  Pennsylvania,  a  re 
cent  commissioner  to  adjust  Indian  claims  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
Wisconsin,  he  gave  me  Mr.  Robert  Stuart's  testimony  respecting 
the  Indian  trade,  to  read.  It  appears  from  the  document  that  the 
gain  on  trade  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  from  1824  to 
1827,  was  §167,000.  From  1827  to  1834  it  was  $195,000. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  627 

From  the  aggregate  of  ten  years'  business,  there  is  to  be  deducted 
$45,000,  being  a  loss  from  1817  to  1824,  which  leaves  a  profit  on 
seventeen  years'  trade  of  $317,000. 

Mr.  Murray  presented  me  a  copy  of  the  Commissioner's  report. 
These  claims  have  not  yet  received  the  action  of  the  department. 
The  commissioners  set  out  with  requiring  of  traders  high  evidence 
of  the  individual  indebtedness  by  Indians.  They  finally  decided 
that  the  Winnebago  debts  were  national.  They  went  further — 
they  approved  and  adopted  the  decision  of  a  meeting  of  the  claim 
ants  themselves,  as  to  the  application  to  individual  firms,  of  the 
fund.  This  decision  was  subsequently  sanctioned  by  eight  Win 
nebago  chiefs,  who  were  stated  to  be  authorized  to  act  for  the 
nation. 

The  error,  in  all  these  cases,  seems  to  be,  that  where  a  tribe  has 
agreed  to  set  apart  a  generic  sum  to  satisfy  debts,  and  the  United 
States  has  accepted  the  trusteeship  of  determining  the  individual 
shares,  that  the  Indians,  who  cannot  read,  or  write,  or  understand 
figures,  or  accounts  at  all,  and  cannot  possibly  tell  the  arithmetical 
difference  between  one  figure  and  another,  should  yet  be  made  the 
subject  of  these  minor  appeals.  The  TRUSTEE  himself  should  de 
termine  that,  by  such  testimony  as  he  approves,  and  not  appear  to 
seek  to  bolster  up  the  decisions  of  truth  and  faithfulness,  by  call 
ing  on  Indian  ignorance  and  imbecility,  which  is  subject  to  be 
operated  on  by  every  species  of  selfishness. 

25th.  I  applied  to  the  department  this  day,  by  letter,  for  leave 
of  absence  from  my  post  on  the  frontier,  to  visit  Europe. 

%Qth.  I  called  on  Mr.  Poinsett,  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  re 
ceived  from  him  the  permission  which  I  had  yesterday  solicited. 
I  also  called  on  the  President  (Mr.  Van  Buren),  who,  in  turning 
the  conversation  to  the  state  of  disturbances  on  the  frontier, 
evinced  the  deepest  interest  that  neutrality  should  be  preserved, 
and  asked  me  whether  the  United  States  Marshal  at  Detroit  had 
faithfully  performed  his  duty. 

21th.  Visited  Mr.  Paulding  (Secretary  of  the  Navy)  in  the 
evening.  Found  him  a  rather  aged  bald-headed  man,  of  striking 
physiognomy,  prominent  intellectual  developments,  and  easy  dig 
nified  manners.  It  was  pleasing  to  recognize  one  of  the  prominent 
authors  of  Salmagundi,  which  I  had  read  in  my  schoolboy  days,  and 
never  even  hoped  to  see  the  author  of  this  bit  of  fun  in  our  inci- 


628  PERSONAL  MEMOIRa 

pient  literature.  For  it  is  upon  this,  and  the  still  higher  effort  of 
Irving's  facetious  History  of  New  York,  that  we  must  base  our 
imaginative  literature.  They  first  taught  us  that  we  had  a  right  to 
laugh.  We  were  going  on,  on  so  very  stiff  a  model,  that,  without 
the  Knickerbocker,  we  should  not  have  found  it  out. 

28th.  I  prepared  a  list  of  queries  for  the  department,  designed 
to  elicit  a  more  precise  and  reliable  account  of  the  Indian  tribes 
than  has  yet  appeared.  It  is  astonishing  how  much  gross  error 
exists  in  the  popular  mind  respecting  their  true  character. 

Talk  of  an  Indian — why  the  very  stare 

Says,  plain  as  language,  Sir,  have  you  been  there  ? 

Do  tell  me,  has  a  Potawattomie  a  soul, 

And  have  the  tribes  a  language  ?  Now  that's  droll — 

They  tell  me  some  have  tails  like  wolves,  and  others  claws, 

Those  Winnebagoes,  and  Piankashaws. 

30£A.  Mr.  Paulding  transmits  a  note  of  thanks  for  some  Indian 
words.  The  euphony  of  the  aboriginal  vocabulary  impresses  most 
persons.  In  most  of  their  languages  this  appears  to  result,  in 
part,  from  the  fact  that  a  vowel  and  a  consonant  go  in  pairs — i.e. 
a  vowel  either  precedes  or  follows  a  consonant,  and  it  is  compara 
tively  rare  that  two  consonants  are  required  to  be  uttered  together. 
There  is  but  one  language  that  has  the  tli,  so  common  in  English. 
Sh  and  gJi  are,  however,  frequently  sounded  in  the  Chippewa. 
The  most  musical  words  are  found  in  the  great  Muscogee  and  Al 
gonquin  families,  and  it  is  in  these  that  the  regular  succession  of 
vowels  and  consonants  is  found. 

31s£.  The  year  1838  has  been  a  marked  one  in  our  Indian  rela 
tions.  The  southern  Indians  have  experienced  an  extensive  break 
ing  up,  in  their  social  institutions,  and  been  thrown,  by  the  process 
of  emigration,  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  policy  of  the  go 
vernment  on  this  head,  which  was  first  shadowed  out  in  1825,  and 
finally  sanctioned  by  the  act  of  land  exchanges,  1830,  may  be  deemed 
as  having  been  practically  settled.  The  Cherokees,  who  required 
the  movements  of  an  army  to  induce  them  to  carry  out  the  prin 
ciples  of  the  treaty  of  New  Echota,  have  made  their  first  geogra 
phical  movement  since  the  discovery  of  the  continent,  a  period  of 
331  years.  How  much  longer  they  had  dwelt  in  the  country  aban 
doned  we  know  not.  They  clung  to  it  with  almost  a  death  grasp. 
It  is  a  lovely  region,  and  replete  with  a  thousand  advantages  and  a 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  629 

thousand  reminiscences.  Nothing  but  the  drum  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  race  could  have  given  them  an  effectual  warning  to  go. 
Gen.  Scott,  in  his  well  advised  admonitory  proclamation,  well 
said,  that  the  voice  under  which  both  he  and  they  acted  is  im 
perative,  and  that  by  heeding  it,  it  is  hoped  that  "they  will  spare 
him  the  horror  of  witnessing  the  destruction  of  the  Cherokees." 
The  great  Muskogee  family  had  been  broken  up,  by  the  act  of 
Georgia,  before.  The  Seminoles,  who  belong  to  that  family,  broke 
out  themselves  in  a  foolish  hostility  very  late  in  1835,  and  have 
kept  up  a  perfectly  senseless  warfare,  in  the  shelter  of  hummocks 
and  quagmires  since.  The  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws,  with  a  wise 
forecast,  had  forseen  their  position,  and  the  utter  impossibility  of 
setting  up  independent  governments  in  the  boundaries  of  the 
States.  It  is  now  evident  to  all,  that  the  salvation  of  these  inte 
resting  relics  of  Oriental  races  lies  in  colonization  west.  Their 
teachers,  the  last  to  see  the  truth,  have  fully  assented  to  it. 
Public  sentiment  has  settled  on  that  ground ;  sound  policy  dictates 
it ;  and  the  most  enlarged  philanthropy  for  the  Indian  race  per 
ceives  its  best  hopes  in  the  measure. 


630  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER  LXYI. 

Sentiments  of  loyalty — Northern  Antiquarian  Society — Indian  statistics — 
Rhode  Island  Historical  Society — Gen.  Macomb — Lines  in  the  Odjibwa  lan 
guage  by  a  mother  on  placing  her  children  at  school — Mehemet  Ali — Mrs. 
Jameson's  opinion  on  publishers  and  publishing — Her  opinion  of  my  Indian 
legends — False  report  of  a  new  Indian  language — Indian  compound  words 
— Delafield's  Antiquities — American  Fur  Company — State  of  Indian  dis 
turbances  in  Texas  and  Florida — Causes  of  the  failure  of  the  war  in  Florida, 
by  an  officer — Death  of  an  Indian  chief — Mr.  Bancroft's  opinion  on  the 
Dighton  Rock  inscription — Skroellings  not  in  New  England — Mr.  Gallatin's 
opinion  on  points  of  Esquimaux  language,  connected  with  our  knowledge  of 
our  archaeology. 

1839.  Jan.  1st.  I  CALLED,  amid  the  throng,  on  the  President. 
His  manners  were  bland  and  conciliatory.  These  visits,  on  set 
days,  are  not  without  the  sentiment  of  strong  personality  in  many 
of  the  visitors,  but  what  gives  them  their  most  significant  character 
is  the  general  loyalty  they  evince  to  the  constitution,  and  govern 
ment,  and  supreme  law  of  the  land.  The  President  is  regarded,  for 
the  time,  as  the  embodiment  of  this  sentiment,  and  the  tacit  fealty 
paid  to  him,  as  the  supreme  law  officer,  is  far  more  elevating  to  the 
self-balanced  and  independent  mind  than  if  he  were  a  monarch  ad 
libitum,  and  not  for  four  years  merely. 

2d.  I  received  a  notice  of  my  election  as  a  member  of  the  Royal 
Northern  Antiquarian  Society  of  Copenhagen,  of  which  fact  I  had 
been  previously  notified  by  that  Society.  This  Society  shows  us 
how  the  art  of  engraving  may  be  brought  in  as  an  auxiliary  to  anti 
quarian  letters  ;  but  it  certainly  undervalues  American  sagacity  if 
it  conjectures  that  such  researches  and  speculations  as  those  of  Mr. 
Magnusen,  on  the  Dighton  Rock,  and  what  it  is  fashionable  now-a- 
days  to  call  the  NEWPORT  RUIN,  can  satisfy  the  purposes  of  a 
sound  investigation  of  the  Anti-Columbian  period  of  American 
history. 

There  was  a  perfect  jam  this  evening  at  Blair's.  What  sort  of  a 
compliment  is  it  to  be  one  of  five  or  six  hundred  people,  not  half  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  631 

whom  can  be  squeezed  into  a  small  house,  and  not  one  of  whom  can 
pretend  to  taste  a  morsel  without  the  danger  of  having  server  and 
all  jammed  down  his  throat. 

3d.  The  mail  hunts  up  everybody.  Go  where  you  will,  and  par 
ticularly  to  the  seat  of  government,  and  letters  will  follow  you. 
Whoever  is  in  the  service  of  government  bears  a  part  of  the  func 
tions  of  it,  though  it  be  but  an  infinitesimal  part.  Mr.  H.  Conner, 
the  Saginaw  sub-agent,  in  a  letter  of  this  date,  reports  the  Sagi- 
naws  at  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  forty-three  souls,  and  the 
Swan  Creek  and  Black  River  Chippewas  at  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight.  One  of  the  most  singular  facts  in  the  statistics  of  the  most 
of  the  frontier  Indian  tribes  of  the  Lakes,  is,  in  the  long  run,  that 
they  neither  increase  nor  decline,  but  just  keep  up  a  sort  of  dying 
existence. 

4th.  Dr.  Thomas  H.  Webb,  Secretary  of  the  Rhode  Island  His 
torical  Society,  announces  the  plan  of  that  Society  in  publishing  a 
series  of  works  illustrating,  in  the  first  place,  the  history  and  lan 
guage  of  the  Indians,  and  soliciting  me  to  become  a  contributor  of 
original  observations.  The  difficulty  in  all  true  efforts  of  our  lite 
rary  history  is  the  want  of  means.  A  man  must  devote  all  his  lei 
sure  in  researches,  and  then  finds  that  there  is  no  way  in  which 
these  labors  can  be  made  to  aid  in  supplying  him  the  means  of  sub 
sistence.  He  must  throw  away  his  time,  and  yet  buy  his  bread. 
There  is  no  real  taste  for  letters  in  a  people  who  will  not  pay  for 
them.  It  is  too  early  in  our  history,  perhaps,  to  patronize  them 
as  a  general  thing.  Making  and  inventing  new  ploughs  will  pay, 
but  not  books. 

9th.  The  Secretary  of  War  confirms  my  leave  of  absence,  to 
visit  Europe,  and  extends  it  beyond  the  contingencies  of  a  re- 
appointment,  on  the  4th  of  March  next. 

I0th.  Attended  a  general  and  crowded  party  at  Gen.  Macomb's, 
in  the  evening,  with  Mrs.  Schoolcraft.  The  General  has  always 
appeared  to  me  a  perfect  amateur  in  military  science,  although  he 
has  distinguished  himself  in  the  field.  He  is  a  most  polished  and 
easy  man  in  all  positions  in  society,  and  there  is  an  air  and  manner 
by  which  he  constantly  reveals  his  French  blood.  He  has  a  keen 
perception  of  the  ridiculous,  and  a  nice  appreciation  of  the  mock 
gravity  of  the  heroic  in  character,  and  related  to  me  a  very  effect 
ive  scene  of  this  latter  kind,  which  occurred  at  Mr.  John  Johnston's. 


632  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

at  St.  Mary's  Falls,  on  the  close  of  the  late  war.  He  had  visited 
that  place  in  perhaps  1815  or  1816,  as  military  commander  of  the 
District  of  Michigan,  in  the  suite  of  Major-Gen.  Brown.  They 
were  guests  of  Mr.  Johnston.  In  going  up  the  river  to  see  Gros 
Cape,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior,  the  American  party  had  been 
fired  upon  by  the  Chippewas,  who  were  yet  hostile  in  feeling. 
When  the  party  returned  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Johnston,  their  host, 
the  latter  drew  himself  up  in  the  spirit  of  the  border  times  of 
Waverley,  and,  with  the  air  and  accent  of  a  chief  of  those  days — 
which,  by  the  way,  was  not  altogether  unnatural  to  him — mani 
fested  the  high  gentlemanly  indignation  of  a  host  whose  hospitality 
had  been  violated.  He  exclaimed  to  his  eldest  son,  "  Let  our 
followers  be  ready  to  repel  this  gross  affront."  The  General's  eye 
danced  in  telling  it.  The  thing  of  the  firing  had  been  done — 
nobody  was  hurt — nobody  was  in  fact  in  hostile  array ;  and  far  less 
was  the  party  itself  alarmed.  It  had  been  some  crack-brained 
Indian,  I  believe  Sassaba,  who  yet  smarted  at  the  remembrance  of 
the  death  of  his  brother,  who  was  killed  with  Tecumseh  in  the 
Battle  of  the  Thames. 

\\tJi.  Left  Washington,  with  my  family,  in  the  cars  for  Balti 
more,  where  we  lodged ;  reached  Philadelphia  the  next  day,  at  four 
P.  M. ;  remained  the  13th  and  14th,  and  reached  New  York  on 
the  16th,  at  4  o'clock  P.  M. 

~L4th.  Mrs.  Schoolcraft,  having  left  her  children  at  school,  at 
Philadelphia  and  Princeton,  remained  pensive,  and  wrote  the  fol 
lowing  lines  in  the  Indian  tongue,  on  parting  from  them,  which  I 
thought  so  just  that  I  made  a  translation  of  them. 

Nyau  nin  de  nain  dum 
May  kow  e  yaun  in 
Am  dah  nuk  ki  yaun 
Waus  sa  wa  kom  eg 
Ain  dah  nuk  ki  yaun 

Ne  dau  nis  ainse  e 
Ne  gwis  is  ainse  e 
Ishe  nau  gun  ug  wau 
Waus  sa  wa  kom  eg 

She  gwau  go  sha  ween 
Ba  sho  waud  e  we 
Nin  zhe  ka  we  yea 
Ishe  ez  hau  jau  yaun 
Ain  dah  nuk  ke  yaun 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  633 

Ain  dah  nuk  ke  yaun 
Nin  zhe  ke  we  yea 
I  she  ke  way  aun  e 
Nyau  ne  gush  kain  dum 

[FREE  TRANSLATION.] 

Ah !  when  thought  reverts  to  my  country  so  dear, 
My  heart  fills  with  pleasure,  and  throbs  with  a  fear: 
My  country,  my  country,  my  own  native  land, 
So  lovely  in  aspect,  in  features  so  grand, 
Far,  far  in  the  West.    What  are  cities  to  me, 
Oh  !  land  of  my  mother,  compared  unto  thee  ? 

Fair  land  of  the  lakes  1  thou  are  blest  to  my  sight, 
With  thy  beaming  bright  waters,  and  landscapes  of  light ; 
The  breeze  and  the  murmur,  the  dash  and  the  roar, 
That  summer  and  autumn  cast  over  the  shore, 
They  spring  to  my  thoughts,  like  the  lullaby  tongue, 
That  soothed  me  to  slumber  when  youthful  and  young. 

One  feeling  more  strongly  still  binds  me  to  thee, 

There  roved  my  forefathers,  in  liberty  free — 

There  shook  they  the  war  lance,  and  sported  the  plume, 

Ere  Europe  had  cast  o'er  this  country  a  gloom  ; 

Nor  thought  they  that  kingdoms  more  happy  could  be, 

White  lords  of  a  land  so  resplendent  and  free. 

Yet  it  is  not  alone  that  my  country  is  fair, 
And  my  home  and  my  friends  are  inviting  me  there  ; 
While  they  beckon  me  onward,  my  heart  is  still  here, 
With  my  sweet  lovely  daughter,  and  bonny  boy  dear : 
And  oh !  what's  the  joy  that  a  home  can  impart, 
Removed  from  the  dear  ones  who  cling  to  my  heart. 

It  is  learning  that  calls  them  ;  but  tell  me,  can  schools 
Repay  for  my  love,  or  give  nature  new  rules  ? 
They  may  teach  them  the  lore  of  the  wit  and  the  sage, 
To  be  grave  in  their  youth,  and  be  gay  in  their  age ; 
But  ah!  my  poor  heart,  what  are  schools  to  thy  view, 
While  severed  from  children  thou  lovest  so  true  ! 

I  return  to  my  country,  I  haste  on  my  way, 

For  duty  commands  me,  and  duty  must  sway ; 

Yet  I  leave  the  bright  land  where  my  little  ones  dwell,  • 

With  a  sober  regret,  and  a  bitter  farewell ; 

For  there  I  must  leave  the  dear  jewels  I  love, 

The  dearest  of  gifts  from  my  Master  above. 

NEW  YORK,  March  ISth,  1839. 


634  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

VltJi.  Went,  in  the  evening,  to  hear  Mr.  Stephens,  the  celebrated 
traveler,  lecture  before  the  Historical  Society,  at  the  Stuyvesant 
Institute,  on  Mehemet  Ali.  Public  opinion  places  lecturers  some 
times  in  a  false  position.  An  attempt  was  here  made  to  make  out 
Mehemet  Ali  a  great  personage,  exercising  much  influence  in  his 
times.  An  old  despotic  rajah  in  a  tea-pot !  Who  looks  to  him  for 
exaltation  of  sentiment,  liberality  and  enlargement  of  views,  or  as 
an  exemplar  of  political  truth  ?  Mr.  Stephens,  however,  knew  the 
feeling  and  expectation  of  his  audience,  and  drew  a  picture,  which 
was  eloquently  done,  and  well  received.  This  popular  mode  of 
lecturing  is  certainly  better  than  the  run-a-muck  amusements  of  the 
day.  But  it  panders  to  an  excited  intellectual  appetite,  and  is 
anything  but  philosophical,  historical,  or  strictly  just. 

ISth.  I  received  instructions  from  Washington,  to  form  a  treaty 
with  the  Saginaws,  for  the  cession  of  a  tract  of  ground  on  which 
to  build  a  light-house  on  Saginaw  Bay. 

The  next  letter  I  opened  was  from  Mrs.  Jameson,  of  London, 
who  writes  that  her  plan  of  publication  is,  to  divide  the  profits 
with  her  publishers,  and,  as  these  are  honest  men  and  gentlemen, 
she  has  found  that  the  best  way.  She  advises  me  to  adopt  the 
same  course  with  respect  to  my  Indian  legends.* 

"I  published,''  she  says,  a  in  my  little  journal,  one  or  two 
legends  which  Mrs.  Schoolcraft  gave  me,  and  they  have  excited 
very  general  interest.  The  more  exactly  you  can  (in  translation) 
adhere  to  the  style  of  the  language  of  the  Indian  nations,  instead 
of  emulating  a  fine  or  correct  English  style — the  more  character 
istic  in  all  respects — the  more  original — the  more  interesting  your 
work  will  be." 

21s£.  I  read  the  following  article  in  the  New  York  Herald  : — 

NEW  INDIAN  TRIBE. — Dr.  Jackson,  in  his  report  of  the  geology 
of  the  public  lands,  states  that  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tobique  there 
is  an  Indian  settlement,  where  a  large  tribe  of  Indians  reside,  and 
gain  a  livelihood  by  trapping  the  otter  and  beaver.  These  In 
dians  are  quite  distinct  from  the  Penobscot  tribe,  and  speak  a 
peculiar  language. 

Query.  What  is  the  name  of  this  tribe  ?  what  language  do  they 
speak  ?  and  what  evidence  is  there  that  they  are  not  Souriquois 

*  I  followed  this  advice,  but  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Philistines. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  635 

or  Miemacks,  who  have  been  known  to  us  since  the  first  settlement 
of  Acadia  and  Nova  Scotia  ? 

Indian  compound  words  are  very  composite.  AGO,  in  the  names 
of  places  once  occupied  by  Algonquin  bands,  means,  a  limit,  or  as 
far  as,  and  is  intended  to  designate  the  boundary  or  reach  of 
woods  and  waters.  Ac-ow  means  length  of  area.  Accomac  ap 
pears  to  mean,  at  the  place  of  the  trees,  or,  as  far  as  the  open 
lands  extend  to  the  woods :  mac,  in  this  word,  may  be  either  a  deri 
vative  from  acTcS,  earth,  or,  more  probably,  auk,  a  generic  parti 
ciple  for  tree  or  trunk. 

21st.  The  editor  of  the  North  American  Review  directs  my 
attention  to  Delafield's  Antiquities  as  the  subject  of  a  notice  for  his 
pages.  Delafield  appears  to  have  undertaken  a  course  of  reading 
on  Mexican  antiquities.  The  result  is  given  in  this  work,  with  his 
conjectures  and  speculations  on  the  origin  of  the  race.  The  cause 
of  antiquarian  knowledge  is  indebted  to  him  for  the  first  publication 
of  the  pictorial  Aztec  map  of  Butturini. 

24:th.  Called  on  Mr.  Ramsey  Crooks,  president  of  the  American 
Fur  Company,  at  his  counting-house,  in  Ann  street.  He  gave  me 
an  interesting  sketch  of  his  late  tour  from  La  Pointe,  Lake  Supe 
rior,  to  the  Mississippi.  The  Chippewas  were  not  paid  at  La  Pointe 
till  October.  This  made  him  late  at  the  country.  The  St.  Croix 
River  froze  before  he  reached  the  Mississippi,  and  he  went  down 
the  latter,  from  St.  Peter's,  in  a  sleigh.  Bonga  had  been  sent  to 
notify  the  Milles  Lacs,  Sandy  Lake,  and  Leech  Lake  Indians  to 
come  to  the  payments.  When  he  reached  Leech  Lake,  Guelle 
Plat  had  gone,  with  twenty-four  canoes,  to  open  a  trade  with  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Factor,  at  Rainy  Lake.  Mr.  Crooks  thinks  that 
the  dissatisfaction  among  these  bands  can  be  readily  allayed  by 
judicious  measures.  Thinks  the  Governor  of  Wisconsin  ought  to 
call  the  chiefs  together  at  some  central  point  within  the  country, 
and  make  explanations.  That  the  payments,  in  future,  should  be 
made  at  one  place,  and  not  divided.  That  the  Leech  Lake,  and 
other  bands  living  without  the  ceded  district,  ought  not  to  partici 
pate  in  the  annuities. 

Mr.  Crook's  manner  is  always  prompt  and  cordial.  He  concen 
trates,  in  his  reminiscences,  the  history  of  the  fur  trade  in  America 
for  the  last  forty  years.  I  have  always  thought  it  a  subject  of  re 
gret,  that  such  a  man  should  not  have  kept  a  journal.  There  was 


636  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

much,  it  is  true,  that  could  not  be  put  down,  and  he  was  always  so 
exclusively  an  active  business  man  that  mere  literary  memoranda 
never  attracted  his  attention;  they  were  not  adverse  to  his  tastes. 
He  has  nearly,  I  should  judge,  recovered  from  the  severe  hardships 
and  privations  which  attended  his  perilous  journey  across  the 
Eocky  Mountains,  on  the  abandonment  of  Astoria,  on  the  Pacific, 
in  1812. 

29th.  Texas  and  Florida  continue  to  be  the  rallying  points  of 
Indian  warfare.  The  frontier  of  Texas  is  harassed  by  wander 
ing  parties  of  Indians.  A  Mr.  Morgan,  who  resided  near  the  falls 
of  Brazos,  had  been  killed,  and  three  women  carried  off  by  a  band 
of  fifteen  savages.  A  company  of  rangers  was  sent  in  pursuit. 

The  Florida  War  still  lingers,  without  decisive  results.  The 
New  Orleans  Bee  says  that  General  Taylor  has  been  very  active, 
the  past  season,  in  trying  to  bring  it  to  a  close.  A  writer  from 
Tampa  Bay,  of  the  25th  instant,  who  appears  to  have  good  know 
ledge  of  matters,  states  three  causes,  particularly  as  opposing  a 
successful  prosecution  and  consummation  of  it,  namely : — 

"1st.  An  ignorance  of  the  topography  of  Florida — the  position 
of  the  numerous  swamps  and  hummocks,  the  usual  hiding-places 
of  the  Indians. 

"2d.  A  want  of  proper  interpreters. 

"  3d.  A  countervailing  influence  from  some  unknown  quarter." 

He  supports  his  view  as  follows:  "It  is  a  well  known  fact  that, 
previous  to  the  year  1836,  the  portion  of  Florida  south  of  the 
Military  Road  from  Tampa  to  Garey's  Ferry  was  unexplored  and 
unknown,  and  since  that  time  the  only  information  has  been  de 
rived  from  the  hasty  reconnoissances  of  officers,  made  in  the  pro 
gress  of  the  several  divisions  of  the  army  through  the  country. 
Since  the  organization  of  the  Corps  of  Topographical  Engineers, 
several  have  been  sent  to  this  country,  and  are  now  actively  en 
gaged  in  making  surveys  and  plotting  maps.  Could  the  informa 
tion  they  are  expected  to  give  have  been  known  even  before  the 
commencement  of  the  last  campaign,  it  would  have  aided  mate 
rially  in  the  subjugation  of  the  enemy.  A  correct  knowledge  of 
this  country  is  needed  more  especially  because  such  another  theatre 
of  war  probably  has  not  a  place  on  the  earth ;  a  theatre  so  pecu 
liarly  favorable  to  the  Indians  and  disadvantageous  to  the  white 
man.  Swamps  may  be  delineated  as  well  perhaps  as  any  other 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  637 

natural  object;  but  such  swpnps  as  are  found  in  Florida,  are  not 
to  be  imitated  in  painting  or  described  by  words.  As  an  instance, 
I  may  mention  the  Halpataokee  or  Alligator  Water,  which  is  made 
up  of  small  islands,  surrounded  by  water  of  various  depths,  through 
which  for  two  miles  the  road  of  the  army  passed  during  the  winter 
of  1838." 

"  2d.  The  only  interpreters  are  Seminole  negroes,  who,  for  the 
most  part,  find  it  difficult  to  understand  English.  As  an  instance 
of  the  numerous  mistakes  occurring  daily,  may  be  mentioned  the 
following :  The  General  told  the  interpreter  to  say  to  Nettetok 
Emathla,  that  '  patience  and  perseverance  would  accomplish  every 
thing.'  While  he  was  speaking  to  the  Indian,  the  remark  was 
made  that  he  did  not  know  the  meaning  of  the  sentence.  When 
questioned  the  following  day,  he  said  '  patience  and  'suverance 
mean  a  little  book.'  Our  laughter  convinced  him  he  was  mis 
taken,  and  he  said  '  patience  mean  you  must  be  patien  ;  I  don't 
zackly  know  what  'suverance  do  mean,  sar  !'  Numerous  errors  of 
this  nature  are  doubtless  occurring  daily,  and  among  a  people  who 
are  so  scrupulously  nice  and  formal  in  their  '  talks,'  such  trifling 
mistakes  may  be  injurious. 

"  3dL  We  are  now  to  speak  of  the  most  important  difficulty  in 
the  way  of  termination  of  hostilities,  and  the  removal  of  the  Semi- 
noles  to  their  new  homes  beyond  the  '  Muddy  Water.'  That  the 
Indians  are  and  have  been  supplied  by  whites,  Americans  or  Spa 
niards,  is  a  point  so  decisively  settled  that  l  no  hinge  is  left  where 
on  to  hang  a  doubt.'  However  shameless  it  may  appear,  proofs 
are  not  wanting  to  establish  the  fact,  so  much  to  the  discredit  of 
our  patriotism.  When  Coacoochee  escaped  from  St.  Augustine 
he  carried  with  him  bolts  of  calico  and  factory  cloths,  which  he 
afterwards  sold  to  the  Indians  in  the  woods  for  three  chalks  (six 
shillings)  per  yard.  It  was  reported  to  Colonel  Taylor,  then  at 
Fort  Bassinger,  by  an  Indian  woman,  who  ran  away  from  Coacoo- 
chee's  camp,  that  he  had  one  poney  packed  solely  with  powder ; 
that  he  had  plenty  of  lead,  provisions,  etc.,  and  was  determined 
never  to  come  in  or  go  to  Arkansas.  On  several  occasions  when  In 
dians  have  been  killed  or  taken,  or  their  camps  surprised,  new 
calico,  fresh  tobacco,  bank  bills,  and  other  articles  of  a  civilized 
character,  have  been  found  in  their  possession.  Besides  this,  the 
Indians  are  constantly  reporting  in  their  talks  that  some  persons 


638  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

on  the  other  side  of  the  territory  preHent  the  hostiles  from  com 
plying  with  the  treaty.  Ethlo  Emathla,  Governor  of  the  Talla- 
hassees,  promised  the  general  to  be  in  with  his  people  on  a  specified 
day.  It  is  reduced  almost  to  a  certainty  that  he  has  been  pre 
vented  from  doing  so  by  the  representations  of  some  person  or  per 
sons  in  a  quarter,  the  name  of  which  charity  alone  forbids  to  men 
tion.  The  only  object  is,  and  for  a  long  time  has  been,  to  keep 
entirely  out  of  the  way,  to  hide  themselves  from  the  whites,  and 
every  effort  to  bring  them  to  battle,  either  by  sending  small  or 
large  parties  among  them,  has  proved  useless.  They  will  not  fight, 
and  thirty  thousand  men  cannot  find  them,  broken  up  as  they  are 
into  small  parties.  What  then  is  to  be  done  ?  Protect  the  in 
habitants  of  the  frontiers,  gradually  push  the  Indians  south,  and 
at  no  distant  day,  the  necessary,  unavoidable  and  melancholy 
consummation  must  arrive,  viz.,  the  expulsion  of  the  last  tribe  of 
red  men  from  the  soil  over  which  they  once  roamed  the  sole  lords 
and  possessors." 

30th.  The  oldest  man  in  the  Ottawa  nation,  a  chief  called  Nish- 
caud-jin-in-a,  or  the  Man  of  Wrath,  died  this  day  at  L'Arbre 
Croche,  Michigan.  He  was  between  ninety  and  one  hundred 
years  of  age,  withered  and  dry,  and  slightly  bent,  but  still  pre 
serving  the  outlines  of  a  man  of  strength,  good  figure,  and  intel 
lect.  What  a  mass  of  reminiscences  and  elements  of  history  dies 
with  every  old  person  of  observation,  white  or  red. 

Feb.  4:th.  Mr.  James  II.  Lanman  writes  respecting  the  prospects 
of  his  publishing  a  history  of  Michigan — a  subject  which  I  gave 
him  every  encouragement  to  go  forward  in,  while  he  lived  in  that 
State.  The  theme  is  an  ambitious  one,  involving  as  it  does  the 
French  era  of  settlements,  and  the  day  for  handling  it  effectively 
has  not  yet  arrived.  But  the  sketches  that  may  be  made  from 
easily-got,  existing  materials,  may  subserve  a  useful  purpose,  with 
the  hope  always  that  some  new  fact  may  be  elicited,  which  will  add 
to  the  mass  of  materials.  "  I  have  been  delayed  here,''  he  says, 
"  in  preparing  the  book,  and  the  delay  has  been  occasioned  by  my 
publishers  having  failed.  It  is  now,  however,  stereotyped,  and  will 
be  out  in  about  a  fortnight."* 

*  He  afterwards  re-cast  the  work,  and  it  was  published  by  the  Harpers  as 
one  of  the  volumes  of  their  library. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  639 

Mr.  Bancroft  writes  to  me,  giving  every  encouragement 
to  bring  forward  before  the  public  my  collections  and  researches 
on  Indian  history  and  language,  and  expressing  his  opinion  of 
success,  unless  I  should  be  "  cursed  with  a  bad  publisher." 

"Father  Duponceau,"  he  says,  "won  his  prize  out  of  your 
books,  and  Gallatin  owes  much  to  you.  Go  on  ;  persevere  ;  build 
a  monument  to  yourself  and  the  unhappy  Algonquin  race." 

Making  every  allowance  for  Mr.  Bancroft's  enthusiastic  way  of 
speaking,  it  yet  appears  to  me  that  I  should  endeavor  to  publish 
the  results  of  investigations  of  Indian  subjects.  My  connection 
with  the  Johnston  family  has  thrown  open  to  me  the  whole  arcanum 
of  the  Indian's  thoughts. 

I  wrote  an  article  for  Dr.  Absalom  Peter's  Magazine,  express 
ing  my  dissent  from  the  very  fanciful  explanations  of  the  Dighton 
Rock  characters,  as  given  by  Mr.  Magrusen  in  the  first  volume  of 
the  Royal  Society  of  Northern  Antiquarians,  published  at  Copen 
hagen.  It  appears  to  me  that  those  characters  (throwing  out  two 
or  three)  are  the  Indian  Kekewin — a  species  of  hieroglyphics  or 
symbolic  devices,  still  in  vogue  among  them.  To  this  view  of  the 
matter  Mr.  Bancroft  assents.  "  If  you  have  a  proof-sheet  of 
your  article  on  the  Daneschrift,  send  it  me.  All  they  say  about 
the  Dighton  Rock  is,  I  think,  the  sublime  of  humbuggery." 

What  is  said  in  the  interpreted  Sagas,  of  the  Skroellings  or  Es 
quimaux  being  in  New  England  at  the  date  of  Eric's  4 voyage  (A. 
D.  1001)  is,  I  think,  problematical.  Those  tribes  are  not  known 
to  have  extended  further  south  than  the  Straits  of  Belleisle, 
about  60°,  or  to  parts  of  Newfoundland.  The  term  deduced  from 
the  old  journals  appear  to  belong  to  the  Esquimaux  proper,  rather 
than  to  the  New  England  class  of  the  Algonquins.  The  Esqui 
maux  had  the  free  use  of  the  sound  of  the  letter  £,  which  was  not 
used  at  all  by  the  N.  E.  Indians. 

Mr.  Gallatin,  in  a  letter  of  Feb.  22,  in  response  to  me  on  this 
subject,  says:  "The  letter  L  occurs  in  every  Esquimaux  dialect  of 
which  I  have  any  knowledge.  Thus  heaven  or  sky,  is  in  Green 
land,  Killdk ;  Hudson's  Bay,  Keiluk ;  Kadick  Islands,  Kelisk  ; 
Kotzebue's  Sound,  Keitydk  ;  Asiatic  Tshuktchi,  Kuelok. 

"  I  am  not  so  certain  about  the  v9  which  I  find  used  only  by  Egede, 
or  Crantz  (not  distinguished  from  each  other  in  my  collection)  for 
the  Greenland  dialect.  In  their  conjurations  I  find  '  we  (sing. 


640  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

and  dual)  wash  them'  Ernikp-auvut,  and  Ernikp-auvuk.  In  the 
Mithradites,  the  same  letter  v  is  repeatedly  used  in  dual  examples 
of  the  Greenland  and  Labrador  dialects,  principally  (as  it  ap 
pears  to  me)  but  not  exclusively  in  the  pronominal  terminations, 
picksaukonik,  akeetvor,  tivut,  Profetiv-vit !  that  is,  good  ours,  debt 
ors  ours,  a  prophet  art  thou. 

"By  comparing  this  with  the  pronouns  of  the  other  Esquimaux 
dialects,  I  suspect  that  oo  and  w  in  these,  are  used  instead  of  v. 
But  the  difference  may  arise  from  that  in  the  mother  tongue,  or  in 
the  delicacy  of  the  ear,  of  those  who  have  supplied  us  with  other 
verbal  and  pronominal  forms  or  vocabularies." 

22d.  The  Indian  names  may  be  studied  analytically. 

Ches  (pronounced  by  the  Algonquin  Indians  Chees\  signifies  a 
plant  of  the  turnip  family.  Beeg  is  the  plural,  and  denotes  water 
existing  in  large  bodies,  such  as  accumulations  in  the  form  of  lakes 
and  seas.  If  these  two  roots  be  connected  by  the  usual  sound  in 
Algonquin  words,  thus  Ches-a-beeg,  a  sound  much  resembling  Ches 
apeake  would  be  produced.  The  Nanticokes,  who  inhabited  this 
bay  on  its  discovery,  were  of  the  Algonquin  stock. 

Potomac  appears  to  be  a  clipped  expression,  derived,  I  believe, 
from  Po-to-wau-me-ac.  Po-to-wau,  as  we  have  it,  in  Potawat- 
tomie,  means  to  make  a  fire  in  a  place  where  fires,  such  as  council 
fires,  are  usually  made.  The  ac  in  the  word  is  apparently  from 
ok  or  wak,  a  standing  tree.  The  whole  appears  descriptive  of  a 
burning  tree,  or  a  burning  forest. 

Megiddo  in  the  Algonquin  means  he  barks,  or  a  barker.  Hence 
me-giz-ze,  an  eagle  or  the  bird  that  barks. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  641 


CHAPTER   LXVII. 

Workings  of  unshackled  mind — Comity  of  the  American  Addison — Lake 
periodical  fluctuations — American  antiquities — Indian  doings  in  Florida 
and  Texas — Wood's  New  England's  Prospect — Philological  and  historical 
comments — Death  of  Ningwegon — Creeks — Brothertons  made  citizens — 
Charles  Fenno  Hoffman — Indian  names  for  places  on  the  Hudson — Christ 
ian  Indians — Etymology — Theodoric — Appraisements  of  Indian  property — 
Algic  researches — Plan  and  object. 

1839.  Feb.  22d.  HON.  Lucius  LYON,  Senator  in  Congress 
from  Michigan,  writes,  informing  me  of  the  movements  of  political 
affairs  in  that  State.  The  working  of  our  system  in  the  new  States 
is  peculiar.  Popular  opinion  must  have  its  full  swing.  It  rights 
itself.  Natural  good  sense  and  sound  moral  appreciation  of  right 
are  at  work  at  the  bottom,  and  the  lamp  of  knowledge  is  continu 
ally  replenished  with  oil,  by  schools  and  teaching.  That  light 
cannot  be  put  out.  It  will  burn  on  till  the  world  is  not  only  free, 
but  enlightened  and  renovated. 

24tth,  Washington  Irving  kindly  encloses  me  a  letter  to  Colonel 
Aspinwall  of  London,  commending  to  him  my  contemplated  publi 
cation  on  the  oral  legends  of  the  North  American  Indians.  "  I 
regret  to  say,"  he  adds,  "that  the  last  time  he  wrote  to  me,  he 
was  in  great  uneasiness,  apprehending  the  loss  of  one  of  his 
daughters,  who  appeared  to  be  in  a  rapid  decline." 

25th.  Mrs.  Jameson,  on  returning  from  her  trip  to  the  lakes, 
writes  for  my  opinion  on  the  causes  of  the  phenomenon  of  the  rise 
in  the  waters  of  the  lakes.  Alluding  to  this  subject,  the  Superin 
tendent  of  the  works  in  the  Ohio  says:  "The  water  of  Lake  Erie, 
which  has  been  rising  for  many  years,  and  has  attained  a  height 
unequaled  in  the  memory  of  man,  seems  to  have  attained  its 
maximum,  and  to  have  commenced  its  reflux.  Since  the  first  day 
of  June  last,  as  I  have  ascertained  by  means  of  graduated  rods  at 
different  points  along  the  coast  of  Lake  Erie,  the  water  has  fallen 
perpendicularly  nineteen  inches,  and  is  still  falling.  The  meteor- 
41 


642  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

ological  character  of  the  present  season,  as  compared  with  that 
of  several  previous  seasons,  clearly  shows  the  cause  of  the  rise  and 
fall  of  the  lakes  not  to  be  periodical,  as  has  heretofore  been  asserted, 
but  entirely  accidental.  For  several  years  the  summers  have  been 
cloudy  and  cold,  with  a  prevalence  of  easterly  winds  and  rainy 
weather.  The  last  summer  has  been  excessively  warm  for  the 
whole  season,  and  of  exceeding  drought.  When  it  is  remembered 
that  the  amount  of  water  evaporated  over  the  surface  of  these  vast 
bodies  of  water,  during  a  period  of  warm  sunny  weather,  greatly 
exceeds  that  which  passes  the  outlet  of  one  of  these  lakes  (Niagara 
River,  for  example),  the  cause  of  the  phenomenon  is  apparent." 
— See  Mr.  Barrett's  inquiries,  ante. 

26th.  The  New  York  Star  publishes  a  notice  of  Delafield's  Anti 
quities.  This  handsomely  printed  and  illustrated  work  contains 
four  things  that  are  new  to  the  antiquarian  inquirer  :  1.  A  theory 
by  the  author,  by  which  he  conceives  the  Indian  race  to  be  de 
scended  from  the  ancient  Cuthites,  who  are  Hamitic.  This  is 
wrong.  2.  A  curious  and  valuable  pictographic  map  of  the  migra 
tion  of  the  Aztecs,  not  heretofore  printed.  This  is  an  acquisition. 

3.  A  disquisition  of  Dr.  Lakey,  of  Cincinnati,  on  the  superiority 
of  the  northern  to  the  southern  race  of  red  men.     This  seems  true. 

4.  A  preface,  by  Bishop  Mcllvaine,  showing  the  importance  in  all 
inquiries  of  the  kind,  of  keeping  the  record  of  the  Bible  strictly  in 
view.     This  is  right. 

21th.  The  Houston  Telegraph  of  this  date  says:  "  A  party  of 
about  eighty  men  from  Bastrop  County,  accompanied  by  Castro 
and  forty  Lipan  warriors,  recently  made  an  expedition  into  the 
Comanche  country,  and,  near  the  San  Saba,  attacked  and  routed 
a  large  body  of  Comanches,  who,  with  their  women  and  children, 
were  encamped  on  a  small  branch  of  the  stream.  About  thirty  of 
the  Comanche  warriors  were  killed  in  the  engagement,  many 
huts  and  considerable  baggage  destroyed,  and  a  large  number  of 
horses  and  mules  captured.  On  their  return,  however,  a  few  Co 
manches  stole  silently  into  the  droves  of  horses,  while  feeding  at 
night,  and  recaptured  the  whole  except  ninety-three  horses,  which 
the  shrewd  Castro,  with  ten  of  his  warriors,  had  driven  far  in  ad 
vance  of  the  main  company,  and  which  he  subsequently  brought 
in  safety  to  Lagrange.  Only  two  of  the  citizens  of  Texas  were 
injured  on  this  expedition." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  643 

"  General  Burlison,  at  the  head  of  about  seventy  men,  recently 
encountered  a  large  body  of  Indians  on  the  Brushy,  and,  after  one 
or  two  skirmishes,  finding  the  enemy  numerous,  retreated  to  a 
ravine  in  order  to  engage  them  with  more  advantage;  but  the  In 
dians,  fearing  to  attack  him  in  his  new  position,  drew  off  and  re 
treated  into  a  neighboring  thicket.  Being  unable  to  pursue  them, 
he  returned  to  Bastrop.  It  is  reported  that  he  has  lost  three  men 
in  this  engagement;  the  loss  of  the  Indians  is  not  known;  it,  how 
ever,  must  have  been  considerable,  as  most  of  the  men  under  Bur 
lison  were  excellent  marksmen,  and  had  often  been  engaged  in 
Indian  warfare." 

March  4th.  The  JV.  Y.  Evening  Post  says,  that  a  gentleman 
from  Tallahassee,  just  arrived  at  Washington,  states  that  murders 
by  the  Indians  are  of  everyday  occurrence  in  that  vicinity,  and 
that  between  the  17th  and  21st  Feb.  fifteen  persons  had  been 
killed. 

5th.  Finished  the  perusal  of  William  Wood's  "New  England's 
Prospects"  a  work  of  98  12mo  pages,  printed  at  London,  1634. 
This  was  fourteen  years  after  the  first  landing  of  the  pilgrims  at 
Plymouth,  and  the  same  year  that  John  Eliot  came  over.  Its  chief 
claim  to  notice  is  its  antiquity.  "  Some  have  thought,''  he  says, 
"  that  they  (the  Indians)  might  be  descendants  of  the  Jews,  because 
some  of  their  words  be  near  unto  the  Hebrew ;  but  by  the  same 
rule  they  may  conclude  them  to  be  some  of  the  gleanings  of  all 
nations,  because  they  have  words  which  sound  after  the  Greek, 
Latin,  French,  and  other  tongues.  Their  language  is  hard  to 
learn,  few  of  the  English  being  able  to  speak  any  of  it,  or  capable 
of  the  right  pronunciation,  which  is  the  chief  grace  of  their  tongue. 
They  pronounce  much  after  the  diphthongs,  excluding  R  and  L, 
which,  in  our  English  tongue,  they  pronounce  with  much  difficulty, 
as  most  of  the  Dutch  do  T  and  H,  calling  a  lobster,  a  nobstan." 

The  examples  of  a  vocabulary  he  gives  show  them  to  be  Algon- 
quins,  and  not  "Skroellings,"  or  Esquimaux,  as  they  are  represented 
to  have  been  by  the  Scandinavians  (vide  Ant.  Amer.),  who  visited 
the  present  area  of  Massachusetts  in  the  tenth  century. 

The  close  alliance  of  their  language  with  the  existing  Chippewa 
and  Ottawa  of  the  north,  is  shown  by  the  following  specimens : — 


644  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

New  England  Tribes.        Chippeiva  of  Lake  Superior. 

1634.  1839. 

Woman,  Squa,  E-qua. 

Water,  Nip-pe,  Ne-be. 

A  raccoon,  Au-supp,  A  se-bun. 

Daughter,  Tawonis,  0-dau-nis. 

A  duck,  Sea-sceep,  She-sheeb. 

Summer,  Se-quan,  Se-gwun. 

Red  Squi,  Mis-qui. 

A  house,  Wig-warn,  Weeg-wam. 

He  divides  the  tribes  into  : — 

Tarrenteens. 

Churhers  (local  tribes  even  then  under  instruction). 

Aberginians  (Algonquins  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  probably). 

Narragansetts  (a  tribe  of  the  N.  E.  Algonquins  with  dialectic  peculiarities). 

Pequants  ("  ") 

Nepnets  ("  "  ") 

Connectacuts          ("  "  ") 

Mohawks  (a  tribe  of  Iroquois). 

The  people  whom  he  calls  "Tarrenteens,"  are  clearly  Abena- 
kies. 

Cotton  Mather,  L.  of  E.,  1691,  p.  78,  denominates  the  Indians 
"  the  veriest  ruins  of  mankind.  Their  name  for  an  Englishman 
was  a  knifeman ;  stone  was  used  instead  of  metal  for  their  tools  ; 
and  for  their  coins  they  have  only  little  beads,  with  holes  in  them, 
to  string  them  upon  a  bracelet,  whereof  some  are  white,  and  of 
these  there  go  six  for  a  penny;  some  are  black  or  blue,  and  of 
these  go  three  for  a  penny ;  this  wampum,  as  they  call  it,  is  made 
of  shell  fish,  which  lies  upon  the  sea-coast  continually." 

P.  79.  "Nokehick,  that  is,  a  spoonful  of  parched  meal  with  a 
spoonful  of  water,  which  will  strengthen  them  to  travel  a  day." 

"  Reading  and  writing  are  altogether  unknown  to  them,  though 
there  is  a  stone  or  'two  in  the  country  that  has  unaccountable  cha 
racters  engraved  upon  it." 

The  intention  of  the  King  in  granting  the  royal  charter  to  Mas 
sachusetts  was,  says  Cotton  Mather  : — 

"  To  win  and  invite  the  natives  of  that  country  to  the  knowledge 
and  obedience  of  the  only  true  God  and  Saviour  of  mankind,  and 
the  Christian  faith,  is  our  Royal  intentions,  and  the  adventurer's 
free  profession  is  the  principal  end  of  the  plantation." — Life  of 
Eliot,  p.  77. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  645 

.  Died  at  Little  Traverse  Bay,  on  Lake  Michigan,  Ningwe- 
gon,  or  the  Wing,  the  well-known  American-Ottawa  chief — a  man 
who  distinguished  himself  for  the  American  cause  at  Detroit,  in 
1812,  and  was  thrown  into  prison  by  the  British  officers  for  his 
boldness  in  expressing  his  sentiments.  He  received  a  life  annuity 
under  the  treaty  of  28th  March,  1836. 

\\tli.  Received  notice  of  my  election  as  a  corresponding  member 
of  the  Brooklyn  Lyceum. 

12tk.  A  small  party  of  chiefs  of  the  Seneca  tribe  under  the 
command  of  "Blacksmith,"  successor  to  Red  Jacket,  arrived  in 
this  city  yesterday  from  Washington,  and  took  lodgings  at  the 
Western  Hotel  in  Courtland  Street.  They  were  received  by  the 
Mayor  at  the  Governor's  room  about  12  o'clock.  In  the  address 
made  by  one  of  the  number,  it  was  stated  that  the  object  of  their 
visit  had  been  to  urge  upon  the  President  the  impropriety  of  driv 
ing  them  from  their  present  possessions. 

13th.  PEACE  AMONG  THE  INDIANS. — The  two  nations  of  Upper 
and  Lower  Creeks,  who  were  hostile  while  residing  east  of  the  Mis 
sissippi,  have,  in  their  new  homes  in  Arkansas,  united  in  general 
council,  at  which  fifteen  hundred  were  present.  The  oratory  on 
this  occasion,  of  smoking  the  calumet,  is  described  as  of  the  highest 
order. 

~L4th.  Judge  Bronson,  of  Florida,  last  evening,  at  a  party  at  his 
cousin's  (Arthur  Bronson,  46  Bond  Street,  N.  Y.),  states  that,  as 
Chairman  of  a  Committee  in  Congress,  a  few  years  ago,  he  had 
reported  a  bill  for  allowing  the  Brotherton  Indians  to  hold  their 
property  in  Wisconsin  individually,  and  to  enjoy  the  rights  of  citi 
zenship  ;  and  that  this  bill  passed  both  houses. 

2Qth.  Went  to  dine  with  Charles  Fenno  Hoffman,  at  his  lodg 
ings  in  Houston  Street.  Found  his  room  garnished  with  curiosi 
ties  of  various  sorts,  indicative,  among  other  things,  of  his  interest 
in  the  Indian  race.  A  poet  in  his  garret  I  had  long  heard  of,  but 
a  liberal  gentlemanly  fellow,  surrounded  by  all  the  elegances  of 
life,  I  had  not  thought  of  as  the  domicil  of  the  Muses.  Mr. 
Hoffman  impressed  me  as  being  very  English  in  his  appearance  and 
manners.  His  forehead  is  quite  Byronic  in  its  craniological  develop 
ments.  His  eye  and  countenance  are  of  the  most  commanding 
character.  Pity  that  such  a  handsome  man,  so  active  in  every- 


646  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

thing  that  calls  for  the  gun,  the  rod,  the  boat,  the  horse,  the  dog, 
should  have  been  shorn  of  so  essential  a  prerequisite  as  a  leg.  His 
conversational  powers  are  quite  extraordinary.  I  felt  constantly 
as  if  I  were  in  the  presence  of  a  lover  of  nature  and  natural  things ; 
a  bon  vivant  perhaps,  or  an  epicure,  a  Tom  Moore,  in  some  sense, 
whose  day-dreams  of  heaven  are  mixed  up  with  glowing  images  of 
women  and  wine. 

27^.  I  was  directed  from  Washington  to  relieve  the  principal 
disbursing  officer  at  Detroit.  Here  then  my  hopes  of  visiting 
Europe  are  blown  sky  high  for  the  present.  I  must  return  to  the 
north,  and,  so  far  as  labor  is  concerned,  "heap  Pelion  on  Ossa." 

April  6th.  There  is  hardly  a  word  in  the  Indian  languages 
which  does  not  readily  yield  to  the  power  of  analysis.  They  call 
tobacco,  Ussama.  Ussa,  means  to  put  (anything  inanimate).  Ma, 
is  a  particle  denoting  smell.  The  us,  in  the  first  syllable,  is  sounded 
very  slight,  and  often,  perhaps,  nearly  dropt,  and  the  word  then 
seems  as  if  spelt  Sa  ma.  The  last  vowel  is  broad. 

8th.  Left  the  city  for  Detroit.  In  ascending  the  Hudson,  with 
so  good  an  interpreter  at  my  side  as  Mrs.  Schoolcraft,  whom  I  have 
carried  through  a  perfect  course  of  philological  training  in  the 
English,  Latin,  and  Hebrew  principles  of  formation,  I  analyzed 
many  of  the  old  Indian  names,  which,  until  we  reached  Albany, 
are  all  in  a  peculiar  dialect  of  the  Algonquin. 

SING  SING. — This  name  is  the  local  form  of  the  name  for  rocks, 
and  conveys  the  idea  of  the  plural  in  the  terminal  letter.  Os-sinj 
in  modern  Algonquin  (the  Chippewa  dialect),  is  stone,  or  rock. 
Ing,  is  the  local  form  of  all  nouns  proper.  The  term  may  be  ren 
dered  simply  place  of  rocks. 

NYAC. — This  appears  to  be  the  name  of  a  band  of  Indians  who 
lived  there.  The  termination  in  ac,  is  generally  from  ackey  land, 

CROTON. — Historically,  this  is  known  to  have  been  the  name  of 
a  noted  Indian  chief,  who  resided  near  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
The  word  appears  to  be  derived  from  notin,  a  wind.  If  we  admit 
the  interchange  of  sounds  of  n  for  r,  as  being  made,  and  the 
ordinary  change  of  t  for  c?,  between  the  Holland  and  Indian  races,, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  647 

this  derivation  is  probable.     The  letter  c  seems  to  be  the  sign  of 
a  pronoun. 

TAPPAN  SEA. — It  is  perceived  from  Vanderdonk,  and  from  old 
maps  and  records,  that  a  band  of  Indians  lived  here,  who  were 
called  the  "  Tappansees." 

POUGHKEEPSIE  is  a  derivative  of  Au-po-keep-sing •,  i.  <?.,  Place 
of  shelter.  The  entrance  of  the  Fall  Kill  into  the  Hudson  is  the 
feature  meant. 

COXACKIE,  is  evidently  made  up  in  the  original  from  JcuJc,  to  cut, 
and  aukie,  earth,  which  was,  probably,  in  old  days,  as  it  is  in  fact 
yet,  a  graphic  description  of  a  ridge  cut  and  tumbled  in  by  the 
waters  of  the  Hudson  pressing  hard  on  that  shore. 

CLAVERACK  is  not  Indian.  Clove,  in  the  Hollandais,  is  an  open 
ing  or  side-gorge  in  the  valley.  Rack,  is  a  reach  or  bend  in  the 
river,  the  whole  length  of  which  was  known,  as  we  see,  to  the  old 
skippers  as  separate  racks.  The  reach  of  cloves  began  at  what  is 
now  the  city  of  Hudson,  the  old  Claverack  landing. 

TAWASENTHA. — Normanskill  is  the  first  Iroquois  name  noticed. 
It  means  the  hill  of  the  dead.  Albany  itself  has  taken  the  name 
of  a  Scottish  dukedom  for  its  ancient  Iroquois  cognomen,  Ske- 
nek-ta-dea :  of  this  compound  term,  Ske  is  a  prepositional  particle, 
and  means  beyond;  nek  is  the  Mohawk  name  for  a  pine ;  and  the 
term  ta-dea  is  descriptive  of  a  valley. 

IStk.  Reached  Detroit  in  the  steamer  "  Gen.  Wayne,"  and  as 
sumed  the  duties  of  my  new  appointment.  One  of  the  earliest 
Washington  papers  I  opened,  gave  an  account  of  the  death  of  Mr. 
William  Ward,  a  most  valuable  clerk  in  the  Indian  Bureau ;  a  man 
of  a  fine  literary  taste,  who  formerly  edited  and  established  the 
North-west  Journal,  at  the  City  of  Detroit. 

19fA.  A  singular  denouement  is  made  this  morning,  which  ap 
peals  strongly  to  my  feelings.  On  getting  in  the  stage  at  Vernon, 
in  Western  New  York,  a  gentleman  of  easy  manners,  good  figure, 
and  polite  address,  whom  we  will  call  Theodoric,  kindly  made  way 
for  me  and  my  family,  which  led  us  to  notice  him,  and  we  traveled 


648  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

• 

together  quite  to  Detroit,  and  put  up  at  the  same  hotel.  This 
morning  a  note  from  him  reveals  him  to  be  a  young  Virginian,  seek 
ing  his  fortune  west,  and  out  of  funds,  and  makes  precisely  such  an 
appeal  as  it  is  hard,  and  wrong  in  fact,  to  resist.  I  told  Theodoric  to 
take  his  trunk  and  go,  by  the  next  steamer,  to  my  house  at  Mack- 
inack,  and  I  should  be  up  in  a  short  time,  and  furnish  him  employ 
ment  in  the  Indian  department. 

25th.  Rev.  Mr.  Lukenbach,  of  the  Moravian  towns,  Canada, 
writes,  that  the  proportional  annuity  of  the  Christian  Indians,  for 
1838,  is  unpaid.  He  says  they  were  paid  $133  y^ths,  in  1837, 
being  one-third  of  the  original  annuity.  He  states  that  Mr.  Vogler 
and  Mr.  Mickeh  arrived  on  the  Kanzas  with  upwards  of  seventy 
souls,  having  left  nearly  one  hundred  at  Green  Bay,  who  are  to  fol 
low  them;  and  that  these  two  men  have  commenced  a  new  mission 
among  the  Delawares.  Mr.  L.  says  that  there  are  but  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty  souls  left,  who  propose  to  remain  in  Canada 
with  him. 

30th.  Ke-bic!  An  exclamation  of  the  Algonquins  in  passing 
dangerous  rocky  shores  in  their  canoes,  when  the  current  is  strong. 
Query.  Is  not  this  the  origin  of  the  name  Quebec? 

May  Zd.  Major  Garland,  my  predecessor  in  the  disbursements, 
writes  from  Washington:  "You  have  a  heavy  task  on  your  hands 
for  this  season ;  and,  in  addition  to  the  hands  of  Briareus,  you  will 
need  the  eyes  of  Argus/' 

3c?.  I  made  the  payments  to  the  Saginaw  chiefs  in  specie,  under 
the  treaty  of  the  14th  of  January,  1837. 

10^.  Mr.  F.  W.  Shearman,  the  able  and  ingenious  editor  of  the 
Journal  of  Education,  writes  from  Marshall,  that  it  receives  an  in 
creased  circulation  and  excites  a  deeper  interest  in  the  people, 
with  his  plans  for  further  improvements. 

IQth.  Letters  from  Mackinack  informs  me  that  the  Ottawas 
design  leaving  their  location  in  the  United  States  for  the  Mani- 
touline  Islands,  in  Canada,  where  inducements  are  held  out  to 
them  by  agents  of  the  British  government.  They  fear  going  west : 
they  cling  to  the  north. 

2Qth.  The  Harpers,  publishers  at  New  York,  send  me  copies  of 
the  first  issue  of  my  Algic  Researches,  in  two  vols.,  12mo.  They 
intend  to  publish  the  work  on  the  1st  proximo. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  649 

23d.  Letters  from  Washington  speak  of  the  treasury  as  being 
low  in  specie  funds. 

24^.  Sales  of  the  lands  of  the  Swan  Creek  and  Black  River 
Chippewas,  are  made  at  the  Land  Office  in  Detroit,  in  conformity 
with  the  treaty  of  May  9th,  1836.  The  three  years  that  have 
elapsed  in  this  operation,  have  brought  the  prices  of  lands  from 
the  summer  heat  to  the  zero  of  prices. 

21th.  Na,  in  the  Algonquin  language,  means  excellent  or  tran 
scendent,  and  wa,  motion.  Thus  the  names  of  two  chiefs  who  vi 
sited  me  to  day  on  business,  are  Na-geezhig,  excellent  or  transcend 
ent  day,  and  Ke-wa-geezhig,  or  returning  cloud.  Whether  the 
word  geezhig  shall  be  rendered  day,  or  cloud,  or  sky,  depends  on 
the  nature  of  its  prefix.  To  move  back  is  ke-wa,  and  hence  the 
prefixed  term  to  the  latter  name. 

June  4:th.  Received  from  Col.  De  Garme  Jones,  Mayor  of  De 
troit,  sundry  manuscript  documents  relative  to  the  administration 
of  Indian  affairs  of  Gov.  Hull,  of  the  dates  of  1807,  '8  and  '9. 

Mr.  Johnstone,  of  Aloor,  near  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  brings  me  a 
note  of  introduction  from  Gen.  James  Talmadge,  of  New  York. 
Mr.  J.  is  a  highly  respected  man  at  home,  and  is  traveling  in 
America  to  gratify  a  laudable  curiosity. 

7th.  Reached  Mackinack,  on  board  the  steamer  Great  Western, 
Capt.  Walker. 

10th.  The  Albany  Evening  Journal  has.  a  short  editorial  under 
the  head  of  Algic  Researches:  "Such  is  the  title  of  a  work  from 
our  countryman  Schoolcraft,  which  the  Harpers  have  just  published, 
in  two  volumes.  It  consists  of  Tales  and  Legends,  which  the  Author 
has  gleaned  in  the  course  of  his  long  and  familiar  intercourse  with 
the  children  of  the  Forest,  illustrating  the  mental  powers  and  cha 
racteristics  of  the  North  American  Indians. 

"Mr.  Schoolcraft  has  traveled  far  into  the  western  wilds.  He 
has  lived  much  with  the  Indians,  and  has  studied  their  character 
thoroughly.  He  is  withal  a  scholar  and  a  gentleman,  whose  name 
is  a  sufficient  guarantee  for  the  excellence  of  all  he  writes." 

11th.  I  set  out  to  complete  the  appraisement  of  the  Indian  im 
provements  on  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Huron,  under  the  8th  ar 
ticle  of  the  treaty  of  March  28th,  1836. 

12th.  Paid  the  Indians  of  L'Arbre  Croche  villages  at  Little 


650  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Traverse  Bay,  the  amount  of  the  appraisement  of  their  public 
improvements,  made  under  the  treaty  of  1836. 

13tfA.  Proceed  to  Grand  Traverse  Bay,  to  view  the  location  of  a 
mission  by  Messrs.  Dougherty  and  Fleming.  Found  it  located  on 
the  sands,  near  the  bottom  of  the  bay,  where  a  vessel  could  not 
unload,  at  a  point  so  utterly  destitute  of  advantages  that  it  would 
not  have  been  possible  to  select  a  worse  site  in  the  compass  of  the 
whole  bay,  which  is  large,  and  abounds  in  ship  harbors.  Con 
demned  the  site  forthwith,  and  the  same  day  removed  the  site  of 
operations  to  Kosa's  village,  on  a  bay  near  the  end  of  the  penin 
sula.  I  afterwards  encamped  on  the  open  lake  shore,  behind  a 
sand  drift,  to  avoid  the  force  of  the  wind,  and,  as  soon  as  the  waters 
of  the  lake  lulled,  made  the  traverse  to  the  Beaver  Islands,  to 
appraise  the  value  of  the  Indian  improvements  at  that  place,  and, 
having  done  this,  put  across  to  the  main  shore  north,  for  the  same 
purpose.  In  this  trip  Mr.  Turner  accompanied  me  to  keep  the 
lists,  and  Dr.  Douglass  to  vaccine  the  Indians,  the  latter  of  whom 
reported  214  persons  as  having  submitted  to  receive  the  virus. 

The  Albany  papers  continue  to  publish  notices  of  Algic  Re 
searches.  The  Argus  of  the  13th  June,  says:  "Mr.  H.  R.  School- 
craft  has  added  another  to  his  claims  upon  the  consideration  of  the 
reading  public,  by  a  recent  work  (from  the  press  of  the  Messrs. 
Harper),  entitled  * Algic  Researches,  comprising  inquiries  respect 
ing  the  mental  characteristics  of  the  North  American  Indians.' 
It  is  the  first  of  a  series,  which  the  author  promises  to  continue 
at  a  future  day,  illustrative  of  the  mythology,  distinctive  opinions, 
and  intellectual  character  of  the  aborigines.  These  volumes  com 
prise  their  oral  tales,  with  preliminary  observations  and  a  general 
introduction.  The  term  Algic,  is  introduced  by  the  author,  in  a 
generic  sense,  for  all  the  tribes,  with  few  exceptions,  that  were 
found  in  1600  spread  out  between  the  Atlantic  and  the  Mississippi. 

"To  those  who  care  to  look  into  th6  philosophy  of  the  Indian 
character,  these  oral  fictions  will  be  read  with  interest.  They  are 
curious  in  themselves,  and  not  less  so  as  a  material  step  in  the  re 
searches  that  may  serve,  in  the  sequel,  to  unveil  the  origin,  as  well 
as  the  intellectual  traits,  of  these  tribes.  They  will  at  least  es 
tablish  the  fact  of  '  an  oral  imaginative  lore'  among  the  aborigines 
of  this  continent,  of  which  they  give  us  faithful  specimens. 

"Probably  no  man  in  this  country  is  better  qualified  to  pursue 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  651 

these  researches  than  Mr.  Schoolcraft.  A  long  residence  in  the 
Indian  country,  and  official  intercourse  with  the  tribes,  have  given 
him  an  access  to  the  Indian  mind  which  few  have  enjoyed,  and 
which  none  have  improved  to  a  greater  extent  by  habits  of  obser 
vation  and  philosophical  investigation.  A  residence  at  Mackinaw 
is  of  itself  calculated  to  beget,  as  it  is  to  gratify,  a  taste  for  the 
prosecution  of  these  inquiries.  It  is  described  by  Miss  Martineau 
as  '  the  wildest  and  tenderest  piece  of  beauty  that  she  had  yet  seen 
on  God's  earth.'  It  is  indeed  a  spot  of  rare  attractiveness.  Stand 
ing  upon  the  promontory,  in  the  rear  of  the  fort  and  town,  the  view 
embraces  to  the  north  the  head  waters  of  the  Huron  and  the  far- 
off  isles  of  St.  Martin,  to  the  west  Green  Isle  and  the  straits  of 
Mackinaw,  and  to  the  east  and  south  Bois  Blanc  and  the  Great 
Lake.  It  rs  a  delightful  summer  retreat,  and  many  are  the  legends 
and  reminiscences  of  the  scenes  of  enjoyment  passed  here  in  ab 
solute,  and  we  are  assured  happy,  exclusion  from  the  outward 
world,  during  the  winter  months.  It  has  been  regarded,  at  no 
distant  day,  as  important  not  only  as  the  rendezvous  of  the  Fur 
Companies'  agents  and  employers  and  the  Indian  traders,  but  as 
a  government  military  post.  It  is  still  a  great  resort  of  the  north 
ern  Indians.  Often  their  lodges  and  their  bark  canoes,  of  beauti 
ful  construction,  line  the  pebbly  shore ;  and  the  aboriginal  habits 
and  mental  characteristics  may  be  studied  on  the  spot. 

"  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  Mr.  S.  will  resume  the  course  of  inquiry 
and  research  that  he  has  marked  out  for  himself;  and  that  he  will 
be  induced  to  give  to  the  public  the  results  of  his  long  and  intimate 
familiarity  with  the  Indian  life  and  character." 

Ylth.  The  Detroit  Daily  Advertiser,  of  this  day,  has  the  follow 
ing  critical  notice  on  the  work  of  Algic  Researches,  under  the  head 
of  Indian  Tales  and  Legends. 

"This  work  has  just  been  offered  for  sale  at  our  bookstores,  and 
we  strongly  recommend  it  £)  all  those  who  feel  an  interest  in  the 
character  of  our  aborigines.  It  is  well  known  to  many  of  us  here, 
that  Mr.  Schoolcraft  has,  for  the  last  several  years,  been  industri 
ously  engaged  in  collecting  facts  which  illustrate  the  '  mythology, 
distinctive  opinions,  and  intellectual  character'  of  the  Indians. 
His  researches  have  embraced  '  their  oral  tales,  fictitious  and  histo 
rical;  their  hieroglyphics,  music,  and  poetry;  and  the  grammatical 
structure  of  their  languages,  the  principles  of  their  construction 


652  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

and  the  actual  state  of  their  vocabulary.'  The  materials  he  has 
now  on  hand  afford  him  the  means  of  fulfilling  this  extensive  plan, 
and  this  *  first  series'  is  only  a  leading  publication. 

"When  the  position  which  Mr.  S.  has  occupied  for  the  last  seven 
teen  or  more  years  is  recollected,  as  well  as  his  fitness  and  exertions 
to  improve  all  its  advantages,  we  shall  at  once  see  the  benefit  to 
the  literary  and  scientific  world  which  his  researches  in  these  va 
rious  departments  are  likely  to  produce.  The  subjects  which  have 
engaged  his  attention  are  regarded  with  deep  interest  by  the  phi 
lanthropist,  the  philologist,  the  archaeologist,  as  well  as  many  other 
liberal  inquirers,  both  in  Europe  and  America,  who,  amid  the 
scanty  facts,  cursory  observations,  and  hurried,  random  conjec 
tures  of  those  who  have  been  favored  with  a  comparatively  near 
view  of  them,  have  lamented  the  want  of  such  deliberate  investi 
gations  and  comparative  examinations,  continued  with  sober  judg 
ment  through  a  long  series  of  years,  as  are  now  offered  to  the 
public.  We  trust  that  a  proper  and  enlightened  patronage  will 
warrant  Mr.  Schoolcraft  in  completing  his  design.  No  man,  pos 
sessing  his  qualifications,  has  enjoyed  his  advantages.  He  has 
been  able  to  take  up,  at  his  leisure,  the  scattered  links  of  a  broken 
chain,  and  fit  them  together.  A  chaos  of  aboriginal  facts  will  be 
reduced,  under  his  hand,  to  some  degree  of  order. 

"Mr.  Schoolcraft  and  Mr.  Catlin  have  done  more  to  preserve 
the  fleeting  traits  of  aboriginal  character  and  history  than  all  their 
predecessors  in  this  field  of  inquiry,  and  none  can  follow  them 
with  the  same  success,  as  none  can  have  the  same  range  of  subjects 
before  them.  The  scene  is  changing  with  each  year,  and  the  past, 
with  respect  to  the  Savages,  does  not  recur.  They  fall  back  with 
no  hope  to  recover  lost  ground ;  they  diminish  with  no  hope  to 
increase  again;  they  degenerate  with  no  hope  to  revive  in  physical 
or  moral  strength.  Those  who  have  seen  them  most  during  the 
last  few  years,  have  seen  them  best.*  After  observers  will  find 
mere  fragments,  or  a  heterogeneous  mass,  in  which  all  original 
identity  is  distorted  or  gone. 

"  The  Tales  now  published  must  not  be  estimated  for  their  in 
trinsic  merit  alone.  They  may  have  less  variety  of  construction, 
less  beauty  of  imagination,  less  singularity  of  incident,  than  belong 
to  oriental  tales,  the  productions  of  more  refined  times,  or  more 
excitable  people.  But  the  estimate  must  not  be  comparative. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  653 

They  are  to  be  regarded  as  the  type  of  aboriginal  mind',  as  the 
measure  of  intellectual  power  of  our  Sons  of  the  Forest;  as  speak 
ing  their  sentiments,  their  hopes  and  their  fears,  whatever  they 
were  or  are,  whether  elevated  or  depressed,  whether  raising  the 
race  or  sinking  it  in  the  scale  of  untutored  nations.  Whether  they 
prove  a  poverty  of  mental  energy,  a  feebleness  of  imagination,  a 
want  of  invention,  or  the  reverse,  cannot  affect  the  value  of  these 
volumes  in  the  opinion  of  those  who  look  into  them  for  evidences 
of  the  true  character  of  the  Indians.  Mr.  Schoolcraft,  or  any 
other  gentleman  of  taste  and  skill,  might  have  formed  out  of  these 
materials  a  series  of  Tales,  highly  finished  in  their  unity  and  de 
sign,  strikingly  colored  by  fancy,  such  as  would  have  caught  the 
popular  whim.  But  this  was  not  his  object.  He  has  been  honest 
in  his  renderings  of  the  aboriginal  sense,  whether  pointed  or  mys 
tical,  of  the  Indian's  mythology,  whether  intelligible  or  obscure ; 
of  their  shadowy  glimpses  of  the  past  and  the  future;  of  the  be 
ginning  and  end  of  things,  without  alteration  or  embellishment. 
Such  a  work  was  wanted,  and  such  a  work  was  expected  from  Mr. 
Schoolcraft. 

"  If  we  have  room,  we  will  quote  one  or  two  of  the  shorter  tales, 
such  as  '  Mon-daw-min,  or  the  origin  of  Indian  corn,'  and  the  *  Ce 
lestial  Sisters,'  both  of  which  are  very  characteristic,  and  show, 
under  the  garb  of  much  figurative  beauty,  how  Indians  appreciate 
the  blessings  of  a  kind  Providence,  and,  how  his  domestic  affections 
may  glow  and  endure.  Indeed,  there  are  few  of  these  tales  that 
would  not  give  interest  to  our  columns,  and  we  shall  be  pleased  to 
give  our  readers  an  occasional  taste,  provided  we  thereby  induce 
them  to  supply  themselves  with  the  full  feast  in  their  power." 

20th.  It  is  stated  that  the  oldest  town  in  the  United  States  is 
St.  Augustine,  Florida,  by  more  than  forty  years.  It  was  founded 
forty  years  before  Virginia  was  colonized.  Some  of  the  houses  are 
yet  standing  which  are  said  to  have  been  built  more  than  three 
centuries  ago,  that  is  to  say,  about  1540.  De  Soto  landed  in 
Florida  in  1539.  Narvaez,  in  his  unfortunate  expedition,  landed 
in  153T.  Both  these  expeditions  were  confined  to  the  exploration 
of  the  country  west  and  north  of  the  Bay  of  Espiritu  Santo,  reach 
ing  to  the  Mississippi.  De  Soto  crossed  the  latter  into  the  south 
eastern  corner  of  the  present  State  of  Missouri,  and  into  the  area 
of  Arkansas,  where  he  died. 


654  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

21st.  The  Detroit  Free  Press,  of  this  day,  has  the  following 
remarks: — 

"  Much  interest  is  manifested  in  this  work  of  Mr.  Schoolcraft, 
as  a  timely  rescue  from  oblivion  of  an  important  portion  of  the 
great  world  of  mind — important  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  manifestation 
of  two  principles  of  human  nature  prominent  in  an  interesting 
variety  of  the  human  race,  the  sense  of  the  marvelous  and  the 
sense  of  the  beautiful,  or  the  developments  of  wonder  and  ideality. 
The  character  of  a  people  cannot  be  fully  understood  without  a 
reference  to  its  tales  of  fiction  and  its  poetry.  Poetry  is  the  off 
spring  of  the  beautiful  and  the  wonderful,  and  much  of  it  the  reader 
will  find  embodied  in  the  Indian  tales  to  which  the  author  of  the 
Algic  Researches  has  given  an  enduring  record. 

"  Much  of  this  work  strongly  reminds  the  reader  of  the  Grecian 
Mythology  and  the  Arabian  Nights  Entertainments. 

"  According  to  one  of  the  Odjibwa  tales,  the  morning  star  was 
once  a  beautiful  damsel  that  longed  to  go  to  '  the  place  of  the 
breaking  of  daylight."  By  the  following  poetic  invocation  of  her 
brother,  she  was  raised  upon  the  winds,  blowing  from  i  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth,'  to  the  heaven  of  her  hopes  : — 

Blow  winds,  blow!  my  sister  lingers 

From  her  dwelling  in  the  sky, 
Where  tlie  morn  with  rosy  fingers, 

Shall  her  cheeks  with  vermil  dye. 

There,  my  earliest  views  directed, 

Shall  from  her  their  color  take, 
And  her  smiles,  through  clouds  reflected, 

Guide  me  on,  by  wood  and  lake^ 

"  The  work  abounds  with  similar  beautiful  thoughts  and  inven 
tions. 

"  Catlin  may  be  called  the  red  man's  painter ;  Schoolcraft  his 
poetical  historian.  They  have  each  painted  in  living  colors  the 
workings  of  the  Indian  mind,  and  painted  nature  in  her  unadorned 
simplicity.  They  have  done  much  which,  without  them,  would, 
perhaps,  have  remained  undone,  and  become  extinct  with  the 
Indian  race.  As  monuments  of  history  for  future  ages,  their 
works  are  not  sufficiently  appreciated. 

"  The  author  of  these  volumes  has  stamped  upon  his  page  much 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  655 

of  the  intellectual  existence  of  the  simple  children  of  the  forest, 
and  bequeathed  us  a  detail  map  of  their  terra  incognita — their 
fireside  amusements  in  legendary  lore." 

I  am  willing  to  notice  this  and  some  other  criticisms  of  this 
work  as  popular  expressions  of  opinion  on  the  subject.  But  *t  is 
difficult  for  an  editor  to  judge,  from  the  mere  face  of  the  volumes, 
what  an  amount  of  auxiliary  labor  it  has  required  to  collect  these 
legends  from  the  Indian  wigwams.  They  had  to  be  gleaned  and 
translated  from  time  to  time.  Seventeen  years  have  passed  since 
I  first  began  them — not  that  anything  like  this  time,  or  the  half  of 
it,  has  been  devoted  to  it.  It  was  one  of  my  amusements  in  the  long 
winter  evenings — the  only  time  of  the  year  when  Indians  will  tell 
stories  and  legends.  They  required  pruning  and  dressing,  like 
wild  vines  in  a  garden.  But  they  are,  exclusively  (with  the  ex 
ception  of  the  allegory  of  the  vine  and  oak),  wild  vines,  and  not 
pumpings  up  of  my  own  fancy.  The  attempts  to  lop  off  excre 
scences  are  not,  perhaps,  always  happy.  There  might,  perhaps, 
have  been  a  fuller  adherence  to  the  original  language  and  expres 
sions  ;  but  if  so,  what  a  world  of  verbiage  must  have  been  retained. 
The  Indians  are  prolix,  and  attach  value  to  many  minutiae  in  the 
relation  which  not  only  does  not  help  forward  the  denouement,  but 
is  tedious  and  witless  to  the  last  degree.  The  gems  of  the  legends 
—the  essential  points— the  invention  and  thought-work  are  all 
preserved. 

Their  chief  value  I  have  ever  thought  to  consist  in  the  insight 
they  give  into  the  dark  cave  of  the  Indian  mind — its  beliefs,  dog 
mas,  and  opinions — its  secret  modes  of  turning  over  thought — its 
real  philosophy ;  and  it  is  for  this  trait  that  I  believe  posterity 
will  sustain  the  book. 

A  literary  friend,  of  good  judgment,  of  Detroit,  writes  (19th) : 
"  Your  tales  have  reached  me,  and  I  have  read  them  over  with  a 
deep  interest,  arising  from  a  double  source — the  intrinsic  value  of 
such  stories  and  the  insight  they  give  of  Indian  intellect  and 
modes  of  thought.  They  form  a  truly  important  acquisition  to 
our  literary  treasures,  as  they  throw  a  light  on  the  Indian  charac 
ter  which  has  been  imparted  from  no  other  quarter.  They  form  a 
standard  by  which  to  determine  what  is  true  and  what  is  false  in 
the  representations  made  heretofore  of  the  aboriginal  nations  on 
most  prominent  subjects.  No  one  will  doubt  that  you  render  the 


656  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

genuine  Indian  mind  and  heart.  Those  who  conform  to  these 
renderings  will  pass  muster  ;  the  rest  will  be  rejected.  Let  Mr. 
Cooper  and  others  be  thus  measured." 

24^.  Muk-kud-da  Ka-niew  (or  the  Black  War  Eagle),  chief  of 
the^coasts  of  Arenac,  brought  me  an  antique  pipe  of  peculiar  con 
struction,  disinterred  at  Thunder  Bay.  It  was  found  about  six 
feet  underground,  and  was  disclosed  by  the  blowing  down  of  a 
large  pine,  which  tore  up  a  quantity  of  earth  by  its  roots.  The 
tree  was  two  fathoms  round,  and  would  make  a  large  canoe.  With 
the  pipe  were  found  two  earthen  vases,  which  broke  on  taking 
them  up.  In  these  vases  were  some  small  bones  of  the  pickerel's 
spine.  He  saw  also  the  leg  bones  of  an  Indian,  but  the  upper  part 
of  the  skeleton  appeared  to  be  decomposed,  and  was  not  visible. 
He  thinks  the  tree  must  have  grown  up  on  an  old  grave.  The 
pipe  consisted  of  a  squared  and  ornamented  bowl,  with  a  curved 
and  tapering  handle,  all  made  solid  from  a  sort  of  coarse*  terra 
cotta.  He  says  it  was  used  by  taking  the  small  end  in  the  mouth, 
and  thinks  such  was  the  practice  of  the  ancient  Indians,  although 
the  mode  is  now  so  different  by  their  descendants.  The  chief 
ornament  consists  of  eight  dots  on  each  face,  separated  by  longi 
tudinal  strokes,  leaving  four  in  a  compartment.  If  the  tree  was 
four  feet  diameter,  as  he  states,  it  denotes  an  ancient  occupation 
of  the  shores  of  Lake  Huron,  which  was  probably  of  the  old  era 
of  the  mining  for  copper  in  Lake  Superior. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  657 


CHAPTER    LXVIII. 

American  antiquities — Michilimackinack  a  summer  resort — Death  of  Ogimau 
Kee<ndo — Brothertons — An  Indian  election — Cherokee  murders — Board 
of  Regents  of  the  Michigan  University — Archaeological  facts  and  rumors — 
Woman  of  the  Green  Valley — A  new  variety  of  fish — Visits  of  the  Austrian 
and  Sardinian  Ministers  to  the  U.  S. — Mr.  Gallup — Sioux  murders — A  re 
markable  display  of  aurora  borealis — Ottawas  of  Maumee — Extent  of 
auroral  phenomena — Potawattomie  cruelty — Mineralogy — Death  of  Orjdi- 
aka — Chippewa  tradition — Fruit  trees — Stone's  preparation  of  the  Life 
and  Times  of  Sir  William  Johnson — Dialectic  difference  between  the  lan 
guage  of  the  Ottawas  and  the  Chippewas — Philological  remarks  on  the 
Indian  languages — Mr.  T.  Hulbert. 

1839.  June  25th.  ALEX  V.  V.  BRADFORD,  Esq.,  of  New  York, 
being  about  to  publish  a  work  on  American  antiquities,*  solicits 
permission  to  use  some  of  my  engravings.  I  am  glad  to  see  an 
increasing  interest  in  our  archaeology,  and  hope  to  live  to  see  the 
day  when  the  popular  tastes  will  permit  books  to  be  published  on 
the  subject. 

2Qth.  Mrs.  Morris  brings  a  letter  from  Hon.  A.  E.  Wing,  of 
Monroe.  She  contemplates  spending  the  summer  on  the  island 
on  account  of  impaired  health.  The  pure  air  and  fine  summer 
climate  of  Mackinack  begin  to  be  appreciated  within  a  year  or 
two  by  valetudinarians.  It  is  a  perfect  Montpelier  to  them. 
The  inhaling  of  its  pure  and  dry  atmosphere  in  midsummer  is 
found  to  act  very  favorably  on  the  digestive  organs.  No  process 
of  health-making  gymnastics  is  prescribed  by  physicians.  They 
merely  direct  persons  to  walk  about  and  enjoy  the  sights  and 
scenes  about  them,  to  saunter  along  its  winding  paths,  or  go  fish 
ing  or  gunning.  Its  woods  are  delightful,  and  its  cliffs  command 
the  sublimest  views.  One  would  think  that  if  the  muses  are  ever 
routed  from  the  bare  hills  of  Olympus  and  the  springs  of  Helicon, 
they  would  take  shelter  in  the  glens  of  Michilimackinack,  where 
the  Indian  pukwees,  or  fairies,  danced  of  old. 

*  This  work  was  published,  I  think,  in  1841. 
42 


658  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

I  received  intelligence  of  the  death  of  Ogimau  Keegido  (Speaker 
Chief),  the  head  sachem  of  the  Saginaws.  He  had  indulged 
some  time  in  drinking,  and,  after  getting  out  of  this  debauch,  was 
confined  by  sickness  three  days.  Death  came  to  his  relief.  Some 
years  ago  this  man  met  with  an  accident  by  the  discharge  of  a 
gun,  by  which  his  liver  protruded ;  he  took  his  knife  and  cut  off  a 
small  piece,  which  he  ate  as  a  panacea.  He  was  a  man  of  strong 
passions  and  ungoverned  will.  He  visited  Washington  in  1836, 
and,  with  other  chiefs,  sold  the  Saginaw  reservations. 

The  party  of  Saginaws  who  brought  me  the  above  information 
had  among  them  twenty-two  orphan  children,  whose  parents  had 
died  of  small-pox.  They  were  on  their  way  to  the  Manitoulines. 

28th.  Mud-je-ke-wis,  a  minor  chief  of  Grand  Traverse  Bay,  sur 
renders  a  belt  of  blue  and  white  wampum,  and  a  gilt  gorget,  which 
he  had  received  from  some  officer  of  the  British  Indian  D^epart- 
ment  in  Canada,  saying  he  renounces  allegiance  to  that  govern 
ment,  and  reports  himself,  from  this  day,  as  an  American. 

29th.  Chingossamo  (Big  Sail),  of  Cheboigan,  having  migrated 
to  the  Manitouline  Islands  with  thirteen  families,  about  seventy- 
nine  souls,  an  election  was  this  day  held,  at  this  office,  by  the 
Indians,  to  supply  the  place  of  ruling  chief.  Sticks,  of  two  colors, 
were  prepared  as  ballots  for  the  two  candidates.  Of  these,  Kee- 
showa  received  two-thirds,  and  was  declared  duly  elected.  I 
granted  a  certificate  of  this  election.  The  present  population  is 
reduced  to  forty-four  souls,  who  live  in  thirteen  families.  This 
band  are  Chippewas. 

Gen.  Scott  arrives  at  this  post,  on  a  general  tour  of  inspection 
of  the  northern  posts,  and  proceeds  the  same  day  to  Sault  St. 
Marie,  accompanied  by  Maj.  Whiting. 

July  2d.  The  Wisconsin  Democrat,  of  this  date,  contains  an 
interesting  sketch  of  the  history  of  the  Brotherton  Indians, 
which  is  represented  to  be  "  composed  of  the  descendants  of  the 
six  following  named  tribes  of  Indians,  viz.,  the  Naragansetts,  of 
Rhode  Island ;  the  Stoningtons,  or  Pequoits,  of  Groton,  Connec 
ticut  ;  the  Montauks,  of  Long  Island ;  the  Mohegans,  Nianticks, 
and  Farmington  Indians,  also  of  Connecticut.  Several  years 
before  the  American  Revolution,  a  single  Indian  of  the  Montauk 
tribe  left  his  nation  and  traveled  into  the  State  of  New  York.  He 
had  no  fixed  purpose  in  view  more  than  (as  he  expressed  it)  to  see 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  659 

the  world.     During  his  absence,  however,  he  fortunately  paid  a 
visit  to  the  Oneidas,  then  a  very  large  and  powerful  tribe  of  In 
dians  residing  in  the  State  of  New  York.     With  them  he  concluded 
to  rest  a  short  time.     They,  discovering  that  he  possessed  '  some 
of  the  white  man's  learning,'  employed  him  to  teach  a  common 
reading  and  writing  school  among  them.     He  remained  with  them 
longer  than  he  at  first  intended.     During  this  time  the  Oneida 
chief  made  many  inquiries  respecting  his  (the  Montauk)  tribe, 
and  the  other  tribes  before  mentioned,  and  received,  for  answer, 
4  that  they  had  almost  become  extinct — that  their  game  was  fast 
disappearing — that  their  landed  possessions  were  very  small — that 
the  pure  blood  of  their  ancestors  had  become  mixed  with  both  the 
blood  of  the  white  man  and  the  African — that  new  and  fatal  dis 
eases  had  appeared  among  them — that  the  curse  of  all  curses,  the 
white  man's  stream  of  liquid  fire,  was  inundating  their  very  exist 
ence,  and  the  gloomy  prospect  of  inevitable  annihilation  seemed 
to  stare  them  in  the  face — that  no  '  hope  with  a  goodly  prospect 
fed  the  eye.'     The  Oneida  chief,  actuated  partly  with  a  desire  to 
extend  the  nand  of  brotherly  affection  to  rescue  the  above  tribes 
from  the  melancholy  fate  that  seemed  to  await  them,  and  partly 
with  a  desire  to  manifest  his  deep  sense  of  the  valuable  services 
rendered  to  him  and  his  nation  in  his  having  taught  among  them 
a  school,  gave  to  the  schoolteacher  a  tract  of  land  twelve  miles 
square  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  his  tribe,  and  the  other  tribes 
mentioned." 

The  treaty  of  the  14th  of  January,  1837,  with  the  Saginaws,  is 
confirmed  by  the  Senate. 

3c?.  The  Arkansas  Little  Rock  Crazette,  of  this  date,  states  that 
the  long  existing  feud  in  the  Cherokee  nation,  which  has  divided 
its  old  and  new  settlers,  has  terminated  in  a  series  of  frightful 
murders.  Its  language  is  this  : — 

"  We  briefly  alluded  in  our  last  to  a  report  from  the  west  that 
John  Ridge,  one  of  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  Cherokee  nation, 
had  been  assassinated.  More  recent  accounts  confirm  the  fact, 
and  bring  news  of  the  murder  of  Ridge's  father,  together  with 
Elias  Boudinot  and  some  ten  or  twelve  men  of  less  distinction 
(some  accounts  say  thirty  or  forty),  all  belonging  to  Ridge's  party. 
"  These  murders  are  acknowledged  to  have  been  committed  by 
the  partisans  of  John  Ross,  between  whom  and  Ridge  a  difference 


6GO  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

has  for  a  long  time  subsisted,  growing  out  of  the  removal  of  the 
Cherokees  from  the  old  nation  to  the  west,  Ridge  having  uni 
formly  been  favorable  to  that  course  and  Ross  opposing  it. 

"  A  council  was  recently  held  to  consult  in  relation  to  the  laws 
to  be  adopted  by  the  united  nation  in  their  present  country,  there 
being  some  essential  differences  between  the  code  by  which  that 
portion  of  the  nation  recently  emigrated  from  the  east  had  been 
governed,  and  the  laws  adopted  by  the  old  settlers  in  the  west. 
Each  party  contended  for  the  adoption  of  its  owTn  code,  and  nei 
ther  would  concede  to  the  other,  and  the  council  finally  broke  up 
without  being  able  to  come  to  any  understanding  on  the  subject.  On 
his  way  from  this  council,  Ridge  was  murdered.  Ridge,  although  a 
recent  emigrant,  we  understand  agreed  with  the  old  settlers  in 
regard  to  the  adoption  of  their  laws,  while  Ross  contended  for 
those  of  the  old  nation  east. 

After  the  murder  of  Ridge,  General  Arbuckle,  the  commander 
of  the  United  States  forces  on  this  frontier,  sent  a  detachment  of 
dragoons  to  Ross,  with  a  request  that  he  would  come  to  the  garri 
son,  who  declined  unless  he  could  be  allowed  to  bring  with  him 
some  six  or  seven  hundred  of  his  armed  partisans,  and  take  them 
into  the  garrison  with  him.  This,  of  course,  could  not  be  allowed, 
and  so  the  detachment  returned  to  the  garrison,  and  after  that  the 
murders  subsequent  to  that  of  Ridge  were  committed.  One  of 
them  wras  perpetrated  within  the  bounds  of  Washington  County, 
in  this  State,  and  we  hope  the  necessary  steps  will  be  taken  by 
our  authorities  to  secure  and  bring  to  trial  the  murderer,  and  thus 
preserve  inviolate  the  jurisdiction  of  our  State  over  her  own  soil. 

"  We  learn  that  a  council  was  called  of  the  whole  nation,  to  be 
held  yesterday,  with  a  view  of  settling  the  existing  difficulties, 
and  we  hope  it  may  result  in  establishing  peace  among  them." 

3d.  I  received  a  letter  introducing  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kane,  of  Al 
bany.  We  love  an  agreeable  surprise.  I  recognized  in  Mrs.  K. 
the  daughter  of  an  old  friend — a  most  lady-like,  agreeable,  and 
talented  woman;  and  deemed  my  time  agreeably  devoted  in  show 
ing  my  visitors  the  curiosities  of  the  island. 

6th.  The  business  of  my  superintendency  calls  me  to  Detroit. 
Fiscal  questions,  the  employment  of  special  agents,  the  collection 
of  treasury  drafts,  the  payment  of  annuities ;  these  are  some  of 
the  constant  cares,  full  of  responsibilities,  which  call  for  incessant 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  661 

vigilance.     I  reached  the  city  in  the  steamer  "  Gen.  Wayne,"  at  8 
o'clock,  in  the  morning. 

8th.  John  A.  Bell,  and  Sand  Watie,  Cherokee  chiefs,  publish 
in  the  Arkansas  Gazette,  an  appeal  to  public  justice,  on  the  mur 
der  of  the  Ridges  and  Boudinot,  which  took  place  on  the  22d  of 
June  previous. 

13£/z.  Rev.  Mr.  Duffield  informs  me  of  some  geological  antiqui 
ties,  reported  to  have  been  recently  discovered  in  Ohio,  made  in 
the  course  of  the  excavations  on  the  line  of  the  canal,  between 
Cleaveland  and  Beaver. 

15th.  The  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
inform  me,  by  their  secretary,  of  my  having  been  placed  on  a  com 
mittee,  as  chairman,  to  report  "such  amendments  to  the  organic 
law  of  the  University,  as  they  shall  deem  essential,  with  a  view 
to  their  presentation  to  the  next  legislature.'' 

25th.  Being  on  my  passage  from  Detroit  to  Mackinack,  on  Lake 
Huron,  a  Mr.  Wetzler,  of  Rock  River,  Wisconsin,  stated  to  me 
that  a  Mr.  Davy,  an  English  emigrant,  found,  in  making  an  exca 
vation  in  his  land  near  "  Oregon,"  some  antiquities,  consisting  of 
silver  coins,  for  which  Mr.  Wetzler  offered  him,  unsuccessfully, 
$50.  The  story  looks  very  much  like  a  humbug,  but  it  was  told 
with  all  seriousness  by  a  respectable  looking  man. 

A  Mr.  Ruggles,  of  Huron,  Ohio,  who  was  aboard  of  the  same 
vessel,  said,  that  hacks  of  an  axe  were  found  in  buried  cedars, 
some  years  ago,  at  a  depth  of  about  40  feet  below  the  surface, 
near  the  east  edge  of  Huron  County,  Ohio.  There  are  no  cedars, 
he  adds,  now  growing  in  that  section  of  Ohio. 

The  Burlington  G-azette  (Iowa)  says,  "  that  a  Sac  and  Fox  war 
party  recently  returned  from  the  Missouri,  bringing  eight  scalps,  and 
a  number  of  female  prisoners,  and  horses.  The  Indians  murdered 
were  of  the  Omaha  tribe.  The  party  consisted  of  ten  men,  with 
their  squaws ;  and,  although  only  eight  scalps  were  brought  in,  it 
is  supposed  that  not  a  single  man  escaped.  We  are  not  aware 
that  feelings  of  hostility  have  heretofore  existed  between  these 
nations.  The  ostensible  object  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  party  was  to 
chastise  the  Sioux.  The  expedition  was  headed  by  Pa-ma-sa,  the 
bold  and  daring  brave  who  recently  inflicted  a  dangerous  wound 
upon  the  person  of  Ke-o-kuk." 


662  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

26th.  Arrived  at  Mackinack,  in  the  steamer  "  United  States/' 
at  4  o'clock  in  the  morning,  after  an  absence  of  about  twenty  days. 

27tfA.  Mr.  John  R.  Kellogg  says,  that  during  the  early  settle 
ment  of  Onondaga,  N.  Y.,  say  about  1800,  in  cutting  into  a  tree, 
in  the  vicinity  of  Skaneateles,  iron  was  struck.  On  searching, 
they  cut  out  a  rude  chain,  which  was  wound  about  in  the  wood, 
and  appeared  to  have  been  fastened  above.  Query,  had  this  been 
a  pot  trammel  of  some  ancient  explorer  ?  Onondaga  is  known  to 
have  been  early  visited. 

He  also  stated  that  three  distinct  hacks  of  an  axe,  of  the  ordi 
nary  size,  were  found,  in  cutting  down  an  oak,  at  the  same  period, 
in  Ontario  County.  Six  hundred  cortical  layers  were  found  out 
side  of  these  antique  hacks,  indicating  that  they  were  made  in  the 
12th  century.  I  record  these  archaeological  memoranda  merely  for 
inquiry. 

29^A.  Osha-wus-coda-waqua,  a  daughter  of  Wabojeeg,  a  'cele 
brated  war  chief  of  the  close  of  last  century,  of  Lake  Superior, 
visited  the  office.  She  states  that  her  name  is  the  result  of  a  dream, 
by  some  ancient  crone,  who  officiated  at  her  nativity,  and  that  it 
means  the  Woman  of  the  Grreen  Valley.  She  is  now  about  60 
years  of  age.  When  about  15  or  16,  she  is  said  to  have  been  a 
slender,  comely  lass,  with  large  bright  hazel  eyes,  and  a  graceful 
figure.  At  this  age,  she  married  a  young  gentleman  from  the 
north  of  Ireland,  of  good  family  and  standing,  and  high  connections, 
who  made  a  wild  adventure  into  this  region.  This  is  the  origin 
of  the  Johnston  family,  in  the  basin  of  Lake  Superior,  and  the 
Straits  of  St.  Mary's.  She  has  had  eight  children,  four  sons  and 
four  daughters,  all  of  whom  grew  up  to  maturity,  and  all  but  the 
eldest  are  now  living.  Her  husband,  who  became  a  noted  merchant 
or  outfitter,  a  man  of  great  influence  with  the  Indians,  and  high 
intelligence  and  social  virtues,  died  in  1828,  at  the  age  of  about 
66  years.  She  is  now  subject  to  some  infirmities ;  fleshy  and 
heavy,  and  strongly  inclined,  I  should  judge,  to  apoplexy.  Her 
father,  Wabojeeg,  died  of  consumption,  not  very  old.  She  told 
me  that  the  hieroglyphics  and  pictures  which  the  Indians  cut  on 
trees,  or  draw  on  barks,  or  rocks,  which  are  designed  to  convey 
instruction,  are  called  KE-KEE-WIN — a  word  which  has  its  plural 
in  un.  It  is  a  noun  inanimate.  She  laughs  at  the  attempts  of 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  663 

the  American  and  foreign  traders  to  speak  the  Indian,  the  rules  of 
which  they  perpetually,  she  says,  violate. 

31st.  A  new  species  of  white  fish  appears  in  the  St.  Mary's  this 
spring.  It  is  characterized  by  a  very  small  mouth,  and  pointed 
head,  and  a  crowning  back,  and  is  a  remarkably  fat  fish.  The 
Odjibwas  call  it  o-don-i-bee,  or  water-mouth.  Hence  the  Canadian 
word  Tulibee. 

Wakazo,  an  Ottawa  chief  of  "VVaganukizzie,  and  his  band  visit 
the  office,  to  confer  on  their  affairs.  He  persists  in  his  former 
determination  to  form  an  agricultural  settlement  with  his  people, 
on  the  North  Black  River,  Michigan  shore,  and  says  that  they  will 
go  down,  to  open  their  farms,  soon  after  the  payment  of  the 
annuities. 

Aug.  1st.  Visited  by  the  Baron  Mareschal,  Austrian  Minister 
at  Washington,  and  Count  de  Colobiano,  Minister  of  the  kingdom 
of  Sardinia.  These  gentlemen  both  impressed  me  with  their  quiet, 
easy  manner,  and  perfect  freedom  from  all  pretence.  I  went  out 
with  them,  to  show  them  the  Arched  Rock,  the  Sugar-loaf  Rock, 
and  other  natural  curiosities.  At  the  Sugar-loaf  Rock  they  got 
out  of  the  carriage  and  strolled  about.  The  baron  and  count  at 
last  seated  themselves  on  the  grass.  The  former  was  a  tall,  rather 
grave  man,  with  blue  eyes,  well  advanced  in  years,  and  a  German 
air ;  the  latter,  three  or  four  inches  shorter  of  stature,  with  black 
eyes,  an  animated  look,  and  many  years  the  junior. 

4:th.  My  children  arrived  at  Mackinack  this  evening,  from  their 
respective  schools  at  Brooklyn  and  Philadelphia,  on  their  summer 
vacation,  and  have,  on  examination,  made  good  progress. 

7th.  Albert  Gallup,  Esq.,  of  Albany,  lands  on  his  way  to  Green 
Bay  as  a  U.  S.  commissioner  to  treat  with  the  Stockbridges.  This 
gentleman  brought  me  official  dispatches  relative  to  his  mission  and 
the  expenditures  of  it,  and,  by  his  ready  and  prompt  mode  of  act 
ing  and  speaking,  led  me  to  call  to  mind  another  class  of  visitors, 
who  seem  to  aim  by  extreme  formality  and  circumlocution  to  strive 
to  hide  want  of  capacity  and  narrow-mindedness.  Mr.  Gallup 
mentioned  a  passage  of  Scripture,  which  is  generally  quoted 
wrong — "  he  who  reads  may  run" — which  set  me  to  hunting  for  it. 
The  passage  is  "that  he  may  run  thatreadeth  it." — HABAKKUK  ii.  2. 

10th.  Mr.  Stringham,  of  Green  Bay,  reports  that  he  had  re 
cently  visited  the  scene  of  a  battle  or  affray  between  the  Sioux 


664  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

and  Chippewas,  on  Lake  St.  Croix,  near  the  mouth  of  the  St. 
Croix  River,  Upper  Mississippi.  One  or  two  Sioux,  it  seems,  had 
been  killed  by  some  thoughtless  young  men  of  a  party  of  Chippe 
was,  about  three  hundred  strong.  This  party  encamped  on  the 
south  shores  of  Lake  St.  Croix.  They  were  secretly  followed  by 
the  Sioux,  who,  watching  their  opportunity,  fell  on  the  camp  while 
they  were  asleep,  near  daylight.  One  hundred  and  twenty  were 
killed  in  the  onset.  As  soon  as  the  Chippewas  discovered  their 
position,  and  recovered  their  self-possession,  they  rallied,  and,  at 
tacking  the  assailants,  drove  them  from  the  field,  killed  twenty, 
and  chased  them  to  near  their  village.  Hearing  of  this,  the  cap 
tain  of  the  steamer,  on  board  of  which  Mr.  S.  was,  went  into  the 
lake,  and  they  viewed  the  dead  bodies. 

24:th.  Returned  to  Mackinack,  after  a  trip  of  eight  days  to 
Detroit.  The  Iowa  papers  give  accounts  of  the  recent  shocking 
murders  committed  by  the  Sioux.  "We  learn,"  says  the  Burling 
ton  Patriot,  "from  Governor  Lucas  and  another  gentleman,  who 
came  passengers  on  the  'lone,'  last  evening,  that  two  hundred  and 
twenty  Indians  were  killed  in  the  upper  country  about  the  1st  inst. 
The  facts,  as  they  were  related  by  a  young  gentleman  who  was  at 
the  treaty,  are  as  follows :  The  Sioux  had  invited  the  Chippewas 
to  meet  them  at  St.  Peter's,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  treaty  of 
everlasting  friendship.  The  Chippewas  assembled  accordingly — 
the  pipe  of  peace  was  smoked — -and  they  parted  apparently  good 
friends.  A  large  party  of  the  Chippewas  was  encamped  at  the 
Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and  a  smaller  party  encamped  on  the  St. 
Croix,  on  their  way  home,  without  the  least  suspicion  of  treachery 
on  the  part  of  the  Sioux.  While  they  were  thus  peaceably  en 
camped,  they  were  surprised  by  the  Sioux,  who  commenced  their 
butchery.  They  immediately  rallied,  but  before  the  battle  termi 
nated  the  Chippewas  lost  one  hundred  and  fifty  at  the  Falls  and 
twenty  on  the  St.  Croix.  The  number  of  Sioux  killed  on  the  oc 
casion  amounted  to  about  fifty.  We  do  not  much  wonder  at  the 
hostility  that  has  been  exhibited  by  the  Sauks  and  Foxes  against 
the  Sioux,  if  this  latter  tribe  has  always  been  as  treacherous  as 
they  were  on  the  above  occasion." 

Sept.  3c?.  A  remarkable  and  most  magnificent  display  of  the 
Aurora  Borealis  occurred  in  the  evening.  It  began  a  quarter  be 
fore  eight,  as  I  was  sitting  on  the  piazza  in  front  of  my  house,  which 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  665 

commands  a  view  of  the  lake  in  front,  and  the  whole  southern 
hemisphere.  From  the  zenith  points  of  light  flared  down  the  south 
ern  hemisphere.  The  north  had  none.  For  five  minutes  the  ap 
pearance  was  most  magnificent.  Streaks  of  blue  and  crimson  red 
light  appeared  in  several  parts.  At  ten  minutes  to  eight,  long  lines 
began  to  form  on  the  east,  then  west,  and  varying  to  north-west, 
very  bright,  silvery  and  phosphorescent.  Before  nine,  the  rays  shot 
up  from  the  horizon  north-east,  and  finally  north — the  southern 
hemisphere,  at  the  same  time,  losing  its  brilliance.  This  light  con 
tinued  in  full  activity  of  effulgence  to  ten,  and,  after  my  retiring 
from  the  piazza,  its  gleams  were  visible  through  the  windows  the 
greater  part  of  the  night,  till  two  o'clock  or  later. 

llth.  A  chief  from  St.  Mary's,  called  lawba  Waddik  (Male 
Reindeer),  visited  the  office.  This  man's  name  affords  an  evidence 
of  the  manner  in  which  a  noun  or  adjective  prefix  is  joined  to  a 
noun  proper,  namely,  by  the  interposition  of  a  consonant  before  the 
noun,  whenever  the  latter  begins,  and  the  former  ends,  with  a 
vowel.  We  cannot  say,  iawba-0e?cfa'& — male  deer ;  but  euphony  re 
quires  that,  in  these  cases,  the  letter  w  should  precede,  and  soften 
the  sound  of  the  initial  a. 

This  chief  was  first  introduced  to  me  in  1822.  His  tall  and 
lithe  form,  his  ease  of  manners,  and  a  certain  mild  and  civilized 
air,  made  me  notice  him.  He  turned  out  to  be  the  youngest  son 
of  a  noted  war  chief,  called  the  White  Fisher — Wa-bo-jeeg.  He 
had,  however,  never  been  on  the  war  path,  but  addressed  himself 
early  to  the  art  of  hunting,  in  which  he  excelled,  and  furnished 
his  family  with  a  plentiful  supply  of  food  and  clothing.  He  had 
had  twelve  children  by  one  wife,  giving  an  impressive  lesson,  that 
peaceful  habits  and  a  plentiful  supply  of  the  means  of  subsistence, 
are  conducive  to  their  usual  results. 

He  is  now  about  45  years  of  age.  The  seventeen  years  during 
which  I  have  known  him,  have  not  detracted  from  his  erect  figure, 
his  mild  and  easy  manners,  or  his  docile  and  decidedly  domestic 
disposition. 

12th.  The  payment  of  the  Indian  annuities,  which  commenced 
on  the  3d  instant,  was  continued  till  the  10th,  and,  skipping  the 
llth  (Sunday),  finished  this  day.  These  payments  were  made  as 
usual,  in  specie,  and  per  capita — man,  woman,  and  child  faring 
alike.  The  annuities  in  provisions,  tobacco,  salt,  &c.,  were,  in 


666  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

conformity  with  custom,  turned  over  to  the  chiefs  of  bands  in 
bulk  ;  and  by  them  divided,  with  scrupulous  care,  among  their 
people.  The  payments  and  deliveries  have  engaged  the  whole 
force  of  the  department  for  seven  or  eight  days,  and  have  ended 
satisfactory  to  the  Indians,  who  have  been  subsisted,  meantime, 
on  the  public  provisions,  without  trenching  on  their  own  stock. 

13£A.  The  Maumee  Ottawas  arrive  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  on  their 
way  to  the  west.  Among  this  band  there  are  two  chiefs,  Anto- 
kee,  the  head  chief,  and  Petonoquette,  a  much  younger  man. 
Anto-kee  is  a  son  of  the  celebrated  chief  Tushquaquier,  who  was 
looked  upon  by  the  Ottawas  as  the  father  of  the  tribe.  Petano- 
quette  is  half  French,  son  of  Louisan,  a  distinguished  chief,  who 
was  killed,  when  Petonoquette  was  a  mere  child,  by  that  most  bar 
barous  and  ferocious  of  all  warriors,  Kish-kau-go,  who  afterwards 
committed  suicide  in  the  Detroit  jail,  in  which  he  was  confined 
for  murder.  Anto-kee  and  Petonoquette  are  represented  as*  very 
good  men,  well  informed,  and  not  much  inclined  to  barbarity. 
The  former  is  said  to  be  a  relative  of  the  great  Pontiac. 

14:th.  Leave  Mackinack  for  Detroit. 

27th.  Return  from  an  official  visit  to  the  office  at  Detroit. 

30th.  A  London  paper  of  Sept.  4th  notices  a  brilliant  display 
of  the  aurora  borealis  and  falling  stars,  on  the  same  day  of  the 
extraordinary  display  of  the  same  kind,  witnessed  on  this  island. 
The  first  impression  in  that  city,  was  of  a  great  fire  in  some  distant 
part  of  the  city,  there  being,  at  first,  a  dense  red  light.  The  dif 
ference  between  the  two  places  is  about  25°  of  latitude.  Its 
commencement  was  about  half,  or  three  quarters  of  an  hour  later. 
The  editor  says : — 

"  Between  the  hours  of  ten  last  night  and  three  this  morning 
in  the  heavens  were  observed  one  of  the  most  magnificent  spe 
cimens  of  that  extraordinary  phenomena — the  falling  stars  and 
northern  lights — ever  witnessed  for  many  years  past.  The  first 
indication  of  this  singular  phenomenon  was  about  ten  minutes 
before  ten,  when  a  light  crimson,  apparently  vapor,  rose  from 
the  northern  portion  of  the  hemisphere,  and  gradually  extend 
ed  to  the  centre  of  the  heavens,  and  by  ten  o'clock,  or  a  quar 
ter  past,  the  whole,  from  east  to  west,  was  in  one  vast  sheet 
of  light.  It  had  a  most  alarming  appearance,  and  was  exactly 
like  that  occasioned  by  a  terrific  fire.  The  light  varied  consider- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  667 

ably ;  at  one  time  it  seemed  to  fall,  and  directly  after  rose  with 
intense  brightness.  There  were  to  be  seen  mingled  with  it  vo 
lumes  of  smoke,  which  rolled  over  and  over,  and  every  beholder 
seemed  convinced  that  it  was  '  a  tremendous  conflagration.'  The 
consternation  in  the  metropolis  was  very  great;  thousands  of 
persons  were  running  in  the  direction  of  the  supposed  catastrophe. 
The  engines  belonging  to  the  fire  brigade  stations  in  Baker  Street, 
Farringdon  Street,  Wattling  Street,  Waterloo  Road,  and  likewise 
those  belonging  to  the  West  of  England  station ;  in  fact,  every 
fire-engine  in  London  was  horsed,  and  galloped  after  the  supposed 
6  scene  of  destruction'  with  more  than  ordinary  energy,  followed 
by  carriages,  horsemen,  and  vast  mobs.  Some  of  the  engines  pro 
ceeded  as  far  as  Highgate  and  Holloway  before  the  error  was 
discovered. 

"  These  appearances  lasted  for  upwards  of  two  hours,  and  to 
wards  morning  the  spectacle  became  one  of  more  grandeur.  At 
two  o'clock  this  morning,  the  phenomenon  presented  a  most  gor 
geous  scene,  and  one  very  difficult  to  describe.  The  whole  of 
London  was  illuminated  as  light  as  noonday,  and  the  atmosphere 
was  remarkably  clear.  The  southern  hemisphere,  at  the  time 
mentioned,  although  unclouded,  was  very  dark,  but  the  stars, 
which  were  innumerable,  shone  beautifully.  The  opposite  side  of 
the  heavens  presented  a  singular  but  magnificent  contrast ;  it  was 
clear  to  the  extreme,  and  the  light  was  very  vivid  ;  there  was  a 
continual  succession  of  meteors,  which  varied  in  splendor.  They 
apparently  formed  in  the  centre  of  the  heavens,  and  spread  till  they 
seemed  to  burst ;  the  effect  was  electrical ;  myriads  of  small  stars 
shot  out  over  the  horizon,  and  darted  with  that  swiftness  towards 
the  earth  that  the  eye  scarcely  could  follow  the  track  ;  they  seemed 
to  burst  also  and  throw  a  dark  crimson  over  the  entire  hemisphere. 
The  colors  were  the  most  magnificent  that  ever  were  seen.  At 
half-past  two  o'clock  the  spectacle  changed  to  darkness,  which, 
on  dispersing,  displayed  a  luminous  rainbow  in  the  zenith  of  the 
heavens  and  round  the  ridge  of  darkness  that  overhung  the  south 
ern  portion  of  the  country.  Soon  afterwards,  columns  of  silvery 
light  radiated  from  it ;  they  increased  wonderfully,  intermingled 
amongst  crimson  vapor,  which  formed  at  the  same  time ;  and, 
when  at  the  full  height,  the  spectacle  was  beyond  all  imagination. 
Stars  were  darting  about  in  all  directions,  and  continued  until  four 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

o'clock,  and  all  died  away.  During  the  time  that  they  lasted,  a 
great  many  persons  assembled  on  the  bridges  across  the  river 
Thames,  where  they  had  a  commanding  view  of  the  heavens,  and 
watched  the  progress  of  the  phenomenon  attentively." 

Oct.  2d.  Mr.  J.  H.  Kinzie,  of  Chicago,  mentioned  to  me,  in  a 
former  interview,  a  striking  trait  of  the  barbarity  of  the  Pota- 
wattomies  in  the  treatment  of  their  women.  Two  female  slaves, 
or  wives  of  Wabunsee,  had  a  quarrel.  One  of  them  went,  in  her 
excited  state  of  feeling,  to  the  chief,  and  told  him  that  the  other 
had  ill-treated  his  children.  He  ordered  the  accused  to  come  be 
fore  him.  He  told  her  to  lie  down  on  her  back  on  the  ground. 
He  then  directed  the  other  (her  accuser)  to  take  a  tomahawk  and 
dispatch  her.  She  split  open  her  skull,  and  killed  her  immediately. 
He  left  her  unburied,  but  was  afterwards  persuaded  to  direct  the 
murderess  to  bury  her.  She  dug  a  grave  so  shallow,  that  the 
wolves  dug  out  the  body  that  night  and  partly  devoured  it. 

Sd.  James  L.  Schoolcraft  brought  me  some  mineralogical  and 
geological  specimens  from  Isle  Cariboo — the  land\)f  golden  dreams 
and  fogs  in  Lake  Superior.  The  island  has  a  basis  of  chocolate- 
colored  sandstone. 

5th.  The  Oneida  Whig  mentions  the  death,  on  the  20th  ultimo, 
near  Oneida  Castle,  New  York,  of  Ondayaka,  head  chief  of  the 
Onondagas,  aged  about  ninety-six.  At  the  time  of  his  death, 
Ondayaka,  and  the  subordinate  chiefs  and  principal  men  of  his 
nation,  were  on  their  way  to  join  in  the  ceremonies  of  electing  a 
head  chief  of  the  Oneidas.  Within  a  few  miles  of  the  council 
house  of  the  latter  tribe,  Ondayaka  placed  himself  at  the  head  of 
the  deputation  of  the  Onondagas,  and  commenced  the  performance 
of  the  ceremonies  observed  on  such  occasions,  when  he  was  sud 
denly  seized  with  the  bilious  colic.  Calling  the  next  chief  in 
authority  to  fill  his  station,  he  withdrew  to  the  road  side,  when  he 
soon  after  expressed  a  consciousness  that  "it  was  the  will  of  the 
Crreat  Spirit  that  he  should  live  no  longer  upon  the  earth."  He 
then  sent  for  his  people,  and  took  leave  of  them,  after  counseling 
them  to  cultivate  and  practice  temperance  and  brotherly  love  in 
their  councils  and  among  the  people  of  the  nation,  and  friendship 
and  integrity  with  all.  He  soon  after  became  unable  to  speak, 
and  in  a  few  hours  his  spirit  was  gathered  to  the  Great  Spirit  who 
gave  it. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  669 

*Ith.  The  following  is  an  Odjibwa  tradition.  Adjejauk  and 
Oshugee  were  brothers,  living  at  St.  Mary's  Falls.  Oshugee  was 
the  elder.  One  day  he  took  his  brother's  fishing-pole  into  the 
rapids,  and  accidentally  broke  it.  This  caused  a  quarrel.  Oshugee 
went  off  south,  and  was  referred  to  as  Shawnee.  This  was  the 
origin  of  that  tribe  who  call  the  Chippewas  Younger  Brother,  to 
this  day.  This  is  said  by  Nabunwa.  The  Shawnee  (southman) 
hero  named  is  not  the  Shawnee  tribe.  With  this  explanation,  the 
tradition  may  be  admitted.  It  was  probably  the  origin  of  the 
Potawattomies. 

10th.  Two  plum  trees,  standing  in  front  of  the  agency,  which 
had  attained  their  full  growth,  and  borne  fruit  plentifully,  for  some 
few  years,  began  to  droop,  and  finally  died  during  the  autumn. 
I  found,  by  examination,  that  their  roots  had  extended  into  cold 
underground  springs  of  water,  which  have  their  issue  under  the 
high  cliff  immediately  behind  the  agency.  They  had  originally 
been  set  out  as  wall  fruit,  within  a  few  feet  of  the  front  wall  of 
the  house,  on  its  southern  side.  The  one  was  the  common  blue 
plum,  the  other  an  egg  plum. 

A  mountain  ash,  standing  some  twenty  feet  west  of  them,  had 
protruded  its  roots  into  a  similar  cold  moisture,  but,  so  far  from 
injuring  it,  the  tree  grew  more  luxuriantly,  putting  forth  leaves 
and  berries  in  the  greatest  profusion.  Seeing  this  disposition  to 
flourish  by  its  proximity  to  underground  currents,  I  cut  the  bark 
of  the  tree,  which  is  of  a  close  binding  character,  to  allow  it  to 
expand,  and  found  this  to  have  an  excellent  effect.  This  tree 
bears  a  white  bell-shaped  cluster  of  blossoms,  which  originate  the 
most  beautiful  scarlet  berries  in  the  autumn.  The  one  species  is 
a  native,  the  other  an  exotic. 

¥2>ih.  Pemid-jee,  signifies  in  Chippewa  across,  sideways.  Gro- 
daus  is  a  garment,  or  cloth  designed  for  it.  Hence  mad-jee-co-ta 
a  skirt  or  side-cloth. 

Vlth.  Col.  Win.  L.  Stone  writes  that  he  is  making  progress  in 
his  Life  and  Times  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  «and  begs  a  copy 
of  the  old  Military  Orderly  Book,  in  my  possession,  detailing  the 
siege  and  taking  of  Fort  Niagara,  &c.  He  says  of  Algic  Re 
searches:  "By  the  way,  what  a  delightful  book  you  furnished  us. 
Don't  you  remember  that  I  told  you  not  to  go  to for  re- 


670 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


vision  ?  He  would  have  spoiled  jour  simple  and  beautiful  tales. 
President  Wayland,  my  brother-in-law,  was  delighted  with  them." 

Dec.  5th.  Abraham  Schoolcraft,  Special  Emigrating  Agent,  re 
ports  the  safe  arrival  of  the  Swan  Creeks  at  their  destination  on 
the  river  Osage.  The  lands  are  fertile,  the  waters  good,  forest 
trees  in  abundance  for  fire-wood  and  fences.  Everything  promises 
well  for  their  future  prosperity. 

13th.  Wrote  to  Col.  Stone,  transmitting  him  a  copy  of  the  old 
journal,  before  alluded  to,  of  the  siege  of  Niagara,  in  1759,  the 
march  of  Gen.  Bradstreet  for  the  relief  of  Detroit,  in  1763,  &c. 

26th.  Mackinack  has  again  assumed  its  winter  phase.  We  are 
shut  in  from  the  tumult  of  the  world,  and  must  rely  for  outsources 
of  intellectual  sustenance  and  diversion  on  books,  or  researches, 
such  as  may  present  themselves. 

The  following  words,  I  am  assured,  are  different,  in  the  Ottawa 
and  Chippewa  dialects : — 


1.  Axe, 

2.  Point, 

3.  Spring  (season), 

4.  Scissors, 

5.  Spear, 

6.  Stop  ;  cease ;  be  still, 

7.  It's  flown  away, 

8.  Maple  tree, 

9.  Milk, 

10.  Small  lake,  or  pond, 

11.  He  smokes, 

12.  It  is  calm, 

13.  It  will  be  a  severe,  or 

bad  day, 

14.  I  will  visit, 

15.  He  will  quarrel  (with) 

you, 

16.  He  will  strike  you, 

17.  Hammer, 

18.  Dog, 

19.  My  mother, 

20.  Yes, 


CHIPPEWA. 
Wag-a-kwut, 
Na-au-shi, 

Se-gwun, 

Mozh-wa-gun, 

Ah-nit, 

Ah-no-wa-tan, 

Ke-pah-ze-qwah-o, 

In-ne-nah-tig, 

To-dosh-a-bo, 

Sah-gi-e-gan, 

Sug-gus-wau, 

Ah-no-wa-tin, 

Tah-mat-chi-geezh-ik-ud. 
Ningah-mah-wa-tish-e-way, 

Kegah-Ke-kau-mig, 

Kegah-Puk-e-tay-og, 

Puk-ke-tai-e-gun, 

An-ne-moosh, 

Nin-guh, 

Aih, 


OTTAWA. 
Nah-bah-gun. 
Sin-gang. 
Me-no-ka-mi. 
Sip-po-ne-gun. 
Nah-bah-e-gim. 
Mah-ga-nick. 
Ke-ke-ze-kay. 
As-sin-ah-mish. 
Mo-nah-gan-a-bo. 
Ne-bis. 
Pin-dah-qua. 
To-kis-sin. 

Tah-goot-au-gan. 
Ningah-Ne-bwatch-e- 

way. 

Kegau-ne-tehi-we-ig. 
Kegah-wa-po-taig. 
Wap-o-ge-gin. 
An-ne-mo-kau-gi. 
Nin-gush. 
Au-niu-da. 


It  is  evident  that  these  dialectic  differences  arise,  not  from  the 
use  of  a  different  language,  but  a  different  mode  of  applying  the  same 
language — a  language  in  which  every  syllable  has  a  well-known 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  671 

primitive  meaning.  Thus,  in  the  name  for  maple  tree  (8),  the  Chip- 
pewa  means,  spouted,  or  man  tree  (alluding  to  its  being  tapped  for 
its  sap),  and  the  Ottawa,  stoned,  or  cut  tree,  alluding  to  the  same 
feature.  The  same  terms  are  equally  well  known,  and  proper  in 
both  dialects.  So  in  10,  the  one  says  a  collection  of  running  water, 
the  other,  a  little  mass  of  water.  So  in  13,  the  one  says,  literally, 
it  will  be  a  bad  day;  the  other,  it  will  storm.  So  in  IT,  the  one 
says  strike-instrument ;  the  other  swing-instrument.  So  in  20,  one 
uses  an  affirmative  particle,  the  other  says,  certainly. 

31s£.  Rev.  Thomas  Hulbert,  of  the  Pic,  on  the  norths  hores  of 
Lake  Superior,  writes  about  the  orthography  and  principles  of  the 
Indian  languages.  When  this  gentleman  was  on  his  way  inland, 
he  stopped  at  my  house,  and  evinced  much  interest  in  the  oral 
traditions  of  the  Indians,  as  shown  in  Algic  Researches,  and 
presented  me  the  conjugation  of  the  Indian  verb  "to  see"  filling 
many  pages  of  an  old  folio  account  book — all  written  in  the  wretched 
system  of  notation  of  Mr.  Evans.*  I  stated  to  him  the  analytical 
mode  which  I  had  pursued  in  my  lectures  on  the  structure  of  the 
languages,  with  the  very  best  helps  at  St.  Mary's ;  and  that  I  had 
found  it  to  yield  to  this  process — that  the  Algonquin  was,  in  fact, 
an  aggregation  of  monasyllabic  roots:  that  words  and  expressions 
were  formed  entirely  of  a  limited  number  of  original  roots  and  par 
ticles,  which  had  generic  meanings.  That  new  words,  however 
compounded,  carried  these  meanings  to  the  Indian  ear,  and  were 
understood  by  it  in  all  possible  forms  of  accretion  and  syllabica 
tion.  That  the  derivatives  founded  on  these  roots  of  one  or  two 
syllables,  could  all  be  taken  apart  and  put  together  like  a  piece  of 
machinery.  That  the  principles  were  fixed,  philosophical,  and 
regular,  and  that,  although  the  language  had  some  glaring  defects, 
as  the  want  of  a  feminine  pronoun,  and  many  redundancies,  they 
were  admirably  adapted  to  describe  geographical  and  meteorologi 
cal  scenes.  That  it  was  a  language  of  woods  and  wilds.  That  it 
failed  to  convey  knowledge,  only  because  it  had  apparently 
never  been  applied  to  it.  And  that  those  philologists  who  had 
represented  it  as  an  agglutinated  mass,  and  capable  of  the  most 
recondite,  pronominal,  and  tensal  meanings,  exceeding  those  of 
Greece  and  Rome,  had  no  clear  conceptions  of  what  they  were 

*  A  Wesleyan  missionary,  some  time  at  Port  Sarnia,  opposite  Fort  Gratiot, 
Canada. 


672  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

speaking  of.  That  its  principles  are  not,  in  fact,  polysynthetic,  but 
on  the  contrary  unasynthetic :  its  rules  were  all  of  one  piece.  That, 
in  fine,  we  should  never  get  at  the  truth  till  we  pulled  down  the 
erroneous  fabric  of  the  extreme  polysynthesists,  which  was  erected 
on  materials  furnished  by  an  excellent,  but  entirely  unlearned 
missionary.  But  that  this  could  not  be  done  now,  such  was  the 
prestige  of  names ;  and  that  he  and  I,  and  all  humble  laborers  in 
the  field,  must  wait  to  submit  our  views  till  time  had  opened  a 
favorable  door  for  us.  It  was  our  present  duty  to  accumulate  facts, 
not  to  s%t  up  new  theories,  nor  aim,  by  any  means,  to  fight  these 
intellectual  giants  while  we  were  armed  but  with  small  weapons. 

Mr.  Hurlbut  entered  into  these  views.  He  had  now  reflected  upon 
them,  and  he  made  some  suggestions  of  philological  value.  He 
was  an  apt  learner  of  the  language,  as  spoken  north  of  the  basin 
of  Lake  Superior. 

"  Orthography,"  he  writes,  "though  of  much  importance*,  did 
not  engage  so  much  of  my  attention  as  the  construction  of  the 
language.  I  am  not  so  sanguine  as  to  that  performance  (the  con 
jugation  of  the  verb  to  see)  as  to  be  anxious  to  bring  forward 
another.  I  am  aware  that  an  Indian  speaker,  who  had  never 
studied  his  own  language,  would  pronounce  much  of  that  incorrect 
(in  following  a  particular  system  imposed  on  him),  particularly 
in  the  characterizing  (definitive)  form,  for  in  this  conjugation  the 
root  always  undergoes  a  change.  If  the  first  syllable  be  short,  it 
is  lengthened,  as  be-moo-za,  ba-moo-zad.  If  it  be  long,  another  is 
added,  as  ouu-bet,  ou-euu-bed.*  But  when  a  particle  is  used,  as 
is  more  generally  the  case,  the  root  resumes  its  original  form,  as 
guu-ouu-bed.  I  thought  it  best  to  preserve  uniformity.  I  inserted 
a  note  explaining  this.  Upon  this  principle  of  euphony,  Mr. 
Evans'  orthography  will  answer  better  than  may  at  first  appear. 
When  the  vowel  is  short,  the  final  consonant  is  sharp,  as  mek, 
mule,  met;  but  when  the  vowel  is  long,  it  sounds  like  meeg,  seeg, 
neeg,  nuug,  meed. 

"I  had  thought  of  making  a  collection  of  words,  as  a  com 
mencement  for  a  lexicon,  but  there  are  impediments  in  my  way 
for  the  present :  1st,  I  want  a  plan ;  I  want  the  opinion  of  those 
versed  in  the  language,  as  two  roots  frequently  coalesce  and  form 
compound  terms,  and  sometimes  two  verbs  and  a  noun  amalgamate 

*  This  is  in  Mr.  Evans'  System  of  Orthography. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  673 

by  clipping  all ;  and  it  requires  a  skillful  hand  to  dissect  them  and 
show  the  originals.  Should  all  these  compound  terms  be  intro 
duced  (in  the  contemplated  lexicon),  it  would  swell  the  work  to  a 
good  size.  If  this  be  not  done,  we  must  find  some  rule  for  com 
pounding  the  terms,  that  the  learner  may  be  able  to  do  it  for 
himself.  This  (the  rule)  I  have  not  yet  ascertained. 

"  I  am  favorably  situated  for  making  philological  observations. 
I  observe  that  the  Cree,  although  essentially  the  same  language 
as  the  Chippewa,  yet  drops,  or  never  had,  many  of  the  suffix  ex 
pletive  particles  of  the  latter,  though  the  prefix  particles  are  pretty 
much  the  same  in  both.  The  Cree  has  not,  I  believe,  the  double 
negative  nor  the  adverbial  and  plaintive  forms  of  verbs,  as  I  have 
termed  them.  This  renders  the  language  less  complex,  and  much 
more  easy  of  acquisition  than  the  Chippewa. 

"  One  thought  was  forcibly  impressed  on  my  mind  while  perus 
ing  the  publications  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society.  In 
these  publications  they  introduce  the  names  of  things  in  order  to 
show  the  affinity  of  different  tribes.  From  my  knowledge  of  In 
dian,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  names  of  things  change  the 
soonest  in  any  language,  and  that,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  ori 
ginal  stock  of  any  tribe  or  nation  by  comparing  languages,  we 
must  descend  to  the  groundwork  of  the  languages  and  search,  not 
so  much  for  similarity  of  sound  as  for  the  arrangement  and  essen 
tial  and  peculiar  principles  of  the  languages. 

"  A  principle  that  prevails  in  the  American  languages,  as  far 
as  my  information  extends,  is,  that  the  verb,  with  its  nominative 
and  objective  cases,  be  inseparably  connected.  The  Delaware, 
the  Chippewa  (under  whatever  name),  and  the  Cree,  &c.,  make 
the  change  in  person,  number,  &c.,  by  a  change  in  the  prefix  or 
suffix.  But  the  Mohawk  and  Chippewyan*  make  the  change,  in 
some  cases,  in  the  middle  of  the  word,  when  the  Chippewa  and 
others  always  remain  unchanged." 

*  It  must  be  remembered  that  the   Chippewas  and  Chippewyans,  are 
diverse  tribes.     The  two  words  are  .both  Chippewa  ;  but  the  tribes  are  of  dif 
ferent  groups.     The  one  is  ALGONQUIN  ;  the  other  ATHAPASCA.     The  Mohawk 
belongs  to  a  third  group  of  languages,  namely,  the  IROQUOIS. 
43 


674  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 


CHAPTER    LXIX. 

Popular  error  respecting  the  Indian  character  and  history — Remarkable  su 
perstition — Theodoric — A  missionary  choosing  a  wild  flower — Piety  and 
money — A  fiscal  collapse  in  Michigan — Mission  of  Grand  Traverse — Sim 
plicity  of  the  school-girl's  hopes — Singular  theory  of  the  Indians  respecting 
story-telling — Oldest  allegory  on  record — Political  aspects — Seneca  treaty 
— Mineralogy — Farming  and  mission  station  on  Lake  Michigan. 

1840.  Jan.  1st.  HAVING  determined  to  pass  another  winter 
(some  ten  weeks  of  which  are  past)  at  Mackinack,  I  have  found 
my  best  and  pleasantest  employment  in  my  old  resource,  the  in 
vestigation  of  the  Indian  character  and  history.  The  subject  is 
exhaustless  in  every  branch  of  inquiry,  but  the  more  it  is  turned 
over  and  sifted,  the  more  cause  there  is  to  see  that  there  is  error 
to  be  encountered  at  almost  every  step.  Travelers  have  been 
chiefly  intent  on  the  picturesque,  and  have  given  themselves  but 
little  trouble  to  investigate.  The  historian  has  had  his  mind  full 
of  prepossessions  derived  from  ancient  reading,  and  has,  generally, 
been  seated  three  thousand  miles  across  the  water,  where  the  work 
of  personal  comparison  was  impossible.  Left  to  the  repose  of 
himself,  mentally  and  physically,  without  being  placed  in  the  cru 
cible  of  war,  without  being  made  the  tool  of  selfishness,  or  driven 
to  a  state  of  half  idiocy  by  the  use  of  liquor,  the  Indian  is  a 
man  of  naturally  good  feelings  and  affections,  and  of  a  sense 
of  justice,  and,  although  destitute  of  an  inductive  mind,  is  led 
to  appreciate  truth  and  virtue  as  he  apprehends  them.  But 
he  is  subject  to  be  swayed  by  every  breath  of  opinion,  has  little 
fixity  of  purpose,  and,  from  a  defect  of  business  capacity,  is 
often  led  to  pursue  just  those  means  which  are  least  calcu 
lated  to  advance  his  permanent  interests,  and  his  mind  is  driven 
to  and  fro  like  a  feather  in  the  winds.  This  man,  and  that 
man,  are  continually  bringing  up  Indians  to  speak  for  some  self 
ish  object,  which,  being  a  little  out  of  sight,  he  does  not  per 
ceive  in  its  true  light,  but  which  he  nevertheless  is  soon  made  to 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  675 

comprehend,  if  a  public  agent  sets  it  plainly  before  him.  But 
there  is  a  perpetual  watch  necessary  to  protect  him  from  deception, 
and  this  necessity  becomes  stringent  in  the  exact  proportion  that 
a  tribe  has  funds  or  treaty  rights  of  any  kind.  If  these  attempts 
to  make  the  Indian  a  stalking-horse  for  masked  or  misstated 
objects  be  independently  met,  and  with  just  sentiments  of  dissent, 
the  agent  of  the  government  is  liable  to  calumniation,  and  it  be 
comes  the  policy  of  unscrupulous  men  to  get  their  affairs  placed 
in  hands  having  less  well-defined  notions  of  moral  right,  or  more 
easily  swayed  in  their  opinions. 

7th.  The  season  of  New-year  has  been  as  usual  a  holiday,  that 
is  to  say,  a  time  of  hilarity  and  good  wishes,  with  the  Indians  in 
this  vicinity,  numbers  of  which  have  visited  the  office. 

20th.  Some  of  the  superstitions  of  the  Indians  are  explicable 
only  on  the  ground  of  their  belief  in  magic.  An  old  blind  man 
of  Grand  Traverse  Bay,  called  Ogimauwish  (literally  bad  chief), 
referring  to  the  early  period  of  the  visits  of  Europeans  to  the 
continent,  related  the  following : — 

When  the  whites  first  came  to  this  country,  wars  and  atrocious 
cruelties  existed  between  the  new  race  of  men  and  the  Indians. 
When  this  animosity  began  to  abate,  a  treaty  was  held,  which  was 
attended  by  the  Indians  far  and  wide.  They  were  told  by  an  in 
terpreter,  one  of  the  white  men  who  had  already  learned  their 
language,  that  the  Indian  tribes  appeared,  in  the  eyes  of  white 
men,  while  in  action,  like  the  beasts  of  the  forests  and  the  birds 
of  prey,  changing  from  one  form  to  the  other,  and  that  the  bullets 
of  the  foreigners  had  no  effect  on  them.  The  reason  for  this 
exemption  from  harm  was  this : — 

In  those  times  the  Indians  made  use  of  the  Pazhikewash,  or  buf 
falo-weed,  which  is  still  used  by  some  of  them  to  this  day,  espe 
cially  on  war  excursions.  This  made  them  invulnerable  to  balls. 
They  made  a  liquor  from  it,  and  sprinkled  themselves  and  their 
implements,  and  carried  it  in  their  meda  bags.  They  are  under 
the  belief  that  this  medicine  not  only  wards  off  the  balls  and  mis 
siles,  but  tends  to  make  them  invisible.  This,  with  their  reliance 
on  the  guardian  spirits  of  whom  they  have  dreamed  at  their  initial 
fasts,  throws  around  them  a  double  influence,  making  them  both  in 
visible  and  invulnerable. 

There  is  a  root  used  by  the  Pillagers,  to  which  they  attribute 


676  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

similar  protecting  influences,  or  attribute  the  gift  of  courage  in 
war.     It  is  called  by  them  OZHIGAWAK. 

22d.  Theodoric  (vide  ante,  April  19th,)  writes  me  from  Detroit 
in  terms  of  the  kindest  appreciation  for  my  kindness  of  him.  On 
his  arrival  at  Mackinack  he  most  acceptably  executed  several  trusts 
— writing  a  good  hand,  being  of  gentlemanly  manners  and  deport 
ment,  and  an  obliging  disposition,  and  withal  a  high  moral  tone  of 
character — as  the  winter  drew  on,  I  judged  he  would  make  a  good 
representative  for  the  county  in  the  legislature,  and  started  him  in 
political  life.  He  received  the  popular  vote,  and  proceeded  to  the 
Capitol  accordingly. 

He  writes :  "  I  wish  to  say  to  you  that  my  reception  here,  both 
in  my  public  and  private  capacity,  has  been  all  that  my  best  friends 
could  desire,  and  far  above  what  I  had  any  reason  to  expect.  I 
allude  to  this  subject  because  it  furnishes  me  with  an  occasion  to  ac 
knowledge  my  deep  indebtedness  to  your  kindness,  and  it  affords  me 
pleasure  to  recognize  it,  under  God,  as  the  chief  instrument  in  con 
ferring  on  me  my  present  advantages.  And  I  assure  you  my  great 
and  constant  anxiety  shall  be,  so  to  conduct  myself  as  not  to  dis 
appoint  any  expectations  which  you  may  have  been  instrumental 
in  raising  in  regard  to  me." 

28th.  A  zealous  and  pious  missionary  of  the  Church  of  England 
came  to  the  Chippewas  located  on  the  left,  or  British,  side  of  the  St. 
Mary's  River  some  years  ago,  under  the  patronage  of  the  eccle 
siastical  authorities  of  Toronto.  At  this  place  he  married  one  of 
the  daughters  of  the  Woman  of  the  Green  Valley  (Ozhawusco- 
dawTaqua)  heretofore  noticed  as  the  daughter  of  Wabojeeg.  He 
now  writes  from  Canada  West :  "  Charlotte  and  myself  are  very 
much  obliged  to  you  for  your  kind  offer  of  assistance,  of  which  we 
will  avail  ourselves.  Although  I  have  now  a  promise  of  this  Rec 
tory,  or  I  may  say,  a  former  one  has  been  confirmed  by  Bishop 
Strachan  two  or  three  days  ago." 

3lst.  A  friend — a  trustee  of  one  of  the  principal  churches  at 
Detroit,  writes :  "  You  may  think  it  strange  that  we  of  the  first 
Protestant  Society  of  this  city  are  not  able  to  pay  our  very  worthy 
and  deserving  pastor,  and  so  it  is  ;  but  it  is  no  less  strange  than 
true  !  Some  of  our  subscribers  are  dead  ;  some  have  failed,  and 
so  they  can  pay  nothing,  and  others  have  left  the  country  in  search 
of  a  more  congenial  clime,  and  those  remaining  find  much  difficulty 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  677 

in  meeting  their  money  engagements,  though  nearly  all  are  in 
the  habit  of  attending  the  preaching  of  this  best  of  men,  and  we 
are  driven  to  the  necessity  of  making  a  call  on  you,  though  at  a 
distance. 

"Mr.  Duffield  is  continuing  his  Sunday  evening  lectures,  with 
his  Thursday  evening  Bible  class  exercises,  and  they  are  con 
stantly  increasing  in  interest.  We  think  him  a  wonder ;  he  ren 
ders  every  subject  he  touches,  simple,  and  gives  the  doctrines  he 
treats  upon,  what  the  Scriptures  pronounce  them  to  be,  4  A  man, 
though  a  fool,  need  not  err  therein.' 

"Our  legislature  is  moving  on  slowly;  the  shafts  of  wit  wielded 

at  each  other  by  * *,  and  *,  are,  as  the  common  phrase  is,  '  a 

caution ; '  it  requires  a  man  of  more  than  common  discernment  to 
see  their  point.  You  have,  doubtless,  before  this,  seen  the  an 
nouncement  of  the  appointment  of  Hastings  and  Stuart,  as  Auditor 
and  Treasurer;  what  will  become  of  the  Internal  Improvement 
system,  is  doubtful.  Committees  are  now  engaged  in  examining 
the  Bank  of  Michigan,  and  the  Farmers'  and  Mechanics'  Bank.'' 

Another  friend,  who  was  au  fait  on  fiscal  affairs  (5th  Feb.), 
says  :  "  We  get  on  quite  well.  The  legislative  committee  will  be 
compelled  to  state  facts,  and  if  they  do  nothing  more  they  must 
give  us  a  clean  bill  of  health.  I  miss  you  much  this  winter,  and 
hope,  if  we  are  spared,  you  will  not  immure  yourself  again  so 
long." 

The  fiscal  crisis  that  was  now  impending  over  Michigan,  it  was 
evident  was  in  the  process  of  advance  ;  but  it  was  not  possible  to 
tell  when  it  would  fall,  nor  with  what  severity.  All  had  been 
over-speculating  —  over-trading — over-banking,  overdoing  every 
thing,  in  short,  that  prudence  should  dictate.  But  the  public  were 
in  for  it,  and  could  not,  it  seems,  back  out,  and  every  one  hoped 
for  the  best.  My  best  friends,  the  most  cautious  guides  of  my 
youth,  had  entered  into  the  speculating  mania,  and  there  appeared 
to  be,  in  fact,  nobody  of  means  or  standing,  who  had  been  proof 
against  the  temptation  of  getting  rich  soon.  I  "immured"  my 
self  far  away  from  the  scene  of  turmoil  and  strife,  and  was  happy 
so  long  as  I  kept  my  eyes  on  my  books  and  manuscripts. 

Feb.  8th.  The  mission  recently  established  by  the  Presbyterian 
Board  at  Grand  Traverse  Bay,  flourishes  as  well  as  it  is  reason 
able  to  expect.  Mr.  Johnston  writes  :  "The  chief  Kosa,  and  ano 
ther  Indian,  have  cut  logs  sufficient  for  their  houses.  This 


678  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

finishes  our  pinery  on  this  point.  We  cannot  now  get  timber  short 
of  the  river  on  the  south-east  side  of  the  bay,  or  at  the  bottom  of 
it,  twelve  miles  distant.  Mr.  Dougherty  has  a  prayer  meeting  on 
Saturday  night,  and  Bible  class  on  Sabbath  afternoon.  His  meet 
ings  on  Sunday  are  regularly  attended  by  all  the  Indians  who 
spend  the  winter  with  us ;  they  continue  to  manifest  a  kind  feel 
ing  towards  us,  and  appear  anxious  to  acquire  useful  knowledge." 

March  *lth.  While  politicians,  financiers,  speculators  in  real  es 
tate,  anxious  holders  of  bank  stock,  and  missionaries  careful  of 
the  Indian  tribes  are  thus  busy — each  class  animated  by  a  sepa 
rate  hope — it  is  refreshing  to  see  that  my  little  daughter  (Jane) 
who  writes  under  this  date  from  her  school  at  Philadelphia,  is 
striving  after  p's  and  g's.  "  I  am  getting  along  in  my  studies 
very  well.  I  love  music  as  much  as  ever.  I  like  my  French  stu 
dies  much.  I  have  got  all  p's  for  my  lessons,  but  one  g.  G«is  for 
good,  and  p  for  perfect.''  What  a  pity  that  all  classes  of  adult 
men  were  not  pursuing  their  g's  and  p's  with  equal  simplicity  of 
emulation  and  purity  of  purpose. 

IQtJi.  Prof.  L.  Fasquelle,  of  Livingston,  transmits  to  me  a  trans 
lation  of  the  so-called  "Pontiac  manuscript."  This  document 
consists  of  an  ancient  French  journal,  of  daily  events  during  the 
siege  of  the  fort  of  Detroit  by  that  redoubtable  chief  and  his  con 
federates  in  1763.  It  was  found  in  the  garret  of  one  of  the  French 
habitants,  thrust  away  between  the  plate  and  the  roof;  partly  torn, 
and  much  soiled  by  rains  and  the  effects  of  time. 

13^A.  The  Chippewa  Indians  say  that  the  woods  and  shores, 
bays  and  islands,  are  inhabited  by  innumerable  spirits,  who  are 
ever  wakeful  and  quick  to  hear  everything  during  the  summer 
season,  but  during  the  winter,  after  the  snow  falls,  these  spirits 
appear  to  exist  in  a  torpid  state,  or  find  their  abodes  in  inanimate 
bodies.  The  tellers  of  legends  and  oral  tales  among  them  are, 
therefore,  permitted  to  exercise  their  fancies  and  functions  to 
amuse  their  listeners  during  the  winter  season,  for  the  spirits  are 
then  in  a  state  of  inactivity,  and  cannot  hear.  But  their  vocation 
as  story  tellers  is  ended  the  moment  the  spring  opens.  The  shrill 
piping  of  the  frog,  waking  from  his  wintry  repose,  is  the  signal  for 
the  termination  of  their  story  craft,  and  I  have  in  vain  endeavored 
to  get  any  of  them  to  relate  this  species  of  imaginary  lore  at  any 
other  time.  It  is  evaded  by  some  easy  and  indifferent  remark.  But 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  679 

the  true  reason  is  given  above.  Young  and  old  adhere  to  this 
superstition.  It  is  said  that,  if  they  violate  the  custom,  the  snakes, 
toads,  and  other  reptiles,  which  are  believed  to  be  under  the  influence 
of  the  spirits,  will  punish  them. 

It  is  remarkable  that  this  propensity  of  inventing  tales  and 
allegories,  which  is  so  common  to  our  Indians,  is  one  of  the  most 
general  traits  of  the  human  mind.  The  most  ancient  effort  of  this 
kind  by  far,  in  the  way  of  the  allegorical,  is  in  the  following 
words :  "  The  Thistle  that  was  in  Lebanon  sent  to  the  Cedar, 
saying,  give  thy  daughter  to  my  son  to  wife  :  and  there  passed  by 
a  wild  beast  and  trod  down  the  Thistle."  (2  Kings,  xiv.  9.) 

April  5th.  A  representative  in  Congress  writes  from  Washing 
ton  :  "  The  House  moves  very  slowly  in  its  business — that  is,  the 
business  of  the  nation.  The  principal  object  seems  to  be  to  make 
or  unmake  a  President." 

6th.  The  Rev.  Benj.  Dorr,  of  Christ  Church,  Philadelphia,  com 
mends  to  my  attentions  a  Mr.  Wagner,  a  gentleman  of  intelligence, 
refinement,  and  scientific  tastes,  who  leaves  that  city  on  a  tour  to 
the  lakes  and  St.  Anthony's  Falls.  "  His  object  is  to  see  as  much 
as  possible,  in  one  summer's  tour,  of  our  great  Western  World, 
and  I  hope  he  may  stop  a  short  time  at  Mackinack,  that  he  may 
have  an  opportunity  of  forming  your  acquaintance,  of  seeing  your 
beautiful  island,  and  examining  your  splendid  cabinet  of  minerals, 
which  would  particularly  interest  him,  as  he  has  a  taste  for  geo 
logical  studies." 

Sth.  Hon.  A.  Vanderpool,  M.  C.  from  N.  Y.,  observes :  "  The 
Senate  has,  by  the  casting  vote  of  the  Vice  President,  decided  in 
favor  of  the  Seneca  treaty,  i.  e.,  that  the  Indians  shall  be  removed. 
Much  opposition  has  been  made  to  the  treaty,  as  you  will  perceive 
from  the  speech  of  Senator  Linn,  which  I  send  you." 

It  has  been  alleged  against  this  treaty  that  it  was  carried 
through  by  the  zealous  efforts  of  the  persons  holding  (by  an  old 
compact)  the  reversionary  right  to  the  soil  after  the  Senecas  should 
decide  to  leave  it,  and  that  the  obvious  interests  of  these  persons 
produced  an  undue  influence  on  this  feature  in  the  result.  It  is 
averred  that  the  Tonewonda  band  of  the  Senecas,  who  hold  a 
separate  and  valuable  reservation  on  the  banks  of  the  Tonewonda 
River,  opposed  the  proposition  altogether,  and  refused  to  place 
their  signatures  to  the  instrument. 


680  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

It  was  supposed  that  small  Indian  communities,  living  on  limited 
reservations,  surrounded  entirely  on  all  sides  by  white  settlements, 
could  not  sustain  themselves,  but  must  be  inevitably  swept  away. 
But  the  result,  in  the  case  of  the  Senecas  and  other  remnants  of 
the  ancient  Iroquois,  does  not  sustain  this  theory.  It  is  true  that 
numbers  have  yielded  to  dissipation,  idleness,  and  vice,  and  thus 
perished ;  but  the  very  pressure  upon  the  mass  of  the  tribes,  and 
the  danger  of  their  speedy  destruction-  without  resorting  to  agri 
culture,  appear  to  have  brought  out  latent  powers  in  the  race 
which  were  not  believed  to  exist.  They  have  taken  manfully 
hold  of  the  plough,  cultivated  crops  of  wheat  and  corn,  and  raised 
horses,  cattle,  sheep,  and  hogs.  They  have  adopted  the  style  of 
houses,  fences,  implements,  carriages,  dress,  and,  to  some  extent, 
the  language,  manners,  and  modes  of  transacting  business,  of  their 
neighbors.  And,  perceiving  their  ability  to  sustain  themselves  by 
cultivation  and  the  arts,  now  turn  round  and  solicit  the  protecting 
arms  of  the  State  and  General  Government  to  permit  them  to 
develop  their  industrial  capacities.  Too  late,  almost,  they  have 
been  convinced  of  the  erroneous  policy  of  their  ancestors,  &c. 
Every  right-thinking  man  must  approve  this. 

May  ~L2th.  Prof.  Orren  Root,  of  Syracuse  Academy,  New  York, 
appeals  to  me  to  contribute  towards  the  formation  of  a  mineralogi- 
cal  cabinet  at  that  institution. 

SQth.  The  new  farming  station  and  mission  for  the  Chippewas 
of  Grand  Traverse  Bay  is  successfully  established.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Dougherty  reports  that  a  school  for  Indian  children  has  been  well 
attended  since  November.  A  blacksmith's  shop  is  in  successful 
operation.  The  U.  S.  Farmer  reports  that  he  has  just  completed 
ploughing  the  Indian  fields.  He  has  put  in  several  acres  of  oats, 
and  the  corn  is  about  six  inches  above  the  ground.  The  Indians 
generally  are  making  large  fields,  and  have  planted  more  corn  than 
usual,  and  manifest  a  disposition  to  become  industrious,  and  to- 
avail  themselves  of  the  double  advantage  that  is  furnished  them 
by  the  Department  of  Indian  Affairs  and  by  the  Mission  Board 
which  has  taken  them  in  hand. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS,  681 


CHAPTER    LXX. 

Death  of  Col.  Lawrence  Schoolcraft — Perils  of  the  revolutionary  era — Otwin 
— Mr.  Bancroft's  history  in  the  feature  of  its  Indian  relations — A  tradition 
of  a  noted  chief  on  Lake  Michigan — The  collection  of  information  for  a 
historical  volume — Opinions  of  Mr.  Paulding,  Dr.  Webster,  Mr.  Duer,  John 
Quincy  Adams — Holyon  and  Alholyon — Family  monument — Mr.  Steven 
son,  American  Minister  at  London — Joanna  Baillie — Wisconsin — Ireland 
— Detroit — Michilimackinack. 

1840.  June  *lih.  THE  first  of  June  found  me  in  Detroit,  on 
my  way  to  Washington,  where  I  was  in  a  few  days  met  by  the 
appalling  intelligence  of  the  death  of  my  father  (Col.  Lawrence 
Schoolcraft),  an  event  which  took  place  on  this  day  at  Yernon, 
Oneida  County,  New  York.  He  had  reached  his  eighty-fourth 
year,  and  possessed  a  vigor  of  constitution  which  promised  longer 
life,  until  within  a  few  days  of  his  demise.  A  dark  spot  appeared 
on  one  of  his  feet,  which  had,  I  think,  been  badly  gashed  with  an 
axe  in  early  life.  This  discoloration  expanded  upwards  in  the 
limb,  and  terminated  in  what  appeared  to  be  a  dry  mortification. 

In  him  terminated  the  life  of  one  of  the  most  zealous  actors  in 
the  drama  of  the  American  Revolution,  in  which  he  was  at  various 
times  a  soldier  and  an  officer,  a  citizen  and  a  civil  magistrate. 
"  Temperate,  ardent  and  active,  of  a  mind  vigorous  and  energetic, 
of  a  spirit  bold  and  daring,  nay,  even  indomitable  in  its  aspirations 
for  freedom,  he  became  at  once  conspicuous  among  his  brethren  in 
arms,  and  a  terror  to  his  country's  foes."* 

His  grandfather  was  an  Englishman,  and  had  served  with  repu 
tation  under  the  Duke  of  Marlborough  in  some  of  his  famous  con 
tinental  battles,  in  the  days  of  Queen  Anne,  and  he  cherished  the 
military  principle  with  great  ardor.  He  spoke  fluently  the  German 
and  Dutch  languages,  and  was  thus  able  to  communicate  with  the 
masses  of  the  varied  population,  originally  from  the  Upper  Rhine 

*  Nat.  Intell.  July  31,  1840. 


682  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

and  the  Scheldt,  who  formed  a  large  portion  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  then  frontier  portions  of  Albany  County,  including  the  wild 
and  picturesque  range  of  the  Helderbergs  and  of  the  new  settlements 
of  Schoharie,  the  latter  being  in  immediate  contact  with  the  Mo 
hawk  Iroquois.  The  influence  of  the  British  government  over  this 
tribe,  through  the  administration  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  was  un 
bounded.  Many  of  the  foreign  emigrants  and  their  descendants 
were  also  under  this  sway,  and  the  whole  frontier  was  spotted  with 
loyalists  under  the  ever  hateful  name  of  Tories.  These  kept  the 
enemy  minutely  informed  of  all  movements  of  the  revolutionists, 
and  were,  at  the  same  time,  the  most  cruel  of  America's  foes,  not 
excepting  the  Mohawks.  For  the  fury  of  the  latter  was  generally 
in  battle,  but  the  former  exercised  their  cruelties  in  cold  blood, 
and  generally  made  deliberate  preparations  for  them,  by  assuming 
the  guise  of  Indians.  In  these  infernal  masks  they  gave  vent  to 
private  malice,  and  cut  the  throats  of  their  neighbors  and  their 
innocent  children.  In  such  a  position  a  patriot's  life  was  doubly 
assailed,  and  it  was  often  the  price  of  it,  to  declare  himself  "a  son 
of  liberty,"  a  term  then  often  used  by  the  revolutionists. 

He  had  just  entered  his  seventeenth  year  when  the  war  against 
the  British  authorities  in  the  land  broke  out,  and  he  immediately 
declared  for  it ;  the  wealthy  farmer  (Swartz)  with  whom  he  lived, 
being  one  of  the  first  who  were  overhauled  and  "spotted"  by  the 
LOCAL  COMMITTEE  OF  SAFETY,  who  paraded  through  the  settlement 
with  a  drum  and  fife.  He  was  at  the  disarming  of  Sir  John  John 
son,  at  Johnstown,  under  Gen.  Schuyler,  where  a  near  relative, 
Conrad  Wiser,  Esq.,  was  the  government  interpreter.  He  was  at 
Ticonderoga  when  the  troops  were  formed  into  hollow  square  to 
hear  the  Declaration  of  Independence  read.  He  marched  with 
the  army  that  went  to  reinforce  Gen.  Montgomery,  at  Quebec,  and 
was  one  of  the  besieged  in  Fort  Stanwix,  on  the  source  of  the  Mo 
hawk,  while  Gen.  Burgoyne,  with  his  fine  army,  was  being  drawn 
into  the  toils  of  destruction  by  Gen.  Schuyler,  at  Saratoga — a  fate 
from  which  his  superseded*  by  Gen.  Gates,  the  only  unjust  act  of 
Washington,  did  not  extricate  hirm 

The  adventures,  perils,  and  anecdotes  of  this  period,  he  loved 
in  his  after  days  to  recite ;  and  I  have  sometimes  purposed  to  record 
them,  in  connection  with  his  name ;  but  the  prospect  of  my  doing 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  683 

so,  while  still  blessed  with  an  excellent  memory,  becomes  fainter 
and  fainter. 

Sth.  Otwin  (vide  ante)  writes  from  La  Pointe,  in  Lake  Superior, 
in  the  following  terms  : — 

"  I  often  look  back  to  the  happy  days  I  spent  in  your  family, 
and  feel  grateful  in  view  of  them.  A  thousand  blessings  rest  on 
your  head,  my  dear  friend,  and  that  of  your  wife,  for  all  your  kind 
ness  to  me,  when  first  a  stranger  in  a  distant  land.  I  cannot 
reward  you,  but  know  that  you  will  be  rewarded  at  the  resurrec 
tion  of  the  just." 

9th.  "I  know  of  no  good  reason,"  says  a  correspondent,  "why 
a  man  should  not,  at  all  times,  stand  ready  to  sustain  the  truth." 
This  is  a  maxim  worthy  Dr.  Johnson ;  but  the  experience  of  life 
shows  that  such  high  moral  independence  is  rare.  Most  men  will 
speak  out,  and  even  vindicate  the  truth,  sometimes.  But  the 
worldling  will  stand  mute,  or  evade  its  declaration,  whenever  his 
interests  are  to  be  unfavorably  affected  by  it. 

I  reached  Washington  on  public  business  during  the  heats  of 
June,  and,  coming  from  northern  latitudes,  felt  their  oppressive 
ness  severely. 

27th.  Mr.  Bancroft,  the  historian,  pursues  exactly  the  course  he 
should,  to  ferret  out  all  facts,  new  and  old.  He  does  not  hold  him 
self  too  dignified  to  pick  up  information,  or  investigate  facts, 
whenever  and  wherever  he  can  find  them.  In  what  he  has  to  say 
about  the  Indians,  a  subject  that  lies  as  a  superstratum  under  his 
work,  he  is  anxious  to  hear  all  that  can  be  said.  "Let  me.  hear 
from  you,"  he  adds  in  a  letter  of  this  date,  "before  you  go  back. 
I  want  to  consult  you  on  my  chapter  about  the  Indians,  and  for 
that  end  should  like  to  send  you  a  copy  of  it." 

The  chief,  Eshquagonaby,  of  Grand  Traverse  Bay,  Lake  Michi 
gan,  relates  the  following  traditions  :  When  Gezha  Manido  (the 
Good  Spirit)  created  this  island  (continent),  it  was  a  perfect  plain, 
without  trees  or  shrubs.  He  then  created  an  Indian  man  and 
woman.  When  they  had  multiplied  so  as  to  number  ten  persons, 
death  happened.  At  this  the  man  lamented,  and  went  to  and  fro 
over  the  earth,  complaining.  Why,  he  exclaimed,  did  the  Good 
Spirit  create  me  to  know  death  and  misery  so  soon  ?  The  Good 
Spirit  heard  this,  and,  after  assembling  his  angels  to  counsel,  said 
to  them,  What  shall  we  do  to  better  the  condition  of  man  ?  I  have 


684  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

created  him  frail  and  weak.  They  answered,  0,  Good  Spirit,  thou 
hast  created  us,  and  thou  art  everlasting,  and  knowest  all  things ; 
thou  alone  knowest  what  is  best. 

Six  days  were  given  to  this  consultation.  During  this  time  not 
a  breath  of  wind  blew  to  disturb  the  waters.  This  is  now  called 
unwatin  (a  calm).  On  the  seventh  day  not  a  cloud  was  seen ;  the 
sky  was  blue  and  serene.  This  is  called  nageezliik  (excellent  day) 
by  the  Indians. 

During  this  day  he  sent  down  a  messenger,  placing  in  his  right 
bosom  a  piece  of  white  hare  skin,  and  in  his  left,  part  of  the  head 
of  the  white-headed  eagle.  Both  these  substances  had  a  blue 
stripe  on  them  of  the  nature  and  substance  of  the  blue  sky,  being 
symbols  of  peace. 

The  messenger  said  to  the  man  that  complained  :  "  Your  words 
are  heard,  and  I  am  come  from  the  Good  Spirit  with  good  words. 
You  must  conform  yourself  to  his  commands.  I  bring  pieces  of 
the  white  hare  skin  and  the  white  eagle's  head,  which  you  must 
use  in  your  MEDAWA  (religico-medical  rites),  and  whatsoever  is 
asked  on  those  occasions  will  be  granted,  and  long  life  given  to 
the  sick."  The  messenger  also  gave  them  a  white  otter  skin,  with 
a  blue  stripe  painted  on  the  back  part  of  the  head.  Other  cere 
monial  rites  and  directions  were  added,  but  these  may  suffice  to 
indicate  the  character  of  Mr.  Eshquagonaby's  tradition,  which 
has  just  been  sent  to  me. 

July  1st.  I  was  now  anxious  to  collect  materials  for  the  pub 
lication  of  a  volume  of  collections  by  the  Michigan  Historical 
Society,  and  addressed  several  gentlemen  of  eminence  on  the 
subject.  Mr.  J.  K.  Paulding,  Sec.  of  the  Navy  (July  9th),  pleads 
official  engagements  as  preventing  him  from  doing  much  in  the 
literary  way  while  thus  employed. 

Dr.  Noah  Webster,  of  New  Haven,  expresses  his  interest  in  the 
history  of  the  country  generally,  and  his  willingness  to  contribute 
to  the  collection  and  preservation  of  passing  materials.  "  In 
answer  to  the  request  for  aid  in  collecting  national  documents,  I 
can  sincerely  say  it  will  give  me  pleasure  to  lend  any  aid  in  my 
power.  Respecting  the  State  of  Michigan,  I  presume  I  could 
furnish  nothing  of  importance.  Respecting  the  history  of  our 
government  for  the  last  fifty  years,  I  might  be  able  to  add  some 
thing  to  the  stock  of  information  possessed  by  the  present  genera- 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  685 

tion,  for  I  find  men  in  middle  life  absolutely  ignorant  of  some 
material  facts  which  have  a  bearing  on  our  political  concerns. 
But  little  can  be  expected,  however,  from  a  man  of  eighty-two, 
whose  toils  must  be  drawing  to  a  close.'7 

The  Hon.  John  A.  Duer,  Prest.  Col.  College  (July  15th),  while 
expressing  a  sympathy  in  the  object,  declares  himself  too  much 
occupied  in  the  duties  of  his  charge  to  permit  him  to  hold  forth 
any  promise  of  usefulness  in  the  case  specified. 

Hon.  John  Quincy  Adams  forwarded,  with  the  expression  of  his 
interest  in  the  subject,  twelve  pamphlets  of  historical  value,  the  titles 
of  each  of  which  he  carefully  recites  in  his  letter.  "  It  will  give 
me  much  pleasure,"  he  says,  "to  transmit  to  the  society,  when  it 
may  be  in  my  power,  any  of  the  articles  pertaining  to  the  history 
of  the  country  and  mentioned  in  your  letter,  as  suited  to  promote 
the  purposes  for  which  it  was  instituted." 

From  other  quarters  and  observers  less  absorbed  in  the  dis 
charge  of  specific  functions,  I  received  several  valuable  manuscript 
communications,  chiefly  relative  to  transactions  on,  the  frontiers 
or  to  Indian  history. 

22d.  Two  half-breeds  from  the  upper  lakes,  whom  I  shall  de 
signate  Holyon  and  Alholyon,  made  their  way  to  the  seat  of  go 
vernment  during  the  winter  of  1840.  Holyon  had  been  dismissed 
for  improper  conduct  from  the  office  of  Indian  interpreter  at 
Mackinack  about  May.  Alholyon  had  been  frustrated  in  two 
several  attempts  to  get  himself  recognized  as  head  chief  by  the 
Ottawas,  and  consequently  to  some  influence  in  the  use  of  the 
public  funds,  which  were  now  considerable.  One  was  of  the  Chip- 
pewa,  the  other  of  the  Ottawa  stock.  Holyon  was  bold  and  reck 
less,  Alholyon  more  timid  and  polite,  but  equally  destitute  of  moral 
principles.  They  induced  some  of  the  Indians  to  believe  that,  if 
furnished  by  them  with  funds,  they  could  exercise  a  favorable  in 
fluence  at  Washington,  in  regard  to  the  sale  of  their  lands.  The 
poor  ignorant  Indians  are  easily  hoodwinked  in  matters  of  busi 
ness.  At  the  same  time  they  presented,  in  secret  council,  a  draft 
for  $4000  for  their  services,  which  they  induced  some  of  the  chiefs 
to  sign.  This  draft  they  succeeded  in  negotiating  to  some  mer 
chant  for  a  small  part  of  its  value.  No  sooner  had  they  got  to 
head-quarters,  and  found  they  were  anticipated  in  the  draft  matter, 
and  the  project  of  a  chieftainship,  by  letters  from  the  agent,  than 


686  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

they  drew  up  a  long  list  of  accusations  against  him,  containing  every 
imaginable  and  abominable  abuse  of  office.  This  was  presented  at 
the  Indian  office,  where  its  obvious  character  should  have,  it  would 
seem,  been  at  once  suspected.  The  head  of  that  Bureau,  who 
began  to  see  from  the  strong  political  demonstrations  around  him, 
"how  the  cat  was  about  to  jump,"  acceded  to  a  request  of  Holyon 
and  Alholyon,  that  the  matter  be  referred  for  local  examination  to 
one  or  two  of  their  personal  advisers  inland.  This  step  (in  entire 
ignorance  of  the  private  relations  of  the  parties,  it  must  be  pre 
sumed,)  was  assented  to.  In  a  letter  of  Holyon  to  J.  L.  S.,  of 
May  19th,  1840,  he  says:  "The  department  was  predisposed 
against  him  (the  agent),  and  wanted  only  a  cause  to  proceed 
against  him."  But  it  left  a  stain  on  its  fairness  and  candor  by 
omitting  the  usual  course  of  furnishing  the  agent  a  copy  of  the 
charges  and  requesting  his  attention  thereto,  or  even  of  informing 
him  of  the  pendency  of  an  investigation.  As  the  charges  were  en 
tirely  unfounded,  and  had  been  the  diseased  imaginings  of  disap 
pointed  and ,  unprincipled  minds,  it  only  put  the  agent  to  the 
necessity  of  confronting  his  assailants,  and  with  every  advantage 
of  accusers,  examiners  and  the  appellant  power  against  him,  he 
was  triumphantly  acquitted,  by  an  official  letter,  of  every  charge 
whatever,  and  of  every  moral  imputation  of  wrong.  "  Should  thy 
lies  make  men  hold  their  peace  ?  and  when  thou  mockest,  shall  no 
man  make  thee  ashamed  ?"  (Job  xi.  3.) 

24th.  I  left  Washington  for  the  north,  taking  my  children  along 
from  their  respective  schools  at  Philadelphia  and  Brooklyn,  for 
their  summer  vacation,  and  only  halting  long  enough  at  Utica  and 
Vernon,  to  direct  a  marble  monument  to  be  erected  to  the  memory 
of  my  father.  The  site  selected  for  this  was  the  cemetery  on  the 
Scanado  (usually  spelled  without  regard  however  to  the  popular  pro 
nunciation  Skenandoak),  Vernon.  It  appeared  expedient  to  make 
this  a  family  monument,  and  I  directed  the  several  faces  to  be 
inscribed  as  follows: — 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  687 

THIS  MONUMENT  IS  ERECTED 

In  memory  of 

A  FATHER,  A  MOTHER  AND  A  SISTER, 
By  the  surviving  children. 

COLONEL  LAWRENCE  SCHOOLCRAFT, 

A  soldier  of  the  Revolution  of  1776, 
(He  being  the  second  in  descent  from  James,  who  came  from  England  in  the 

reign  of  Queen  Anne,) 
Born  Feb.  3d,  1757.    Died  June  7th,  1840, 

In  his  84th  year. 
He  lived  and  died  a  patriot,  a  Christian,  and  an  honest  man. 

MARGARET  ANN  BARBARA, 
Consort  of  Col.  Lawrence  Schoolcraft, 

Died  Feb.  16th,  1832,  aged  72. 
"  Her  children  rise  up  and  call  her  blessed." — PROV. 

MISS  MARGARET  HELEN, 

Daughter  of  Lawrence  and  Margaret  Ann  Barbara  Schoolcraft, 

Born  18th  June,  1806. 
Died  12th  April,  1829,  in  her  23d  year. 

I  reached  Detroit  early  in  August.  A  letter  from  Mackinack, 
of  the  13th  of  that  month,  says:  "  The  children  arrived  at  mid 
night  past,  safe  and  sound,  and  they  seem  quite  delighted.  Eve 
line  seems  to  be  the  centre  of  attraction  with  them  all.  I  have 
not  a  word  new  to  say.  A  change  has  come  over  the  spirit  of  our 
notables.  Samuel,  the  day  before  your  letter  was  received,  ex 
pressed  his  opinion,  that  'it  would  go  hard  with  you.'  A  dog 
when  he  supposes  himself  unnoticed  in  the  act  of  stealing,  looks 
mean,  but  when  he  is  discovered  in  the  act,  he  looks  meaner  still. 
And  I  know  of  no  better  comparison  than  this  clique,  and  that  dog." 

24A  Hon.  Andrew  Stevenson,  American  Minister  in  London, 
responds  to  my  inquiries  on  certain  historical  points,  respecting 
which  he  has  kindly  charged  his  agent  to  institute  inquiries. 

Sept.  5th.  I  reached  the  agency  at  Mackinack  about-  the  begin 
ning  of  September.  Facilis,  a  young  man  of  equally  ready  and 
respectable  talents,  writes  me,  from  Detroit,  under  this  date,  ex 
pressing  a  wish  to  be  employed  in  the  execution  of  some  of  the 
fiscal  duties  of  the  superintendency  during  the  season.  "  I  write 
to  you,"  he  adds,  "  as  a  friend.  Times  are  hard,  and  every  little 
that  is  directed  to  aid  one  in  his  efforts  to  stem  the  current  of  life, 


688  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

possesses  an  incalculable  value."  I  yielded  the  more  readily  to  this 
request  from  the  chain  of  circumstances  which,  however  favorable, 
had  hitherto  disappointed  his  most  ardent  aims  and  the  just  expect 
ations  of  his  friends. 

ll£A.  Joanna  Baillie,  the  celebrated  authoress,  who  has  spent  a 
long  life  in  the  most  honorable  and  deeply  characteristic  literary 
labors,  writes  from  her  residence  at  Hampstead  (Eng.),  as  if  with 
undiminished  vigor  of  hope,  expressing  her  interest  in  the  progress 
of  historical  letters  in  this  (to  her)  remote  part  of  the  world.  How 
much  closer  bonds  these  literary  sympathies  are  in  drawing  two 
nations  of  a  kindred  blood  together,  than  dry  and  formal  diplo 
matics,  in  which  it  is  the  object,  as  Talleyrand  says,  of  human 
language  to  conceal  thought ! 

Oct.  16th.  Wisconsin  is  slowly,  but  surely,  filling  up  with  a 
healthy  population,  and  founding  her  moral,  as  well  as  political 
institutions,  on  a  solid  basis.  Rev.  Jer.  Porter,  my  old  friend 
during  the  interesting  scenes  at  St.  Mary's,  in  1832  and  1833, 
writes  me,  that,  after  passing  a  few  years  in  Illinois,  he  has  settled 
at  Green  Bay,  as  the  pastor  of  a  healthful  and  increasing  church. 
"I  have  recently,"  he  writes,  amade  an  excursion  on  horseback, 
in  the  interior  of  the  territory.  I  traveled  about  400  miles,  being 
from  home  sixteen  days.  I  went  to  meet  a  convention  of  ministers 
and  delegates  from  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  churches,  to 
see  if  we  could  form  a  union  of  the  two  denominations  in  the  terri 
tory,  so  that  we  might  have  a  perfect  co-operation  in  every  good 
work.  We  had  twelve  ministers  of  these  denominations  present,  all 
but  four  or  five  now  in  the  territory,  and  were  so  happy  as  to  form 
a  basis  of  union,  which  will,  I  trust,  prove  permanent,  and  be  a 
great  blessing  to  our  churches.  This  seems  to  us  a  very  favorable 
beginning. 

"  I  find  the  beautiful  prairies  of  the  interior  rapidly  settling 
with  a  very  good  population  from  the  Eastern  States,  and  the 
healthiness  of  the  country  gives  it  some  advantages  over  Illinois. 
With  the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  I  think  this  may  yet  be  one  of  the 
best  States  in  the  Union." 

20th.  The  Rev.  Henry  Kearney,  of  Kitternan  Glebe,  Dublin 
(Ireland),  communicates  notices  of  some  of  the  inroads  made  by 
death  on  the  rank  of  our  friends  and  relatives  in  that  land.  "  Since 
my  last,  the  valued  friend  of  the  family,  the  Right  Hon'ble  Wm. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  689 

Saurin  (late  Attorney-General)  was  removed  from  this  world  of 
changes  to  the  world  of  durable  realities.  He  was  past  eighty. 
The  bishop  (Dromore)  is  still  alive,  not  more  than  a  year  younger 
than  his  brother.  Old  age — found  in  the  ways  of  righteousness — 
how  honorable  ! 

"  You  will  have  learned,  from  the  European  newspapers,  the 
agitated  state  of  all  the  countries  from  China  to  Great  Britain. 
Is  the  Lord  about  to  bring  to  pass  the  predicted  days  of  retribu 
tion  on  the  nations  for  abused  responsibility,  and  the  restoration 
of  the  ancient  nation  of  Israel,  to  be,  once  more,  the  depository 
of  his  judgment  and  truth  for  the  recovery  of  all  nations  to  the 
great  principles  of  government  and  religion  taught  us  in  His 
holy  word  ?" 

Nov.  1st.  Having  concluded  the  Indian  business  in  the  Upper 
Lakes  for  the  season,  I  returned  with  my  family  to  Detroit,  and 
employed  my  leisure  in  literary  investigations. 

Dec.  3d.  Mr.  Josiah  Snow  apprizes  me  that  he  is  about,  in  a 
feW  weeks,  to  issue  the  first  number  of  a  newspaper  devoted  to 
agriculture,  in  which  he  solicits  my  aid. 

15th.  J.  K.  Tefft,  Esq.,  of  Savannah,  informs  me  of  my  election, 
on  the  9th  Sept.  last,  as  an  honorary  member  of  the  Georgia  His 
torical  Society. 

19th.  I  wrote  the  following  lines  in  memory  of  my  father  : — 

The  drum  no  more  shall  rouse  his  heart  to  beat  with  patriot  fires, 
Nor  to  his  kindling  eye  impart  the  flash  of  martial  ires : 
Montgomery's  fall,  Burgoyne's  advance,  awake  no  transient  fear  ; 
E'en  joy  be  dumb  that  noble  France  grasped  in  our  cause  the  spear. 

The  cloud  that,  lowering  northward  spread,  presaging  woe  and  blight, 
In  that  wild  host  St.  Leger  led,  no  longer  arm  for  fight ; 
The  bomb,  the  shell,  the  flash,  the  shot,  the  sortie,  and  the  roar, 
No  longer  nerve  for  battle  hot — the  soldier  is  no  more. 

But  long  shall  memory  speak  his  praise,  and  mark  the  grave  that  blest, 
When  eighty  years  had  crowned  his  days,  he  laid  him  down  to  rest ; 
The  stone  that  marks  the  sylvan  spot,  the  line  that  tells  his  name, 
The  stream,  the  shore,  be  ne'er  forgot,  and  freedom's  be  his  fame. 

'Twas  liberty  that  fired  him  first,  when  kings  and  tyrants  plan'd, 
And  proud  oppression's  car  accurst,  drove  madly  o'er  the  land  ; 
And  long  he  lived  when  that  red  car — the  driver  and  the  foe 
Unhorsed  in  fight,  o'ermatched  in  war— laid  impotent  and  low. 
44 


690  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

He  told  his  children  oft  the  tale — how  tyrants  would  have  bound, 

And  murderous  yells  filled  all  the  Tale,  and  blood  begrimed  the  ground. 

They  loved  the  story  of  the  harms  that  patriot  hands  repelled, 

And  glowed  with  ire  of  wars  and  arms,  and  fast  the  words  they  held. 

The  right,  the  power,  the  wealth,  the  fame,  for  which  the  valiant  fought, 
Have  long  been  ours  in  deed  and  name — life,  liberty,  and  thought ; 
And  while  we  hold  these  blessings,  bought  with  valor,  blood,  and  thrall, 
Embalmed  in  thought  be  those  who  fought  and  freely  periled  all. 

23c?.  The  Detroit  Branch  of  the  University  of  Michigan  organ 
ized,  and  the  Principal  sends  me  a  programme  of  its  studies.  Mr. 
Williams  also  sends  me  the  programme  of  the  Pontiac  Branch. 

31s£.  "  We  were  in  hopes,"  says  James  L.  Schoolcraft,  in  a  letter 
from  Mackinack,  "  of  seeing  a  steamboat  up  during  the  fine  wea 
ther  in  the  latter  part  of  November.  It  is  now,  however,  since 
14th  inst.,  cold.  Theodoric  has  undertaken  to  conduct  a  weekly 
paper,  the  Pic  Nic,  which,  thus  far,  goes  off  well.  Lieut.  Pem- 
berton,  in  the  fort,  is  engaged  in  getting  up  a  private  theatre. 
Thus,  you  see,  we  endeavor  to  ward  off  winter  and  solitude  in 
various  ways.  The  rats  are  playing  the  devil  with  your  house. 
I  have  removed  all  the  bedding.  They  have  injured  some  of 
your  books." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  691 


CHAPTER    LXXI. 

Philology  of  the  Indian  tongues — Its  difficulties — Belles  lettres  and  money 
— Michigan  and  Georgia — Number  of  species  in  natural  history — Ety 
mology—  Nebahquam's  dream— Trait  in  Indian  legends— Pictography- 
Numeration  of  the  races  of  Polynesia  and  the  Upper  Lakes — Love  of  one's 
native  tongue — Death  of  Gen.  Harrison — Rush  for  office  on  his  inaugura 
tion — Ornamental  and  shade  trees — Historical  collections — Mission  of  "  Old 
Wing." 

1841.  Jan.  I2t7i.  THE  Rev.  Thomas  Hulbert,  of  Pic,  Lake  Su 
perior,  who  has  studied  the  Chippewa  language,  says  :  "  I  fully 
concur  in  your  remarks  on  the  claims  of  philology.  Circum 
stances  may  be  easily  conceived  in  which  the  missionary  could  in 
no  way  serve  the  cause  of  Christianity  so  effectually  as  by  the 
study  of  barbarous  languages.  His  primary  object,  it  is  true,  is 
Christian  instruction ;  but  he  would,  at  the  same  time,  serve  the 
cause  of  science,  by  assisting  in  the  advance  of  comparative  phi 
lology.  In  this  light  I  view  your  Algic  Researches,  which  I 
consider  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  missionary,  as  it  introduces 
him  into  the  stronghold  of  Indian  prejudices.  The  introductory 
remarks  I  studied  with  peculiar  interest. 

"  I  find  the  principal  difficulty  in  getting  at  the  principles  of 
the  language  to  be  in  the  compounds.  I  have  long  thought  upon 
the  subject,  but  have  as  yet  ascertained  no  rule  to  guide  me. 
However,  I  do  not  despair.  If  it  cannot  be  taken  by  a  '  coup  de 
main,  patience  and  perseverance  may  in  the  end  prevail.  I  in 
tend  to  bend  my  mind  to  this  subject  for  the  future.  It  will  pro 
bably  require  much  research  to  settle  this  matter.  There  are  some 
compounds  that  I  form  readily,  in  others  I  fail.  I  have  not  ob 
served  anything  in  the  language  like  the  rythrnatic  flow  of  Greek 
and  Latin  poetry ;  there  is  no  alternation  of  long  and  short  syl 
lables  ;  some  words  are  composed  entirely  of  long  syllables,  others 
of  short  ones,  but  generally  there  is  at  least  one  of  each  in  a  word. 


692  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

"  I  have  nothing  in  the  shape  of  Indian  poetry  or  hieroglyphics, 
neither  have  I  seen  the  rocks  you  mention  south-east  of  this  place, 
but  I  have  heard  of  them.  All  their  traditions,  or  comic  and 
tragic  lore,  should  be  collected,  though  it  could  not  all  be  pub 
lished  in  consequence  of  its  obscenity.  Almost  all  the  Ah-te-soo- 
kaum  I  have  heard,  has  had  more  or  less  of  this  ingredient." 

Those  who  contend  for  a  Welsh  element  in  the  languages  of  the 
American  stocks,  find  little  or  no  support  in  modern  vocabularies. 

ENGLISH.  GERMAN.  WELSH.  ALGONQUIN. 

Fire,  Feuer,  Tan,  Schoda. 

Water,  Wasser,  Duel,  Neebi. 

Daal,  Aki. 


( Welt, 

Wind,  Wind,  Gwint,  Noden. 

Sky,  Volka,  Avere,  Geezhikud. 

Sea,  Meer,  More,  Gitchigomi. 

Book,  Buch,  Llyfer,  Muzzenyegun. 

This  topic  requires,  however,  to  be  investigated  on  a  broad 
scale.  It  is  merely  adverted  to  here.  It  is  among  the  western 
nations  that  inquiries  should  be  extended. 

Feb.  4ith.  I  received  a  diploma  of  membership  from  the  Georgia 
Historical  Society,  forwarded  in  accordance  with  a  previous  no 
tice  ;  and  a  few  days  after,  through  the  medium  of  the  Hon.  A. 
S.  Porter,  the  first  volume  of  their  transactions.  Southern  zeal 
quite  outdoes  us,  in  our  literary  efforts  here  of  late.  The  truth 
is,  men  have  speculated  so  wildly,  they  have  no  money  to  devote  to 
historical  or  literary  plans.  A  correspondent  writes  me  (Feb. 
12th)  on  these  visionary  plans  of  investment. 

"  H.  wants  me  to  go  farther  in  the  Cass  Front ;  but  I  am  de 
termined  to  fall  in  the  rear,  as  I  have  written  to  him.  For  the 
last  three  years  I  have  been  going  on  the  Dutch  plan,  which,  had 
I  always  pursued,  I  should  now  have  had  $10,000  in  gold  in  my 
trunk,  instead  of  having  ten  thousand  trunks  full  of  ground." 

1th.  Dick  says  that  there  are  about  60,000  species  in  the  ani 
mal  kingdom.  Of  these,  600  species  are  mammalia,  or  sucklings, 
mostly  four-footed ;  4,000  birds,  3,000  fish,  700  reptiles,  44,000 
insects,  about  3,000  shell  fish,  and  80  to  100,000  animalcula,  in 
visible  to  the  naked  eye.  Perhaps  these  species  may  reach  to 
300,000  altogether.  Yet  here  are  no  estimates  for  plants,  ferns, 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  693 

mosses,  madrepores,   extinct  fossil  species,  minerals  and  rocks. 
What  a  field  for  the  naturalist !     Yet  Pope  could  exclaim — 

"  Say  what  the  use,  were  finer  optics  given, 
T;  inspect  a  mite — not  comprehend  the  heaven." 

We  are,  in  fact,  equally  and  as  much  in  want  of  microscopic  and 
telescopic  knowledge. 

20t7i.  An  Indian,  a  Chippewa,  recently  visited  the  office,  whose 
name  is  Nageezhik.  This  is  one  of  the  simplest  compounds.  I 
spent  some  time,  however,  with  the  man  and  his  companions  to 
get  its  exact  etymology.  Gf-eezhik  is  the  sky,  or  visible  firmament, 
seen  through  the  clouds.  The  word  denotes  two  phenomena:  first, 
something  visible  to  the  eye  that  is  fixed  and  does  not  move,  which 
is  implied  by  the  root  geezh,  and  the  inflection  ik,  which  seems 
applicable  to  all  inanimate  substances,  to  denote  the  fact  of  their 
substantivity.  The  sky  is  thus  described  apparently  as  a  created, 
or  made  thing.  Na  (the  aa  in  Aaron)  is  a  qualifying  particle  of 
very  general  use.  It  appears  to  place  substances  to  which  it  is 
affixed  in  a  superlative  sense,  and  always  as  exalting  the  object. 
Thus  its  meaning  may  be  fair,  admirable,  or  excellent.  Applied 
to  geezhik,  it  implies  an  excellent  quality  in  only  one  sense,  that  is 
excellent  or  fair,  for  a  spot  on  the  blue  profound,  of  which  geezhik 
is  the  description.  For  fairness  or  excellence  cannot  exist,  or  be 
described  in  their  language,  unless  seen  plainly  by  the  eye.  It  is 
the  spot  made  by  a  small  cloud  that  makes  it  excellent  or  fair.  The 
meaning  is  the  fair  or  excellent  (spot)  on  the  sky. 

March  1st.  Madwaybuggashe,  a  Chippewa  Indian,  of  Grand 
Traverse  Bay,  Lake  Michigan,  related  the  following  dream  of  Ne- 
bahquam,  an  Indian  who  recently  died  at  that  place : — 

Nebahquam  dreamed  that  he  saw  a  white  man  coming  towards 
him,  who  said,  You  are  called.  He  replied,  Where  am  I  called  ? 
The  white  man  pointed  to  a  straight  path,  leading  south-east.  Fol 
low  that.  Nebahquam  obeyed  and  followed  it,  till  he  came  to  a 
thick  wooded  country  through  which  the  path  led.  He  soon  came  to 
stumps  of  trees  newly  cut  down,  and  afterwards  heard  a  cock  crow 
ing.  He  next  passed  through  a  new  town,  where  he  was  inclined 
to  stop,  but  was  told  to  go  on.  Again  the  cock  crew.  He  next 
came  to  an  immense  plain,  through  which  his  path  led  straight 
forward  for  some  time,  till  he  came  to  the  foot  of  a  ladder.  He 


694  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

was  told  to  ascend  this,  but  it  reached  up  as  he  went,  till,  looking 
back,  he  had  a  wide  bird's-eye  view  of  towns,  cities,  and  villages. 
He  continued  to  go  up  until  he  reached  the  skies.  Here  stood 
another  white  man,  who  told  him  to  look  round  a  new  earth.  There 
were  four  splendid  houses.  His  guide  told  him  to  enter  one  of 
these.  As  he  got  near  it,  a  door  opened,  and  he  entered  into  a 
splendid  apartment  where  four  white  men  were  seated.  Two  of 
these  had  heads  white  as  snow.  They  spoke  to  him  saying,  Here 
is  the  place  to  which  you  are  called.  No  Indian  has  ever  reached 
here  before.  Few  white  men  come  here.  Look  down  and  behold 
the  bones  of  those  who  have  attempted  to  ascend,  bleaching  at  the 
foot  of  the  ladder. 

The  two  venerable  men  then  gave  him  a  bright-red  deer's  tail, 
and  an  eagle's  feather,  which  he  was  directed  to  wear  on  his  head; 
they  were  talismans  that  would  protect  him  from  peril  and  danger, 
and  insure  him  the  favor  of  the  Master  of  Life.  Both  white  and 
red  men  could  have  reached  the  place,  they  continued,  but  for  refus 
ing  to  receive  Him  who  was  sent  to  save  them,  and  for  reviling  and 
killing  him.  Look  around  again,  they  continued  to  say,  and  he 
saw  animals  and  birds  of  every  kind  in  abundance.  These  are  for 
the  red  men,  and  are  placed  here  to  show  the  peculiar  care  of  the 
Great  Spirit  for  them. 

Nebahquam  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  died  in  that  faith.  But 
he  said  that  he  had  heard  the  dream  in  his  youth,  and  he  regarded 
it  as  sacred.  Such  are  the  blendings  of  superstition  and  religion 
in  the  Indian  mind. 

3d.  Some  of  the  incidents  of  the  fictitious  legends  of  the  Indians 
teach  lessons  which  would  scarcely  be  expected.  Manibozho, 
when  he  had  killed  a  moose,  was  greatly  troubled  as  to  the  manner 
in  which  he  should  eat  the  animal.  "If  I  begin  at  the  head," 
said  he,  "they  will  say  I  eat  him  head  first.  If  I  begin  at  the 
side,  they  will  say  I  eat  him  sideways.  If  I  begin  at  the  tail, 
they  will  say  I  eat  him  tail  first." 

While  he  deliberated,  the  wind  caused  two  limbs  of  a  tree 
that  touched  to  make  a  harsh  creaking  noise.  "  I  cannot  eat  with 
this  noise,"  said  he,  and  immediately  climbed  the  tree  to  prevent 
it,  where  he  was  caught  by  the  arm  and  held  fast  between  the  two 
trees.  Whilst  thus  held,  a  pack  of  hungry  wolves  came  that  way 
and  devoured  the  carcass  of  the  moose  before  his  eyes. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  695 

The  listener  to  the  story  is  plainly  taught  to  draw  this  conclu 
sion  :  If  thou  hast  meat  in  thy  wanderings,  trouble  not  thyself  as 
to  little  things,  nor  let  trifles  disturb  thy  temper,  lest  in  trying  to 
rectify  small  things  thou  lose  greater  ones. 

13th.  Some  years  ago,  a  Chippewa  hunter  of  Grand  Traverse 
Bay,  Lake  Michigan,  found  that  an  Indian  of  a  separate  band 
had  been  found  trespassing  on  his  hunting  grounds  by  trapping 
furred  animals.  He  determined  to  visit  him,  but  found  on  reach 
ing  his  lodge  the  family  absent,  and  the  lodge  door  carefully  closed 
and  tied.  In  one  corner  of  the  lodge  he  found  two  small  packs  of 
furs.  These  he  seized.  He  then  took  his  hatchet  and  blazed  a 
large  tree.  With  a  pencil  made  of  a  burned  end  of  a  stick,  he  then 
drew  on  this  surface  the  figure  of  a  man  holding  a  gun,  pointing  at 
another  man  having  traps  in  his  hands.  The  two  packs  of  furs  were 
placed  between  them.  By  these  figures  he  told  the  tale  of  the 
trespass,  the  seizure  of  the  furs,  and  the  threat  of  shooting  him 
if  he  persevered  in  his  trespass.  This  system  of  figurative  sym 
bols  I  am  inclined  to  call  pictography,  as  it  appears  to  me  to  be 
a  peculiar  and  characteristic  mode  of  picture-writing. 

22t?.  Mr.  Ellis,  in  his  Polynesian  Researches,  represents  the 
Pacific  Islands  as  being  inhabited  by  two  distinct  races  of  men, 
each  of  whom  appears  to  preserve  the  separate  essential  marks  of 
a  physical  and  mental  type.  The  first,  which  is  thought  the  most 
ancient,  consists  of  the  Oceanic  negroes,  who  are  distinguished  by 
dark  skins,  small  stature,  and  woolly  or  crisped  hair.  They  are 
clearly  Hametic.  They  occupy  Australia,  and  are  found  to  be 
aborigines  in  Tasmania,  New  Guinea,  New  Britain,  New  Caledonia 
and  New  Hebrides.  The  other  race  has  many  of  the  features  of 
the  Malays  and  South  Americans,  yet  differs  materially  from  either. 
Yet  what  is  most  remarkable,  the  latter  have  an  ingenious  sys 
tem  of  numeration,  by  which  they  can  compute  very  high  numbers. 
They  proceed  by  decimals,  precisely  like  the  Algonquin  tribes,  but 
while  the  arithmetical  theory  is  precisely  the  same,  a  comparison 
shows  that  the  names  of  the  numerals  have  not  the  slightest  resem 
blance. 

POLYNESIAN.  ALGONQUIN. 

One,  Atabi,  Pazhik. 

Two,  Arua,  Neezh. 

Three,  Atora,  Niswi. 

Four,  Araaha,  Newin. 


696  PERSONAL   MEMOIRS. 

POLYNESIAN.  ALGONQUIN. 

Five,  Arima,  Nanun. 

Six,  Aono,  Ningodwaswa. 

Seven,  Ahitu,  Nizhwaswa. 

Eight,  Avaru,  Schwaswa. 

Nine,  Aiva,  Shonguswa. 

Ten,  Ahuru,  Metonna. 

The  Polynesians,  like  the  Algonquins,  then  say,  ten  and  one  for 
eleven,  foe.,,  till  twenty,  which  is  erua  ahuru,  this  is  two  tens; 
twenty-one  consists  of  the  terms  for  two  tens  and  one.  In  this 
manner  they  count  to  ten  tens,  which  is  rau.  Ten  raus  is  one 
mano,  or  thousand;  ten  manos  one  million,  and  so  on.  How 
exactly  the  Algonquin  method,  but  not  a  speck  of  analogy  in  words. 

27th.  One  of  the  emigrant  Germans  who  swarm  about  the  city, 
a  poor  ill-dressed  wood-sawyer,  met  me,  on  coming  out  of  my 
office  door,  and,  mistaking  me  for  the  owner  of  a  visible  pfle  of 
wood,  addressed  me  in  one  of  the  Rhine  dialects,  inquiring  the 
owner.  I  replied :  Teh  ivies  necht — es  is  neeht  mein.  He  looked 
with  delighted  astonishment  at  an  American  speaking  his  language 
— "a  stranger  in  a  strange  land" — and  was  ready  to  proffer  any 
services  in  his  power. 

April  &h.  A  friend  from  Lancaster,  in  Pennsylvania,  writes : 
•c  It  was  my  luck  to  be  called  to  Washington  the  latter  part  of 
February,  and  to  be  detained  until  the  llth  ultimo,  and  in  that 
great  city  business  occupied  my  attention  all  the  time.  The  congre 
gation  of  strangers  from  all  parts  of  the  Union  was  immense ;  the 
number  estimated  at  fifty  thousand.  Thirty  thousand  of  them,  at 
least,  expectants,  or  thinking  themselves  worthy  of  office.  But, 
alas  !  for  the  ingratitude  of  man,  they  were,  almost  to  a  man,  sent 
home  without  getting  their  share  of  the  pottage.  *  *  There 
has  yet  been  no  change  in  the  head  of  the  Indian  Bureau,  although 
there  are  three  candidates  in  the  field. 

"  I  have  just  heard  the  rumor  of  the  death  of  Gen.  Harrison 
(the  newly-elected  President  of  U.  S.),  and,  upon  inquiry,  find 
that  it  is  well  founded.  It  is  said  that  he  died  last  night  at  twelve 
o'clock.  He  has  been  suffering  for  a  week  past  with  a  severe 
attack  of  pneumonia,  or  bilious  pleurisy.  Should  this  be  so,*  it 
will  make  a  great  change  in  the  political  destiny  of  the  country 

*  It  was. 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  697 

for  four  years  to  come.  Mr.  Tyler  is  a  southern  man  with  south 
ern  principles,  rather  a  conservative,  opposed  to  a  heavy  tariff,  if 
in  favor  of  any.  There  will  be  a  different  policy  pursued,  and  you 
will  find  great  disappointment  and  confusion.  He  is  not  a  man 
who  will  pursue  a  prescriptive  course  in  turning  out  and  putting 
into  office,  but  who  will  go  upon  the  great  principle  of  the  Vir 
ginia  school  in  regard  to  office-holders.  <  Is  he  honest  ?  Is  he 
capable  ?'  I*am  of  the  opinion  that  the  chartering  of  a  national 
bank  will  not  meet  his  approval.  But  there  is  no  telling. 
Politicians,  in  these  days  of  humbug,  make  so  many  turnabouts 
that  it  is  impossible  to  scan  their  future  conduct  by  their  past 
deeds." 

1th.  Wrote  a  communication  for  the  Michigan  Farmer,  on  the 
important  subject,  as  a  matter  of  taste,  of  "  ornamental  and  shade 
trees."  New  settlers  are  bent  on  denuding  their  lands  of  every 
tree,  and  a  newly  opened  farm  looks  as  if  a  tornado  had  passed 
over  it. 

6th.  Messrs.  Dawson  and  Bates  submit  estimates  for  the  con 
templated  historical  volume,  for  which  I  am  taking  every  means 
of  preparing  the  materials.  I  am  satisfied  that  without  publication 
the  Hist.  Society  cannot  acquire  a  basis  with  the  literary  world  to 
stand  upon.  My  own  collections  respecting  the  language  and 
history  of  the  Indian  tribes  are  alone  adequate  to  the  publication 
of  several  volumes,  and  I  have  long  sought,  without  being  able  to 
find,  a  proper  medium  of  bringing  these  materials  forward.  My 
local  position  is  unfavorable  to  sending  them  to  the  American 
Philosophical  Society,  or  to  any  of  the  cities  on  the  seaboard, 
where  they  would,  however,  be  mangled,  as  I  told  Mr.  Duponceau, 
for  want  of  proof-reading ;  and  here,  alas  !  it  is  a  question  of 
dollars. 

15th.  Rev.  Geo.  N.  Smith  reports  the  state  of  the  new  mission 
at  "  Old  Wing,"  on  Little  Traverse  Bay,  Lake  Michigan,  as  en 
couraging.  The  American  Board  (who  gave  up  this  general  field 
just  at  a  time  when,  some  thought,  it  was  ready  to  bear  fruits)  trans 
ferred  the  treaty  fund  under  which  this  mission  was  undertaken. 

"  We  chopped  in  all,"  writes  Mr.  S.  "  about  forty-five  acres, 
but  a  team  is  necessary  to  clear  off  the  timber,  so  that  the  land 
can  be  cleared  and  prepared  for  a  crop  this  season.  During  the 
winter  we  had  a  school,  which  produced  very  encouraging  results, 


698  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

I  taught  it  in  my  own  house.  The  scholars  applied  themselves 
closely  to  their  studies  and  made  great  progress  in  learning,  so 
that,  if  we  had  funds  to  go  forward  without  embarrassment,  our 
progress  of  ameliorating  the  condition  of  this  band  would  be  very 
flattering. 

"  The  Indians  say  they  are  going  to  remain  here  this  summer, 
and  improve  their  lands,  and  that,  if  they  can  get  their  oxen, 
wagons,  tools,  &c.,  this  spring,  those  who  have  never  been  here 
since  they  purchased  (these  purchases  were  in  the  U.  S.  Land 
Office),  will  come  immediately  and  settle.  And,  I  think,  if  their 
expectations  in  this  respect  could  be  realized,  they  would  go  for 
ward  with  renewed  encouragement,  and  with  a  success  which  would 
well  compare  with  our  best  expectations.  Also  if  their  annuities 
could  be  paid  somewhere  in  this  vicinity,  it  would  be  of  great  ad 
vantage  to  them,  as  it  would  save  much  time  which  might  be  very 
profitably  spent  at  home." 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  699 


CHAPTER    LXXII. 

Popular  common  school  education — Iroquois  name  for  Mackinack — Its  scenic 
beauties  poetically  considered — Phenomenon  of  two  currents  of  adverse 
wind  meeting — Audubon's  proposed  work  on  American  quadrupeds — 
Adario — Geographical  range  of  the  mocking-bird — Removal  from  the  West 
to  the  city  of  New  York — An  era  accomplished — Visit  to  Europe. 

1841.  May  3d.  F.  SAWYER,  Jr.,  Esq.,  a  gentleman  recently  ap 
pointed  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  from  Ann  Arbor, 
writes  :  "  Yours  of  the  19th  April  came  during  my  absence  at  Mar 
shall,  and  I  take  the  first  opportunity  to  reply,  thanking  you  for  the 
suggestions  made.  It  is  my  intention  to  attempt  the  publication  of  a 
monthly,  something  after  the  manner  of  the  Boston  Common  School 
Journal,  one  of  the  best  things  of  the  kind,  in  my  humble  opinion, 
to  be  found  in  the  Union.  As  the  legislative  resolution  author 
izing  a  subscription  for  such  a  publication  is  repealed,  a  journal, 
if  started,  will  depend  upon  the  disposition  of  the  people  to  sus 
tain  it. 

"  My  intention  is  to  address  a  circular  to  the  different  Boards  of 
School  Inspectors  throughout  Michigan,  urging  upon  them  the 
necessity  of  doing  something  for  the  cause,  and  invoking  their  effi 
ciency  in  the  matter.  If  they  will  take  hold  and  raise  a  certain 
amount  in  their  district,  and  pledge  their  constant  exertions  to  ex 
cite  and  keep  alive  public  interest  on  the  subject  of  common  schools, 
much  will  have  been  effected. 

"  To  succeed,  the  journal  must  treat  of  subjects  in  the  most 
popular  manner,  avoiding,  as  far  as  is  consistent  with  the  dignity 
of  the  object  in  view,  very  elaborate  and  prosy  disquisitions.  I 
shall  endeavor  to  get  a  circular  out  next  week.  Meantime  accept 
my  thanks  for  the  interest  you  take  in  the  subject,  and  be  assured 
that  if  I  succeed  in  starting  the  journal,  I  shall,  at  all  times,  be 
grateful  for  contributions  from  you." 

22d.  Landed  at  Mackinack  after  having  passed  the  winter  at 
Detroit.  It  appears  from  Golden  that  the  Iroquois  called  this  island 


700  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

Teiodondoraghie.  What  an  amount  of  word-craft  is  here — what 
a  poetic  description  thrown  into  the  form  of  a  compound  phrase ! 
The  local  term  in  doraghie  is  apparently  the  same  heard  in  Ticon- 
deroga — the  imprecision  of  writing  Indian  making  the  difference. 
Ti  is  the  Iroquois  particle  for  water,  as  in  Tioga,  &c.  On  is,  in 
like  manner,  the  clipped  or  coalescent  particle  for  hill  or  mountain, 
as  heard  in  Onondaga.  The  vowels  i,  0,  carry  the  same  meaning, 
evidently,  that  they  do  in  Ontario  and  Ohio,  where  they  are  an 
exclamatory  description  for  beautiful  scenery.  What  a  philosophy 
of  language  is  here  ! 

June  ~L5th.  The  balmy,  soft  influence  of  a  June  atmosphere, 
resting  upon  this  lovely  scene  of  water,  woods,  and  rocks — a  per 
fect  gem  in  creation,  deeply  impressed  me.  Under  a  strong  sense 
of  its  geological  frame-work  of  cliffs  and  winding  paths,  it  ap 
peared  that  it  only  required  a  poetic  drapery  to  be  thrown  qver  it 
and  its  historical  associations,  to  render  it  a  pleasing  theme  of 
description.  So  unlike  English  scenery,  and  yet  so  characteristic 
— so  very  American. 

21s£.  While  standing  on  the  piazza  in  front  of  the  agency  house 
at  Mackinack,  about  five  o'clock  P.  M.,  my  attention  was  directed 
to  the  strong  current  which  set  through  the  strait,  west,  under  the 
influence  of  a  strong  easterly  wind.  The  waves  were  worked  up 
into  a  perfect  series  of  foam  wreaths,  succeeding  each  other  for 
miles.  While  admiring  this  phenomenon,  a  cloud  gathered  sud 
denly  in  the  west,  and,  in  a  few  minutes,  poured  forth  a  gust  of 
wind  towards  the  east,  attended  with  ,  heavy  rain.  So  suddenly 
was  this  jet  of  wind  propagated  towards  the  east,  that  the  foam  of 
waves  running  west  was  driven  back  eastwardly,  before  the  waves 
had  time  to  reverse  their  motion,  which  created  the  unusual  spec 
tacle  of  two  opposing  currents  of  wind  and  waves,  in  the  most 
active  and  striking  manner.  The  wave  current  still  running  west, 
while  the  wind  current  seized  its  foam  and  carried  it  in  a  long  line 
towards  the  east.  The  new  current  soon  prevailed.  At  half-past 
six  o'clock  the  storm  had  quite  abated,  and  the  wind  settled  lightly 
from  the  south-west. 

26th.  Mr.  John  J.  Audubon  announces  his  intention  to  prepare 
a  complete  work  on  American  quadrupeds,  correspondent,  in  the 
style  of  execution,  to  his  great  work  on  ornithology.  "  As  I  do 
not  know,"  he  modestly  says,  "whether  you  are  aware  of  my  hav 
ing  published  a  work  on  the  birds  of  America,  I  take  this  oppor- 


PERSONAL   MEMOIRS.  701 

tunity  to  assure  you  that  I  have,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  apprise 
you  of  my  having  undertaken,  and  in  fact,  began  another  on  the 
viviparous  quadrupeds  of  our  country,  which  it  is  also  my  intention 
to  publish  as  soon  as  I  can. 

"In  all  such  undertakings,  the  simple  though  unintermitted 
labors  of  an  individual  are  not  sufficient,  and  assistance  from 
others  is  not  only  agreeable,  but  is,  in  my  opinion,  absolutely  ne 
cessary  to  render  them  as  complete  as  possible. 

"  Having  not  only  heard,  but  also  read,  of  your  having  rendered 
essential  services  to  Charles  Bonaparte,  Mr.  Cooper  of  this  city, 
and  other  eminent  naturalists,  I  think  that  perhaps  you  would  not 
look  upon  my  endeavors  to  advance  science  as  not  unworthy  of  the 
same  species  of  assistance  at  your  hands,  and  I  will  therefore  say, 
at  once,  what  my  desires  aref  and  wish  of  you  to  have  the  goodness 
to  let  me  know,  whether  it  is  agreeable  or  convenient  for  you  to 
assist  me. 

"My  wishes  are  to  procure  of  quadrupeds,  of  moderate  and 
small  sizes,  preserved  entire  in  the  flesh,  and  in  strong  common 
rum  (no  other  spiritous  liquor  will  preserve  them  equally  well), 
and  the  heads  and  feet  of  the  larger  species,  likewise  in  rum. 
The  large  animals  in  the  skins,  after  having  taken  accurate  notes 
of  measurements,  the  color  of  the  eyes,  date  of  capture,  locality, 
and  also,  whatever  may  relate  to  their  habits  and  habitats !  By 
the  first  of  which,  I  more  particularly  mean,  their  usual  and  un 
usual  postures,  gaits,  &c.,  and  whether  they  climb  trees,  or  are 
altogether  terrestrial.  My  desire  to  have  the  animals  in  the  flesh, 
is  in  connection  with  my  wish  to  give  their  anatomy,  or  as  much 
of  it  as  may  be  thought  useful  or  necessary  to  the  student  of 
nature,  and  by  which  the  species  may  be  better  hereafter  known 
than  heretofore." 

28th.  Maj.  Delafield  writes  respecting  the  contemplated  work  of 
Audubon:  "  If  in  your  power  to  aid  him  as  proposed,  you  will  con 
tribute  to  another  magnificent  American  work  on  natural  science, 
intended  to  be  on  the  same  grand  scale  with  his  ornithology." 

July  *lth.  Among  the  most  noted  aboriginal  characters  who 
have,  in  bygone  times,  lived  here,  was  Adario,  a  Wyandot,  who 
flourished  while  that  tribe  were  in  exile  on  this  island.  He  appears 
to  me,  from  the  descriptions  given  of  him,  to  have  had  larger  in 
ductive  powers  than  the  Indians  generally,  though  they  were  only 
employed  on  stratagems  and  in  negotiations,  in  which,  curiously 


702  PERSONAL  MEMOIRS. 

enough,  lie  succeeded  in  making  the  Iroquois  vengeance  fall  on  the 
French,  his  allies.  To  be  wise  with  him  was  more  than  to  be  just. 
Look  at  Golden.  The  philosophy  put  into  his  mouth  by  La  Hon- 
tan,  probably  has  some  basis,  in  actual  talk,  with  the  gay  baron. 

The  following  appear  to  be  turning  points  in  Iroquois  history:— 
Father  de  Moyn  discovers  the  Onondaga  country  1653 

Erie  war  closes  1655 

New  Amsterdam  surrenders  to  the  Duke  of  York  1664 

First  treaty  of  the  Iroquois  with  the  French  166T 

La  Salle  builds  the  first  vessel  on  the  lakes  1679 

La  Salle  lays  the  foundation  of  Fort  Niagara        -  1679 

English  revolution  bringing  in  a  new  dynasty  in  "William  1688 
Capture  and  burning  of  Schenectady  1690 

27th.  I  received  notice  of  my  election  as  an  honorary  member 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society. 

Aug.  1st.  During  the  number  of  years  I  have  passed  in  the 
country  of  the  upper  lakes,  I  have  noticed  the  mocking  bird,  T. 
polyglottis,  but  once  or  twice  as  far  north  as  the  Island  of  Michi- 
limackinack.  I  have  listened  to  its  varied  notes,  during  the  spring 
season,  with  delight.  It  is  not  an  ordinary  inhabitant,  nor  have 
I  ever  noticed  it  on  the  St.  Mary's  Straits,  or  on  the  shores  of 
Lake  Huron  north  of  this  island.  This  island  may,  I  think,  be 
referred  to  as  its  extreme  northern  and  occasional  limit. 

1.0th.  I  determined  to  remove  from  Michilimackinack  to  the 
city  of  New  York.  More  than  thirty  years  of  my  life  have  been 
spent  in  Western  scenes,  in  various  situations,  in  Western  New 
York,  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  the  basins  of  the  Great  Lakes. 
The  position  is  one  which,  however  suitable  it  is  for  observation 
on  several  topics,  is  by  no  means  favorable  to  the  publication  of 
them,  while  the  seaboard  cities  possess  numerous  advantages  of 
residence,  particularly  for  the  education  of  the  young.  So  much 
of  my  time  had  been  given  to  certain  topics  of  natural  history, 
and  to  the  languages  and  history,  antiquities,  manners,  and  cus 
toms  of  the  Indian  tribes,  that  I  felt  a  desire  to  preserve  the 
record  of  it,  and,  in  fact,  to  study  my  own  materials  in  a  position 
more  favorable  to  the  object  than  the  shores,  however  pleasing,  of 
these  vast  inland  seas.  The  health  of  Mrs.  Schoolcraft  having  been 
impaired  for  several  years,  furnished  another  motive  for  a  change 
of  residence.  However  great  was  the  geographical  area  to  be 
traversed,  the  change  could  be  readily  effected,  and  promised  many 


PERSONAL  MEMOIRS.  703 

of  the  highest  concomitants  of  civilization.  Beyond  all,  it  was  a 
return  to  ray  native  State  after  long  years  of  travel  and  wandering, 
adventure,  and  residence,  which  would  bear,  I  thought,  to  be  looked 
at  and  reflected  on  through  the  mellowed  medium  of  reminiscence 
and  study. 

The  journey  was  easily  performed  by  steamers  and  railroads, 
which  occupy  every  foot  of  the  way,  and  it  was  accomplished 
without  any  but  agreeable  incidents.  I  left  the  island,  which  is 
the  object  of  so  many  pleasant  recollections,  about  the  middle  of 
August,  and  reached  the  city  of  New  York  during  that  month,  in 
season,  after  some  weeks  agreeably  passed  at  a  hotel,  to  take 
a  private  dwelling-house  in  the  upper  part  of  it  (Chelsea,  19th 
street)  early  in  September.  I  now  cast  myself  about  to  pub 
lish  the  results  of  my  observation  on  the  RED  RACE,  whom  I  had 
found,  in  many  traits,  a  subject  of  deep  interest ;  in  some  things 
wholly  misunderstood  and  misrepresented;  and  altogether  an 
object  of  the  highest  humanitarian  interest.  But  our  booksellers, 
or  rather  book-publishers,  were  not  yet  prepared  in  their  views 
to  undertake  anything  corresponding  to  my  ideas.  The  next 
year  I  executed  my  long-deferred  purpose  of  visiting  England  and 
the  Continent  with  this  plan  in  view,  and  was  highly  gratified  with 
the  means  of  comparison  which  these  finished  countries  afforded 
with  the  rough  scenes  of  Western  America.  France,  Belgium, 
Prussia,  Germany  and  Holland  were  embraced  in  this  tour. 

This  visit  was  one  of  high  intellectual  gratification,  and  carried 
me  into  scenes  and  situations  for  which  the  reading  of  books  had 
but  poorly  prepared  me.  I  kept  a  journal  to  refresh  my  memory 
of  things  seen  and  heard,  approved  and  disapproved. 

The  Western  World,  they  tell  me,  turns  too  fast, 
By  European  optics  scanned  and  glassed ; 
But  when  we  look  at  Europe,  although  fair, 
They  must  have  had  new  Joshuas  working  there  ; 
For,  be  our  eagerness  just  what  it  will, 
She,  spell-bound,  seems  to  stand  profoundly  still. 


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